The realities of fiction writing - a question

[Michael Davis]

Yesterday I was struggling through another rewrite of my third novel, and I began to reflect on the differences between my perception of fiction writing when I started and what I sense now that roughly 30 months have gone by. I'm leading up to a question for the collective consciousness of those that have been doing this for some time, but I need to share a bit of perspective first.

Before I started, I had a general concept about fiction writing as an endeavor. Some things have turned out the way I expected, for example:

1. Seeing a story in you mind come to fruition, with all the characters coming to life, is definitely a high. I really enjoy that element of the craft, possibly more then I originally imagined.

2. Having someone that reads your story share their enjoyment of something you did, how it made them escape into a new world for a short time, that is a real rush.

But there were several surprises I didn't expect:

1. The sheer drudgery of rewriting, proofing, reediting, dozens of times, I had no idea how much time that would take.

2. The amount of effort and time associated with promoting a book has far exceeded my expectations.

3. I've become removed from the very part I enjoy, creating the story. I would estimate in a week 70% to 80% of my time goes to things other than building and writing my story.

So here's my question(s). Have others involved in fiction writing for several years experienced the same difference from what you originally expected and the realities of the craft? What percentage of your time do you get to actually create a story? How much of your time goes into rewrites/proofreading/editing? What portion of your time is consumed by promotional activities?

Any views would be appreciated.

[Toothpaste]

It's odd. I wouldn't say it came to me as any sort of surprise how much actual "work" goes into writing the story - by which I mean editing etc. I had always, from a very young age, had to edit my work and I was never a big fan.

What did surprise me more, was how it was possible to write something of quality, even if the act of writing it was like pulling teeth. I really used to write in bouts of "inspiration". Then again I only ever wrote for fun, and not publication. Now with deadlines to meet, and expectations, I write as work. The actual creation process, the bit before the editing, that bit to me is just as hard and grueling as the more technical stuff. And that kind of surprised me. But like I said, the good news is the product ends up just fine in the end.

As far as promotion goes, I definitely spend a fair bit of time on it. I wouldn't know if I was particularly good at it, I am no JA Konrath that's for sure, but I do enjoy it. In fact there are times that the promotion comes as a welcome relief. It also can help focus the work itself. When I read to kids I remember why I am doing what I am doing. Sometimes writing in my little vacuum, and hanging out only with adults as I do, I can forget the thrill that the kids feel, and that is just awesome. I also enjoy public speaking and meeting new people. Heck I have a weekend full of it starting tomorrow and I am very excited.

I do concede though sometimes it feels like I am writing blog entries or working on my website more than writing my next novel.

Altogether though, I'd have to say, I don't feel overwhelmed by one area. Lol! Maybe just all of them and somehow that manages to balance out!

One thing I'd like to know, when does a writer take a break? I find that even if I am not writing, not editing, not doing anything at all, heck on vacation, I'm still thinking about the work. I would love to take a vacation from my brain, but I'm not sure how to do it!

[Joycecwilliams]

Hey Big Mike

I find myself spending a lot of time in rewriting and editing also. It does seem never ending. I am new to writing fiction and am working on my first book. I love the creativity part and find it very freeing.

I have not had a book published yet, since I am still working or should I say editing etc. on my first book. I would like to think that it will get easier and faster as time goes by. I have not done the book promotion yet.

Sometimes I take a short break and write a short story... to exercise my creativity while I am in thoes of editing.

Thanks for this post...

[bluntforcetrauma]

Editing is akin to enduring Chinese water torture while vultures peck at your eyes.

[bunnygirl]

I enjoy the editing and tinkering almost as much as the actual writing. It's the querying and promoting I hate. It runs counter to my nature and it sucks up my very limited writing time.

[bluntforcetrauma]

I enjoy the editing and tinkering almost as much as the actual writing.

Sending my entire novel your way so you can have a ball editing. :?D

[rugcat]

I like the editing and rewriting process -- to me that's as much a part of the creative process as is anything else. Making a clumsy sentence work, finding just the right turn of phrase, making dialog flow --that is as rewarding as coming up with stuff in the first place.

