Hello everybody!

I have just joined WriteWords and am very excited at the prospect of becoming part of a community of liked minded souls.

My day-to-day work (Computer programming trainer) is interesting but there is nothing remotely creative about it. I turned the big 40 a few years ago and decided that if I was ever going to change then I had better get on with it.

So I have started down two paths - music and writing. I have started a study at home “Music for the Media” course to help me learn how to write music for TV/film and last year started writing a fiction novel.

The novel started very slowly because I really had no idea what I was doing. I had a few ideas but that was all. I only received a C at “O” level English, so I’ve never really thought I had any talent as a writer although I used to write a lot of short stories between the ages of 11 and 14.

This year (and in particular the last few months) I have really pushed on with the novel, feeling more and more happy about writing. Some days now I am really desperate to find time to continue writing it. I am up to 22,000 words, 6 chapters, and feeling, well, pretty pleased with myself!

I have four daughters (aged 3 to 15) as well as a supportive wife; so there is a ready-made audience already for me.

I have read the novel to them in two separate parts, 3 chapters at a time, and the reports are good. Of course. ☺

I am amazed, though, at how many errors I found by reading aloud – even though I had proof read many times.

Anyway, my mother (who has written several romantic novels but not had any published) advises me to send something to agents now. I have no idea if that’s good advice or not. Any ideas?

Finally, a big hello to all. I hope that, in time, I will learn enough to be able to feed back into this community to help other, future newbies.

All the best

Tyrone

Hi Tyrone!

I am new (and therefore not really in a position to say welcome ... but welcome anyway!)

I also read outloud (to my German Shepherd - tragically)and it's a really useful way of finding ways to improve my writing. I've also uploaded some work here - quite nerve-racking, having never before presented it to anyone with less than four legs. Perhaps that's something you could think about doing?

I'm absolutely ignorant of these matters but, having read through several pages of old threads, it seems that the best time to send to a publisher/agent is when the novel is finished and polished to a high shine. It's very tempting to send it earlier, to get some feedback and support, but posting on here would be a really good way to do that.

I'm sure someone with more experience will soon add to my ramblings and point you in the right direction!

Best wishes
Jo

Hello Jo

Thanks for your fast reply.

Well I had an ulterior reason for wanting to read it out loud. I wasn’t sure that my writing was good enough to show the emphasis/tone in the right places, but I knew where it should go. So reading it out loud meant I knew that their first exposure to the story would be as I intended it to be.

Now I reread that, it sounds a bit controlling, but isn’t meant to be!

Everyone in the family (expect my three year old) listens to audio books, and most of them read often too. So they were quite used to hearing a story read to them.

They’ve only heard the story once, and even some weeks later one of my daughters is repeating some of it back to me. I was impressed with that - more because of my daughter’s memory than because I had created such unforgettable prose! Nonetheless it’s given me a warm feeling.

I agree with you about the finishing the novel before sending out. But … mums are right quite often so I thought I’d ask the question to the forum.

All the best

Tyrone

Hi Tyrone, and welcome to WriteWords.

Yes, nothing beats reading one's work out loud for weedling out those typos. I'm looking forward to the end of the school hols so I can get back to it - at the moment I'm relegated to muttering under my breath

As for when to send it out to the Agents, Jo's advice is very sound, wait until it's finished and polished, not least because the Agent will want a synopsis complete with the ending and the character developemnt all laid out, and it's difficult to do that when it's not finished.

Any questions, just ask.


- NaomiM