Which manuscript to start writing on again?

LM2012 · 05-28-2012, 09:13 AM

After many years I have pulled from the dust old children's manuscripts and want to try my hand at writing again. Only problem is I have several short stories that I want to expand into each story as 1 long manuscript. I don't know which manuscript to start with. Also after reading through my work, I'm not sure if I should scrap some writings that I see potential in but unsure if I can make it a full length manuscript to someday submit for publishing.

Has anyone else come across this problem? I feel weird throwing out my work that I spent time on but some stories I don't know if I should try to re write or scrap. How can I decide on what to pursue?

Smish · 05-28-2012, 03:41 PM

Sometimes, writing is just practice, you know? It's never a waste of time. My vote would be to start something fresh. That doesn't mean you have to throw out the older works; just set them aside, for now. Or not. It's really up to you.

We do have monthly prompts, if you need a little inspiration.

MsJudy · 05-28-2012, 07:13 PM

I find that if I set things aside, some of the good parts end up finding homes in newer projects. That frees me up not to have to go back and figure out how to fix old stories that may be flawed.

Like smish said--maybe those old stories were just practice. Play around with ideas and try something new. If it's been a while since you wrote, you've probably grown quite a bit in that time. You have new insights. Your voice will have matured. And in the meantime, the market has changed quite a bit.

You'll also find that if you write daily (or at least regularly), it will get easier to come up with ideas. At first, it feels like those ideas from the trunk are all you have to work with. But as you write, you'll come up with plenty of new ones, and realize you can set some of those aside.

Ferret · 05-28-2012, 08:33 PM

Not all short stories have enough meat to make a novel. Unless one really strikes you as perfect for a novel, I'd start with something completely new.

I think that when you start a novel, it's best to have an idea that fills you with such excitement you simply can't imagine not writing it. That excitement helps get you through some of the hard work and frustration. Do any of your old short stories excite you? What would you be excited to write about?

And I agree with Smish. Writing is not a waste of time, even if it's just practice. Nobody publishes every single word they write.

playground_king · 05-28-2012, 08:50 PM

Like Ferret says, find something that you really enjoy to write. I think one of the hardest things people that don't write, don't understand is regardless of how much writers love to write, sometimes we get bored with our stories, because regardless of if you outline or not, there comes a point where you know everything that happens. So the excitement dies down a bit. Everyone goes through it. Which is why the story you write you have to enjoy so you can finish.

But at the end of the day, the worst that happens is you don't want to finish the story and you start a new one. Practice makes perfect, and since no one is perfect you better keep practicing.

LM2012 · 05-29-2012, 12:33 AM

That's a good point, practice does make perfect. I think I shall scrap some of my work because I noticed I don't feel any excitement for a certain piece.

playground_king · 05-29-2012, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LM2012

That's a good point, practice does make perfect. I think I shall scrap some of my work because I noticed I don't feel any excitement for a certain piece.

Well don't scrap it. You'll never know if you'll ever want to start it again. Just start another story.

Debbie V · 05-30-2012, 07:43 AM

Follow the passion, but remember sometimes it comes back around to an old love, sometimes a new one.

sunshine7 · 06-09-2012, 02:04 AM

Choose the one you feel lead to do, and want to start over:

05-28-2012, 09:13 AM	#1
LM2012 New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 13	Which manuscript to start writing on again? After many years I have pulled from the dust old children's manuscripts and want to try my hand at writing again. Only problem is I have several short stories that I want to expand into each story as 1 long manuscript. I don't know which manuscript to start with. Also after reading through my work, I'm not sure if I should scrap some writings that I see potential in but unsure if I can make it a full length manuscript to someday submit for publishing. Has anyone else come across this problem? I feel weird throwing out my work that I spent time on but some stories I don't know if I should try to re write or scrap. How can I decide on what to pursue?

05-28-2012, 07:13 PM	#3
MsJudy practical experience, FTW Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: california Posts: 5,673	I find that if I set things aside, some of the good parts end up finding homes in newer projects. That frees me up not to have to go back and figure out how to fix old stories that may be flawed. Like smish said--maybe those old stories were just practice. Play around with ideas and try something new. If it's been a while since you wrote, you've probably grown quite a bit in that time. You have new insights. Your voice will have matured. And in the meantime, the market has changed quite a bit. You'll also find that if you write daily (or at least regularly), it will get easier to come up with ideas. At first, it feels like those ideas from the trunk are all you have to work with. But as you write, you'll come up with plenty of new ones, and realize you can set some of those aside. __________________ represented by Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency. Most happy.

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05-28-2012, 08:33 PM	#4
Ferret waiting Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 628	Not all short stories have enough meat to make a novel. Unless one really strikes you as perfect for a novel, I'd start with something completely new. I think that when you start a novel, it's best to have an idea that fills you with such excitement you simply can't imagine not writing it. That excitement helps get you through some of the hard work and frustration. Do any of your old short stories excite you? What would you be excited to write about? And I agree with Smish. Writing is not a waste of time, even if it's just practice. Nobody publishes every single word they write.

05-28-2012, 08:50 PM	#5
playground_king practical experience, FTW Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 650	Like Ferret says, find something that you really enjoy to write. I think one of the hardest things people that don't write, don't understand is regardless of how much writers love to write, sometimes we get bored with our stories, because regardless of if you outline or not, there comes a point where you know everything that happens. So the excitement dies down a bit. Everyone goes through it. Which is why the story you write you have to enjoy so you can finish. But at the end of the day, the worst that happens is you don't want to finish the story and you start a new one. Practice makes perfect, and since no one is perfect you better keep practicing.

05-29-2012, 12:33 AM	#6
LM2012 New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 13	That's a good point, practice does make perfect. I think I shall scrap some of my work because I noticed I don't feel any excitement for a certain piece.

05-30-2012, 07:43 AM	#8
Debbie V Mentoring Myself and Others Join Date: May 2010 Location: New York Posts: 1,338	Follow the passion, but remember sometimes it comes back around to an old love, sometimes a new one.

06-09-2012, 02:04 AM	#9
sunshine7 New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin Join Date: May 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 12	Choose the one you feel lead to do, and want to start over: