01.05.05
A Resolution
It’s the time of year for making promises. I’ve made a few, actually, but I’m only making one of them public: I’m going to write a saleable work of fiction and submit it for publication.
Anyone who knows me at all knows that I want to be a writer. I’ve wanted to be a writer since the second grade, when I first realized that writing was actually something certain people got paid to do. Unfortunately, those who know me well know that I’m spectacularly bad at actually finishing the books and stories that I start writing. I’ve got notebooks full of ideas and beginnings dating back to high school, at least. But I have nothing of substance to show for it. That’s what I’m resolving to change.
The resolution itself might look a bit vague — “work of fiction”? What’s that? Short story, novella, novel, screenplay, or what? And why not just resolve to sell a work of fiction? Why hedge?
The main reason is that the piece I’m currently working on — a science fiction story involving cryonics, bioengineering, nanotechnology, and war — isn’t yet far enough along for me to say how long it’ll be (I’m still outlining and researching). I expect either a novella or a novel. Nor do I know how much longer it’ll take me to write it. Let’s be optimistic and say six months. After that I’ll need to set it aside for a while in order to edit the thing with a clear head before sending it out. That’s another month or two, minimum. Once that’s done, I can only send it to one publisher or agent at a time — very few professional markets accept simultaneous submissions. So by the end of the year, if all goes according to plan, I’ll probably be waiting for a response from the first place I submit it to.
That’s OK with me. If that’s what happens, I consider my resolution a success. What I don’t want is for this idea — of which I’ve grown rather fond — to meet the same fate as all those other ideas: abandoned, forgotten, stowed in the back of an increasingly crowded closet. Part of the purpose of this blog will be to keep me accountable.
Taika Said:
January 6, 2005 at 11:27 am
Hey, write it as a comic, let me draw it up. I’m dying for a good story…
Nicholas Said:
January 6, 2005 at 1:42 pm
I’m not sure this particular one would work as a comic, but we should discuss ideas sometime. I’d definitely be up for a collaboration on the right idea.
Taika Said:
January 9, 2005 at 10:52 pm
Congratulations on the very smooth design, BTW. Acetylene looks good!
Nicholas Said:
January 10, 2005 at 9:25 am
Thanks, but I really don’t deserve the credit. I made a few modifications to an existing design. (A very few modifications, actually.) I’ll probably do something new with it eventually, but I wanted to get something up and running rather than spending a lot of time on a design right now.
Dave Said:
January 8, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Hi. And I just wanted to ask you about your novel; are you writing it??
Let me know the score with that, if you like.
I found your page looking into software for writers.
I found your reviews inspiring and assuring, so I may well buy the software, when I get my new machine sorted out.
Like Taika, I also like the design of your weblog, very sweet.
Finally, have you seen the stuff theyre peddling on the Japfoneez site – is that really your “cup of tea”?
Respect to you, no comment to the aforementioned,
Dave Said:
January 8, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Hi. And I just wanted to ask you about your novel; are you writing it?? – Just seen that this was 3 years ago!!!!!!!!
Let me know the score with that, if you like.
I found your page looking into software for writers.
I found your reviews inspiring and assuring, so I may well buy the software, when I get my new machine sorted out.
Like Taika, I also like the design of your weblog, very sweet.
Finally, have you seen the stuff theyre peddling on the Japfoneez site – is that really your “cup of tea”?
Respect to you, no comment to the aforementioned,