On Writing & Publishing by Robin D. Owens

Personal notes on writing techniques, writing a novel, my writing career and threading your way through publishing a book.

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Location: Denver, United States

RITA Award Winning Author -- that's like the Oscar, folks! Futuristic/Fantasy Romance and Fantasy with Romantic Subplots.

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Finishing the First Book

This is a VERY, VERY big deal. I don't care if the book is a Learning How To Write A Book effort, or that it can never be published, like my The Token. When a person finishes their first book, they know it can be done. They can write an entire story.

First, there are a lot of people who have joined writing groups that don't realize what time, effort, blood, sweat, tears it takes to write a book. There are three chapter wonders who can't finish a book. There are people who get bored with the story and can't finish it.

Coming up on the ending of your first book usually brings fear. This happens with every book, but most particularly the first. What do I do now? What if I send it out and it is rejected a gazillion times, can I live with that? What if it is published and nobody likes it, can I deal with that emotional trauma? What if my father recognizes himself and never speaks to me again? (Ok, many first books are Coming of Age stories in one way or another).

I think I told you of the story of a critique group buddy who had NY editor nibbles on her fun, contemporary story and could not write the last three chapters? I'm not sure what happened to her. We (critique group) gave her excellent support. We would have been there for her, helped with every word as we had before (it was a short book), but she just couldn't do it.

So writing a complete book is MAJOR. I congratulate everyone who has done it. You are in the minority of people in all of the world.

May finishing your scene, chapter, book, well today.
Robin

2 Comments:

Blogger moonhart said...

I am one of those people! And boy did I slllooooooow down with those last 3 chapters. Absolute fear.

Now I captured the lion, I am trying to tame it in revisions which are easier (but not by much) than first draft.

I really find myself hating writing often but unable to stop myself.

I think all writers are crazy.

;)

moon

6:15 AM  
Blogger FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens said...

Congratulations! We are, mad and neurotic and dangerous to know (that don't rhyme, do it?)

Robin

10:41 AM  

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