I’ve been on a business trip in Tampa this weekend (yeah, I know, I was just in Orlando), but I’ve found some time to write. On my current WIP, I managed to get 864 words ahead of goal, even skipping Saturday. That was because of the 1500 word sprint on Friday. For some reason, the words just came. I skipped Saturday because I just wanted to rest on my last day here, especially since we’re leaving at 7:00 this morning! Bleh.
Also, while I was manning a booth at a rose show, I was able to finish the short story I started awhile back. I had done about 650 words and stopped. The story is now about 4900 words. That means I wrote about 4250 words while manning a booth! I’ve never written that many words in one day before, and I did it between customers. This story just starting coming out and it felt good, so I did it. LOL. The tentative name of the story is The Beast in the Mirror. I’m going to offer it for free on Smashwords, and maybe if I start it at .99 on Amazon, I can “tell them about a cheaper price” and they will mark it down to free. Or I could give it away on my website. Which should I do? All of the above? I have it with a beta reader right now, and I’m also going to beg Anya to make the cover art for free. LOL.
Question: Did you or are you going to publish the first book you ever wrote? The reason I ask this is that there’s a thinking in the writing world that your first novel has to be crap and it should be just practice. You should never publish the first novel you write. Well, I broke that rule and published my first novel. I have eight novels/novellas out right now, and an author friend asked me the other day if I didn’t wish I hadn’t published the first thing I wrote. The truth is that my first novel has been my third best seller out of the eight for awhile now. And it has a better rating average than most of my other ones. So what’s the downside of publishing it? I can’t see one. I know this is going to have to be an individual choice for each author. So what are you going to do?
lauralynnelliott.com 
First off wow on that word count! AMAZING!
Second question is a toughie. I don’t have anything full length right now. I have what I guess you could call my first short story up and available. I’m still sitting on the fence right now as to if it was a good choice to publish or not. It’s because of the content though not how I feel my writing is. But here’s where I’m going to say “Do not read it, Lauralynn” because it’s from a victim’s POV and rather…disturbing. But there was a reason I published it and let it go into the world. It’s not just a little personally based and I’m thinking that I needed to let it go but now I’m wondering (since no one has read it or if they have do not want to comment on it) if I should retract it.
If I ever get even one full length thing finished you better believe I’m publishing that bad boy even if I only offer it for free.
Thanks, Crystal.
My question about your short story is this: Do you not want me to read it because you think it would disturb ME or because you don’t want me to see that side of you? Because you’re making me WANT to read it.
I still think you should publish Faylinn. 😉
Woo! Way to go on the productivity!
I definitely did NOT publish the first book I wrote. i didn’t publish the next one I finished either (though it has potential and someday I might go back and rewrite it). And in between and after both of those there were a myriad of unfinished things.
I don’t think every single writer’s first novel is crap–but most of them are. There’s just SO MUCH to learn about craft and pacing that even if you write gorgeous prose naturally, first novels are usually full of rookie mistakes and things that you could have done better, and THAT’S why most people’s first novels hang out under a bed or in drawer somewhere.
Thanks, Kait!
I think you’re probably right that most people shouldn’t publish their first novel. I think one reason my first one was a little better is that I put so much of me into that one. Some things I’ve written I did for more of a commercial appeal. Whether it was right or wrong, it still made me money. And it was in a review of this book where one reader said ” I’m now officially a Lauralynn Elliott fan”. What a rush!
Congrats on churning out that story, and I would go with all of the above. Might as well.
As for first novels. I like to break rules. 😉 There’s an awful lot of what you should and shouldn’t do going around. We can’t all do the exact same things and expect the same results. I’ve published the first novel I started (Verity), but not the first one I finished. Although I would love to go back to that first finished one at some stage because I thoroughly enjoyed it. As is, it’s probably a mahoosive pile of crap, but that’s what editing is for. 😀
Claire, I’m definitely a rule breaker when it comes to writing. For instance, they say you shouldn’t use adverbs. I like adverbs; they’re an important part of grammar. I’ve been reading some popular traditional authors and they use LOTS of adverbs. I’m beginning to wonder who these people are who think they can make the rules for everyone. LOL.
I’m basically not afraid to take chances. It’s worked out pretty well for me so far.
Nobody uses adverbs like the popular kids. That’s probably why they’re popular, they’re pretty easy to read. It makes me smile to read old favourite books and see how many of the rules are broken. 🙂
Wow, those are some great figures. Way to go. I think I’m gong to add booth manning to my list of things to do next week.
I did publish the first thing I wrote. Well I wrote a book when I was like 15/16 and that I did not publish, but the real thing I wrote I did. I wish I had NOT done so. It was terribly edited. One day I will do a relaunch, because I liked the stories in it, – it was a short story collection – but for now i have removed it from all platforms until such a time that it is edited and really ready.
