Why do they call it a novel noodle? I am not sure. Well I have to take a novel idea to university today and it is clear my novel idea is no longer the same. Over a year ago I had a clear novel idea and had developed this idea fully and written a plan and everything and then major events happened in my life and now this novel has changed. It has to change.
I no longer wish to write the narrative that I had devised. But now I am a little bit lost with whether I should try to tweak the idea and still use it or start a new one.
I seem to have these commitment issues to novel ideas. This happened when I did Veny's Year of the Novel. The problem for me at the moment is that I have lots of short story ideas and the longer piece is eluding me. But I need to take something. So I am feeling a little apprehensive about the fact that it is not fully formed.
The tutor tells me you can use an idea you have right now but everyone in my tut are so sure about their narratives and so well into the novels. As usual I am the one who is artistically unsure of which one to commit to or rather had one that I cannot write anymore. It has changed but to what?
Anyway, it's all interesting and crazy. Maybe I just like living closer to the edge or something. I have to have an idea I am sure of and that I love otherwise how will I be able to present it to the tut class? In the tuts they make you share out loud writing and ideas, however writers are interior people. I don't understand why we have to be exposed every week, when most of our lives if we get published will be discussing final products that have been edited and worked on for years.
Why should we read out something we have scrawled in a few minutes and feel so vulnerable when if we become published authors, journalists like me will interview us and we can comment on what we have done, not write something half baked for the journalist to snigger at in the interview.
I will keep you posted. If anyone else has had doubts about their novel. Let me know. I should get back to my Novel Noodle they call it. Why Noodle? Anyway it's all fun and games...
2 comments:
Hey Suzanne, I found my way over here from the QWC, which has us both listed as members of the "literary fiction" section. Makes us sound very regal indeed.
I enjoyed your most recent comments in relation to your search for a novel idea. I've also found it tough moving from the twenty-over game into the test match arena.
I'm a member over at redbubble.com and they have some helpful groups like "a novel idea" where you get to post your work outlines and receive comments...although most of the time I think that writers are so consumed with their own work that it's difficult to find the drive/time to comment on other pieces. Anyway, it might help.
By the way, I think being "artistically unsure" is the best sign of all. If you're not sure about it, then maybe that will come out in the writing.
I actually got my first novel to draft stage and sent it away to a critic for "assessment." Paid $500.00 for the joy of being told that although it had "promise" in essence it was pretty crappy. Anyway, it's lingering at the bottom of my drawer ready to be moulded after two glasses of red one night.
If you feel like bouncing some stuff off a fellow QWC member, I'll give you the benefit of my inherent mediocrity!
HI Chris
I am sorry to take so long to reply. How bad is that? Thank you for your comment. I am encouraged by the fact that most authors I have interviewed (as a journalist) have written two novels before they actually write a good one. So it is a process of writing, writing, writing...:)
This encouraged me when I listened to Phillip Meyer. Thanks for your comment about my novel idea. I have lots of ideas, but it does require commitment to one idea for a long time. Maybe some artists work best when they have different projects on the go. I am still discovering what my best working tactic is. But as it is I write lots of different things a lot of the time.
I have just finished writing a chapter for uni and now I am thinking of going back to a short story I need to finish. So it's good to diversify and keep yourself interested and writing.
Also, I hate the word "promise" its so depressing when you have slaved away for ages isn't it? I also hate when people write, keep writing, its getting there...mm. (I must say I have never sent out a novel to publishers yet though.)
Phillip Meyer had heaps of rejections before he got this current novel published. I am taking heart about this.
Writers need to give themselves time to develop their craft. That is what I am reminding myself. It will take a fair amount of time and lots of writing. I know Bob Dylan (writing songs) just kept writing and writing and then when he made Tambourine Man which was his hit, he said all the writing he had done until that point had meant he could write it effortlessly. It is all about just doing it.
So, what kind of work do you write?
Thanks for the comment. Suzanne
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