As far as promotion goes, I do very little of it. A website, an LJ blog where I post infrequently, some blog interviews -- that's about it. Writing is what I enjoy, not the promotion side. I feel if my books interest enough people, I'll do fine, with or without spending all my free time promoting. If the books don't interest readers, no amount of promotion is going to change that.

If you enjoy the promotion aspect, great. Do it. If you feel it's a drag and affects your writing, don't.

Of course, I still have a day job.

[steveg144]

Yeah, it's an occupational hazard. That moment when The Muse visits and hands you that brilliant idea is what makes all the tedious bits worthwhile. I actually don't mind the rework/edit cycle, it's like polishing silverware, you get a certain pride from getting it real shiny... :-) The marketing pieces, yeah, I hate it, I suspect most people do. The endless sending of queries and pieces, the waiting, the rejection slip, rinse and repeats, that's pretty tedious. But it's a necessary part of the business of writing. One can be like Kafka, write for the love of it and stick one's work in a drawer. Or one can knuckle down to the business of getting published. I figure in an average week I probably spend 60% + of my time processing existing work (printing, mailing, updating my submissions database, etc) and (on a good week) 40% creating new work.

[timewaster]

It varies for me. Some books have been a joy to write and some really hard. I don't spend much time on promotion I'm afraid. I do some school visits and any talks that my publisher arranges, but mostly I just sit in my office and waste time on the internet, sorry no, work. I take quite a lot of time off. I don't spend much time on admin either as I've only ever worked for one publisher up till now.
I don't think the rewards justify the effort unless you enjoy it. I whinge a lot but I still like writing and it is much more fun than any other job I've ever done.

[Michael Davis]

One thing I'd like to know, when does a writer take a break? I find that even if I am not writing, not editing, not doing anything at all, heck on vacation, I'm still thinking about the work. I would love to take a vacation from my brain, but I'm not sure how to do it![/quote]

Boy I agree with you, Toothpaste. There's not a moment that goes by that I'm not thinking about some scene or wording in one of the half a dozen stories floating in my head. The weather here in SW VA is starting to warm up and I'm planning to take a fishing trip with a bunch of guys. It'll be the first time I've actually planned something just for fun again. I used to partake in a lot of sports. Think I'm going to try and re shift focus for a while ... If I can just stop these voices in my head (LOL).

[Elodie-Caroline]

I enjoy the editing part of my writing, I know I can make my stories even better by doing this, snappier and more impact during sentences. I've also learnt a great deal by doing the editing process too, my grammar and punctuation has got a lot better, as we didn't get taught this at school for some reason.
I started writing around fours years ago and I now find that I need to do a lot less editing in my newer chapters/works, so the earlier times, doing lots of editing, wasn't wasted, it has been a learning curve as well as a creative one.

I don't like the promoting part though, that really sucks and I'm useless at it! :D



Elodie

[maestrowork]

One thing I'd like to know, when does a writer take a break? I find that even if I am not writing, not editing, not doing anything at all, heck on vacation, I'm still thinking about the work. I would love to take a vacation from my brain, but I'm not sure how to do it!


Yup. Even when I'm not sitting down banging out words on the computer, I'm still "writing." There's not a day without me thinking about the characters, plot, etc.

[DamaNegra]

I never really thought about this. When I started writing, I thought all I had to do was just churn out page after page and that's it. Then I started learning about the craft and stuff, but I was so enamoured with writing that I took it as a given. I enjoy every single step of the process because, whille I'm writing, I keep picturing the first edition of my novel shinning in my hands. That's all the motivation I need.

[Erin]

All aspects of writing are a lot of work, but it''s work I love! I enjoy the editing and revising the most, but it's also the most intense part of the work to me. I love turning that horrendous first draft into a readable "masterpiece."

I hate promotions since I'm an introvert. I'm just now getting into the grove for my first book release next week. I love the graphical side of creating promotional pieces, web site design, etc.

Not a day goes by that I'm not doing something writing related and I feel guity when I do take a day off (even if I can't shut my brain down).

