Write and Wrong

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I am writing about writing, here, for three reasons:

1. To keep my fingers warm while I psych up for doing some actual writing.

2. To discourage writers by demonstrating that anyone who thinks they'll experience success in writing is a moron who's probably too stupid to string words into a sentence.

3. To encourage writers, and the world, by demonstrating that enough determination will get you somewhere, eventually. (This being a long-term plan, since my own writing career is, arguably, worse than nonexistant. Every time I THINK I'm about to succeed - which is often - I tell people about it, so they can share in my joy. So far, this has backfired more times than I care to remember, and I have drawn everyone I know into a pit of repetetive horror.)

Here, for your perusal, are my babies, in summarised glory and chronological order:

1. Scifi novella - written when I was 16, placed fairly respectively in the Penguin Qantas Somerset College National Novella Writing Competition for School Age Students (it's possible I placed well because they sensed I remembered the name). Penguin viewed the first few chapters and asked for the full manuscript before rejecting it. I sold it to the royal blind society for production as an audio book (production that has never gone ahead). It was 20,000 words, written diary style (usually a no-no, because far too many people think their own diary is worth publishing, and it's just not true). Now retired, because it's really terrible.

2. Indonesian diary - flushed with the success of my scifi novella, I decided to write about my experiences on an Indonesian Bible course (which is a lot more exciting than it sounds - the book ends with startling revelations, betrayal, and an elopement. Really). First draft was 200,000 words. I edited it down to 100,000, but unfortunately it's still irredeemable. Also retired.

3. Pretty much the same thing, without as good an ending (though I did inadvertently play a part in breaking up my best friend's engagement - then we fell in love, then I left 3 days later). I was 19, I think.

4. Finally finished my first fiction book when I was about 20 (I came up with the concept of my fantasy world, Rahana, when I was 18). This book later became the middle book of my YA fantasy trilogy. It was 'finished' in 2005. This year I'm chucking about 90% of it and writing it again. It'll be my biggest project this year, and will henceforth be known as 'Rahana YA 2'. The actual title is 'freewater' (at least, today it is).

5. Rahana YA 1. Written in 3 weeks in November 2004 (first draft was 50,000 words). It is now called 'Storm Hunter', and stands tall at 120,000 words. Like Rahana YA 2 and 3, it was 'finished' in 2005 (about 60,000 words at the time). It's had ever so many rejections, but has picked up a certain amount of momentum since I rewrote it in 2006-2007. (I've also edited it a bit this year - pretty much everything I haven't retired gets edited every 6 months.) Last year it was recommended by assessor Nikki Davies, was read in full by Stephanie Smith (a super-high-up at Harper Collins) - after I was given the opportunity to pitch it to her in New Zealand (paying my own way) before getting rejected. It was also rejected by a super-high-up at Allen & Unwin. That's the farthest I've ever gotten toward publication (selling the scifi novella to the blind society was a short-term petty-cash type deal). This year I sent the first few chapters to Penguin (where I have no contacts and have spotted no unusual opportunities to get a foot in the door), and they've asked for the full manuscript. So it's got one more chance to be taken up by a major publisher. . .

6. Rahana YA 3. 'Finished' in 2005. I'm scared to look at it :-)

7. Rahana children 1. Age 22. 'The Monster Apprentice' - and my mum's favourite. This I wrote in 10 days, while staying at Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ seems to feature here, doesn't it? At the time I was on my way to the Young Endeavour, to research old-style sailing for Rahana YA 1). It's worth noting that (a) Coachman's backpacker gave me a discount for being a writer - and it's a stunning place. (b) I didn't know if I was getting paid or not, so I had to stay put rather than go see the glaciers and fjords. So, I wrote a book. I sent it to an assessor, Sally Odgers (yes the writer), and she wrote me a recommendation letter - chronologically, my first. I felt sure I'd arrived. (This was early 2005.)

I wrote it specifically for Penguin's Aussie Chomps series, so it was 12,000 words. When it was rejected, I had a problem. No one wants a book that short. I was lucky enough to be put in contact with the head of children and youth at Allen & Unwin, who I'll call Fred in case she wants her privacy. She rejected the book because of length, and characterisation. (It's unusual for a publisher to give comments, so I was impressed. 6 months later she told me she'd read it herself and really liked it, which was incredibly sweet - and again, unusual.) Late last year Tim's uncle said he knew the 'owner' of Allen & Unwin, and that they'd like to look at one of my books. By then I'd edited this one, so I sent it (I don't generally send the same book twice - publishers hate it). After 5 months, I began chasing it up, and discovered it had vanished into the aether. However, Fred herself wrote and said that (a) if I'd rewritten it [which of course I had] I was welcome to send it to her directly, and (b) 'Rahana children 2' would be returned to me in about a month.