Highway to Hell is the first ever full legth novel I wrote, and while sales are poor, I think the book itself is solid.
Alex I couldn’t believe the words I churned out while “working”. It was exhilarating.
I’ve written lots and lots of things in my life but I published my first real novel. I’ve done some short stories just for me and they were probably crap. But they were not ever intended for publication. It helped exercise my writing muscles though.
Highway to Hell is definitely on my TBR list!
Have not yet, but then it isn’t finished either. I got such a case of writers block while writing it I went in another direction and along the way Last Cabbandeum came out. But I plan on finishing it some time before long.
I think publishing The Last Cabbandeum first was the best way to go. The other one wasn’t quite there yet. But it will be.
Not really sure why the whole “don’t publish your first novel” developed as a rule. I suppose if it’s the first thing you ever wrote, like ever, that might be a good point. But in my experience, most writers have already been writing for years by the time they get around to finishing a novel. Not to provide the cliche go-to example, but I’m pretty sure Harry Potter was JK Rowling’s first novel. Seemed to turn out all right for her.
I think a better rule of thumb is “don’t publish a novel without incorporating lots of feedback from varied sources”.
Sounds like you made incredible progress this week! Great job! Hope your coming week is equally fruitful/productive.
Annalise, you definitely need feedback! I prefer to get feedback from avid readers rather than JUST other writers. They can tell you if it is entertaining without picking at every little thing.
So many rules….sigh….
I’m curious about these rules…and I agree with Annalise on that one. Many writers have been writing all kinds of stuff before publishing a novel…
I’m not a rule follower. I did work on my “first” novel quite a bit before bringing it out…and then, it wasn’t my first “published” novel. It was my fourth.
I tweak my work a lot before publication. And yes, now that I have five novels under my belt, I can see things that I would do differently in them, now; but that’s just the old perfectionism rearing its head.
You are the only one who can decide when to bring out your work, and you don’t have to hide anything in a drawer.
Laurel, I’m so sorry I’m just now responding. I have no idea how your comment ended up in my spam folder! You’ve commented on my blog before!
I think you’re right that everyone has to decide for themselves when to bring out their work. And I’m still wondering who makes the “rules”. Especially when some “rule makers” don’t agree with others.
Great job on your goals! I love when the words come so easily 🙂
And as for your question – I really hope my first book will be published. I’ve worked really hard on it, and want it to succeed! I don’t plan on self-publishing right now, so at this point it’s not in my hands. I do wonder if the next one will be easier / better, given all I’ve learned along the way…
Happy writing this week!
Gina
Hi Gina. Isn’t it strange how sometimes words just flow and sometimes they come at all?
Good luck on publishing your book! 🙂
You’re doing great! Way to go!
I think it’s great of you to offer your short story for free. You’ll let your fellow ROWers know when it’s available, right?
My first manuscript would need a lot of work to make it publishable. I’m just not in love with the story enough to do the work. However, I don’t see any reason why an author shouldn’t publish her first book.
Have a great week!
Thanks, Stephanie! I’ll certainly let everyone know when the short story is available. 🙂
I think it will be different for everyone as to whether or not their first book is fit for publication. We all have to make that decision.
You are are a writing machine!
I started my first novel in ’96. Never quite finished it. It had a lot of interesting stuff happening but no cohesive plot. I self-published my second novel and consider it my ‘first’. I’ve learned so much since I wrote that one…do I regret putting it out there? I don’t think so. It was a good experience, and it got the ball rolling for everything I’ve done since then.
I loved the first thing you published, The Gardener. It was way creepy. LOL.
I’m not surprised you got great word count at that booth. I’m amazed what I can do writing on my iPad at the dining room table while the kids play. I can’t get 15 minutes to myself, but my brain keeps chugging along and if I keep sitting down with it in 10 minute increments all morning long, the words add up.
In answer to your question, I still love my first novel. It’s the longest story I’ve ever written, and it’s really good, but it isn’t as good as it could be, or as i want it to be. And then I messed it up during editing by deciding to change to first person — got ten chapters in and gave up. Now I can’t decide which form I like, but I still have the 500 page behemoth in my drawer. Maybe I’ll go back to it, and maybe I never will, because there are lots of other stories I want to write. 🙂
J.R., if you really love that first novel, maybe you should dedicate one of the ROW80 rounds to getting it ready for publication. That is, after you get all your current projects out of the way. Whew, if only we all had more time.
I’d be willing to publish the first book that I wrote…if I rewrote the entire thing. I have to feel passion for the project to finish it, and I am SO not feeling the love right now. LOL Maybe in a decade.
S.V., I agree that you have to love your story. My writing situation is strange sometimes…I can start off not feeling the story, then within a few chapters I start to feel the love.
I hope you find some passion in your story. If not, I hope you find a story you DO feel passion for!