[Judg]

Bless you all! It's such a relief to find out I'm not a weirdo. Revising and editing is so much more fun and so much easier than the first draft. I sweat bullets over the first draft.

[Fresie]

Editing is akin to enduring Chinese water torture while vultures peck at your eyes.

:D rugcat, Judg and Erin, I agree. Coming up with a story idea is not a problem for me whatsoever but to go one step further and develop it into a story where everything fits together, a story that actually works??? That's the hardest bit of them all for me.

I love editing and rewriting -- that's the easy bit, a welcome relief after all the pangs of creating a new life. How some of you people can just come up with a slice of life just like that, beats me. :Shrug:

[KikiteNeko]

I've been writing since I was a little kid, and I used to just make up whatever I felt like, write it down, and be happy. As I got older, books became study guides for me. I realized, as the years passed and as I headed towards college, that writing was something I wanted to pursue seriously. When I sat down to write a novel, I expected it to be fun, if somewhat hard.

Well, it was very, very hard.

I lost sleep. I neglected my responsibilities. I managed a flat B- average in my senior year because I BSed through homework and focused only on my writing. I was sick over it. I pestered my friends for their opinions. I was cranky. I was underslept. I was restless. The only gratification came when a door in my brain opened and ideas came falling out like stuff piled up behind a closet door. And then to read it, and to have picked it to perfection felt so much better than any of the lighthearted writing I'd just done for sheer fun.

So I guess there's no percentage or ratio of fun:work (I don't think logic or math has any place in writing, but that's just me). Writing is what it is. Different for everyone. If you're doing it, no matter how hard it is, and no matter how much it makes you want to punch your friendly neighborhood postman for no real reason, then just be happy you've found something worth working for. There are so many people who live their whole lives never passionate about anything.

[NeuroFizz]

Personally, I think some people new to writing tend to mystify it. They talk as if their muse is a real person who is a detached entity of independent mind. They get caught up in the euphoric aspects of turning out a poetic stretch of prose or a good hook ending to a scene, and talk as if the inspiration is other-worldly. Just scan through several pages of thread titles in this forum and you'll see hints of this mystical, hallucinatory approach to writing. Eventually, if these people continue to hone the craft, and get more and more words on paper, the laborious aspect of writing hits them hard between the knees. I suspect this is where some of the more dreamy people fail, or at least suffer a bit of depression over their work.

Writing is a tremendous intellectual challenge, and the challenge aspect never ends no matter how good one gets (or it shouldn't). If it is embraced as such, there is a remarkable sense of accomplishment when success (however defined) is achieved, but it is a grounded sense of accomplishment since there is full realization that it is also a labor, and always will be.

[Phaeal]

If I complain about how hard writing is, my Muse sets me straight. He shrugs and says, "Hey, art is long, what are you gonna do?"

Good advice, but he could lose the cigar. It doesn't really go with the toga and laurel wreath.

[DeadlyAccurate]

I love the revising and editing more than the first draft, too. I especially love the fourth+ passes, when I'm getting those sentences just so rather than worrying so much about plot. (Not that I haven't made major plot changes in the umpteenth edit.)

[Shadow_Ferret]

I started writing and submitting almost simultaneously as a teenager. I never had any expectations of what writing was about, I jumped right into the reality.

[David I]

Writing, rewriting, editing are all fine. Usually.

The business aspect of writing is an utter drag.

As to a "vacation" from writing, I find that reading novels that overpower me offers a good escape; but if they are less masterful, they make you think too much about how they are written, and there you are again, thinking about writing.

[Wolvel]

I actually enjoy the editing segment as well. It's easier to focus on a section at a time to make it the best it can be without having to concentrate on the next part of the story. It's already written down, I just get to make it better.

[thethinker42]

Editing is akin to enduring Chinese water torture while vultures peck at your eyes.

I've always described it as being less enjoyable than gouging my eyeballs out with a rusty fork.

I wonder why torture analogies, when related to writing, always seem to involve some horrific act performed on our eyeballs...what did they ever do to us??