My post-Allen and Unwin edit had upped the word count to 16,000, but I was already itching for another go. In the last week, I've lifted the word count to 23,000, and improved it very much (plus it fits much better with Rahana children 2 and 3 now). I'll be emailing it to Fred very shortly - probably today. I really hope it doesn't read like a first draft, because 7,000 words of it are so new that I don't have as much editing distance as I'd like. Wish me luck. . .

8. Realist novel, set in Canberra. September 2005, age 23. I wrote it in 3 days (part of the 3-day novel thingy you can find online) - though I'd been planning it for two years. First draft was 50,000 words. I didn't write anything else for about two months afterwards (just recovered). It's not much longer now, because it holds together surprisingly well. At present it's in a British competition. It was rejected by Fred's people (though it was close enough that they used several readers before they said no), and a couple of other publishers (who barely looked at it). I think it's an excellent book, intriguingly structured and different to anything else that's out there. My fantasy books are excellent, but if any of my books make me famous, I bet this will be it. It's recommended by Angel Wings assessors, who asked me to let them know when it's published so they can buy a copy (aww).

A few months ago I had an idea for a sequel, set in a backpacker-like group house. Lat week, when my 70-year old non-English-speaking housemate followed me around the house, grinning and farting without pause, I had an idea for a character. I've been itching to start ever since. I began concrete scene-planning last night.

9. Rahana children 2, written last year, age 25. 'Salty the Sea Princess' The concept was born in early 2005, on the Young Endeavour, when a staff member took on the name 'Salty the Sea Princess' and told us fabulous stories. I asked her permission to use the name, and wrote a short story. I made Salty a 'real' pirate - a vicious and psychotic individual, competent and terrifying. To give her some reason for her psychosis, I invented a rather horrific past her her. Suddenly, she came to life, more than any of my other characters. Salty is far and away my favourite fictional creation. Sure, she's a killer, but at least she's got a sense of humour. . .

I couldn't leave her alone after the short story (which, incidentally, is NOT appropriate for children). Plus I wanted to use her name as a title, but it sounded too nice for the short story. So I wrote a book about an older, slightly-less-murderous version of Salty, as she began the process of facing her past and recovering her humanity. I don't know if this book is at all marketable, because it's aimed at 10-year olds - yet has a theme of redemption, and a murder on the second page. (I decided halfway through that it was a sequel to Rahana children 1.) It does have Salty, though, and that makes it my personal favourite. It's currently at Allen & Unwin, and Fred just said it'll be another month. Which is a startlingly short time. I've convinced myself that's a good sign - that it's already passed the reader level and is with the super-high-ups already. Thus far, each book I send to Fred gets one step farther. So I'm hopeful. (Generally, a short response is a bad response, but this is different.) It's 30,000 words.

10. Rahana children 3, written last year, age 25. 'Waking Dead Mountain'. Also has Salty in it, and her increasing humanity. A fun book, which I hope has benefited from all I've learnt from the other 9. About 30,000 words. I'll edit it later (a treat, since it's unlikely I'll have to rewrite it).

It is now 2008, and I'm 26 years old. I wrote my first book 10 years ago, and have written an average of a book a year ever since. My most likely success is Rahana children 2 (Allen & Unwin) in the next month, followed by Rahana YA 1 (Penguin), sometime this year. Today I'll check over the latest incarnation of Rahana children 1, and send it to Fred (who accepts books from me in full, despite the fact that the company is currently closed to submissions).

I just saw the postie go past, so I'm going to check the mail. My heart is beating faster, as it does every friggin day.

I'm actually pausing, instead of ending the blog, thinking, 'What if there really IS something today? Wouldn't that be a great ending?'

Bah. Nothing.

In other news, I've sold a bunch of short stories around the world, which is not nothing. But the last two years of being super-focused on my writing have gouged out a massive debt.

My advice to young writers is: Don't.

If they're discouraged, good. Better now than later. (Plus there are way too many writers around, which is part of what makes it hard to succeed.)

If it just hardens their resolve, then good. They deserve fair warning.

Okay, my fingers are warmed up. I'm gonna go write now. Like I do every night, Pinky. . .

Fel