Quantity, not quality, counts more for National Novel Writing Month. Just crank out The Book and worry later about polishing it. “The kamikaze approach,” NaNoWriMo says, “forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.”
But is this right for every author? Or every book? Some novels need to be felt from the start. And that demands time, particularly for fiction requiring extensive research, too.
Thanks for the decades
I speak with prejudice aplenty. I’ve worked on The Solomon Scandals, my Washington newspaper novel, for some 30 years in between other projects. Warner almost bought it around 1980. Luckily Sales overruled a high-ranking editor who wanted to publish Scandals, then known as The Cover-Up. That gave me a few stray decades to try to get Scandals right. And even then I’ve been making changes up to the last minute (Twilight Times Books is aiming for December publication in trade paperback and E, including ePub).
A Modest Proposal: National Novel Writing Decade
Maybe instead of National Novel Writing Month, we need National Novel Writing Decade.
The memorable cover image, as it currently exists: What do you think? Especially of the building Solomon is holding? Here’s a link to a PDF so you can see the cover in detail, including the back. The above image shows both the front cover and the spine (to the left).
Related: Another take on National Novel Writing Month, by Paul Biba. I see room for different approaches. It’s okay to take less than three decades to write your opus.
Funny to read this. I tried NaNoWriMo for the first time this year and before the week was even out have decided it wasn’t for me.
I had set this year aside to work on my various writing projects which I have enjoyed very much, but as soon as the month of November started and I had to churn out the sentences I felt it become a chore. Every sentence became bland and indistinguishable, and I started not to look forward to another day of working on it.
I don’t believe this was because the idea was only thinly sketched out, but that where as previously my love of writing came from the joy of inspiration and the fun of combining elements until they worked I also began to realise that even if I reached the 50000 word goal I would never go back and improve it. So instead of wasting my time I have gone back to the projects that keep me inspired and excited about writing. I don’t think the whip is for me.
David,
NaNoWriMo is a bit of a silly idea but I’m on a loop of Dallas-area authors, most of whom would never have even considered writing a novel if they hadn’t gotten hooked by the NaNo bug. There’s the social encouragement, the quantitative goals, and the limited time frame that many of us require to put our heads down and get something done.
Yes, I’m still polishing the novel I wrote last year for NaNo. That doesn’t mean the exercise wasn’t worthwhile.
In terms of your cover, when I first glanced at it, I thought Soloman was holding a small electronic keyboard. Sorry.
Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com
Hey, I might be able to make that deadline! 😉
DMH, Rob and Yoda:
D: No whips for me, either! I’ve got enough real-life deadlines. As Rob and others point out, NaNoWriMo is one way to get people writing. It’s just not for me.
R: Thanks for the candid reaction! I encourage others to speak up about the pros and cons of the cover. Anyone else feel the same about the Solomon-held building as Rob did? And, Rob, did you otherwise like the cover? Honest reader reaction like yours will be immensely helpful. I truly hope others will join in. Thank you!
Y: If you still feel rushed, we’ll give you a few more decades.
Thanks,
David
Hi David,
No complaints about the cover but yes, it does look like he’s holding a 1980’s electronic keyboard!
I wish you success with the novel!
Mike, big thanks. Later today or tomorrow I’ll point the publisher to this thread.
I encourage others to weigh in with their own candid thoughts—pro or con—on the building and other matters related to the cover.
Thanks again,
David
First, this is my second year at Nanowrimo. The mistake is in setting a numerical quota. I met someone who last year wrote 400,000 words in November. So what..the book probably sucked.
On the other hand, it’s an interesting idea to designate a particular month to working on a writing project. I think people like the idea of spending a month just writing without doing too much planning…and see where it takes them. In my semi-failed nanowrimo attempt from last year, I did visit some interesting places.
The community aspect for nanowrimo is encouraging. Apparently lots of groups get together for write-ins (which sounds strange to me, I write only on my own). I could easily foresee nanowrimo clubs replacing bookstores at the literary center for cities.
As to the cover, I agree. I haven’t the vaguest idea what the guy is supposed to be holding! And if it is indeed a building since when are buildings transparent?
Many thanks, Paul. I encourage others to add their own comments about the building. David
Okay, detailed thoughts on the cover.
If it were me, I’d want my author name bigger.
I like the stark graphics and the white-on-blue-on-blue color choices. I think I’d like Solomon more if he had an expression.
Is the cover a little old-fashioned, though?
I think I’ve told the story of my initial reluctance to invest in book covers for eBooks (hello, they’re not paper, they don’t need covers). Of course I was horribly wrong–and to think I was once a marketing guy. Anyway, I’m probably not the best person to ask on covers.
Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com
Rob, thanks for the feedback! Glad you like colors.
> If it were me, I’d want my author name bigger.
Legit issue! Name and title should be bigger for e-book purposes if nothing else. We may well do a separate e-book cover. You’re absolutely on target. We kept the name and title small on the trade paperback version because the artist was so insistent on the current design. I think the striking images will keep the p-cover memorable and make up for the the smaller title and name.
> Is the cover a little old-fashioned, though?
Fits the book—set in the 1970s for the most part. Still, there is a Net perspective in effect. This is about the bad old days when you couldn’t just blog the news the MSM wouldn’t report. What’s more, the foreword and afterwords are set in the late 21st century.
> I think I’d like Solomon more if he had an expression.
I’d myself think Solomon looks as if he’s dispassionately surveying his domain—to see where the building should go. Fits the character in this context, as I see. He’s passionate about other things.
Meanwhile an update: The artist is working on a final draft, which will address the issue of the building looking like a building.
Thanks again,
David