When Do You Share Your Work?

[iamjoy]

I have been writing a novel on and off for the past few years. So far, I am up to 560 pages (I counted how many words were on the page of the average published novel and set my Microsoft word accordingly)

No one but me has seen it. My husband rags on me about this all the time, but I don't feel ready to share it. The reason is, I struggle to write. I am mostly, but not totally writing it in chronological order, so sometimes I go back and add in or delete anything from one line to a whole scene in a section previously written. So I think if I were to let some one start reading it, they may be confused. I've tried explaining this to my husband, but he still teases me.

Am I being silly to not share my story? For those of you trying to write a novel, when do you let others read it?

[bush_is_wacko]

1. When you feel ready

I don't write novels but my 15 year old does. She has probably around 7 or 8 she says "incomplete" novels. When I ask her about them she always tells me she needs to rewrite some of them and she's not done yet. She has left enough pages lying around for me to get the gist of them. I know she's my daughter, but she's darn good, if I say so myself. I haven't pushed her and no one should push you. See if your husband would be willing to make do with a page or so, if he must. Good luck!

[kcr]

2. Ishare all the time

I need the feedback -- I have no confidence in my abality to tell when I cam doing something correctly. I am a very iterative writier (I suspect this comes form my professional background), and sharing a lot helps.

Which is a round about way of saying share when and as much as you think you need to help yourself improve. If you think criticism would be disruptive at this point, then don't share. Wait until you think the criticism would be helpgul, whether its now, after your firt draft, or after your tenth.

[lapislzi]

3. I belong to a good writer's group

We share once a month. Stuff is in various states of editing--some people have very raw stuff; some is more polished. Depends on what stage you're at.

My suggestion would be to take an excerpt--a little piece, a chapter, or even a scene--that you're happy with, and start with that. It is daunting to expose the whole thing, so go with a little at a time.

[RagingInMiami]

4. There's a book by Stephin King called "On Writing"

Where he talks about the craft of writing.
He says that when you begin a piece, you must write with the "door closed", meaning you don't share your work, no matter how clever or brilliant you think it might be. You need to continue revising it until the time is right, and then you can begin to write with the "door open".
You will know when that time comes, but it comes well after the initial words have been put on paper (or on the computer screen).

[bain_sidhe]

5. Share my work?!? Are you MAD?!?!?

Let people actually read my babies?!? AAHHHH! Never! :running in fright: :scared:

Seriously, I used to share, but when people told me it was good, I suspected that they were lying to save my feelings, because when I came back to the same work weeks or months later, I could clearly see that it sucked.

Or, it could be I have a confidence problem. :shrug:

But no, I don't share my work anymore.

[tjdee]

6. Me too!

I think everyone thinks I'm lying when I say I'm working on a script and a novel.

I don't let people read a thing I've written until someone has bought it/published it (which hasn't happened often). That way, if X doesn't like it, I don't feel so bad because I know the editor did!

It does create a bad situation, because someone should probably read the novel/script before an agent/editor does.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. Amen

I wrote a novel for fun while preparing for a big trial - wrote it just to amuse myself, to unwind at night - and it got sold and published by a big fat publisher, who bought it for a lot of money.

And no one saw it until I sent it to the woman who became (and still is) my agent.

Writing is a solitary exercise, and if you don't trust yourself and your words, you shouldn't be writing. Asking others, no matter how loving and loyal they are to you, to read your work is simply asking for others to raise your kid. The work is yours, and you'd better have enough confidence in your product and yourself so that it stands alone, with you behind it.

You'll get slings and arrows enough from reviewers, so why go looking for it prematurely?

And, of course, I wish you the best of luck.

[msgadget]

8. Good on ya,

for sharing that, Leftie. I've finally joined a group and will sharing my writing for the first time in my long life. Oh my.

(As an aside, Scott Turrow is a lawyer/writer I absolutely adore. I especially loved the character development in his last work, Reversible Errors.)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

9. Good on YOU, gadget

I'm curious - why have you joined a group? And, because I'm insufferable, what's the composition of the group - readers or writers (i.e., published or not-published)?

Yeah, Turow is a good one, although I'm not a fan of lawyer stories (surprise!) He's even more impressive - to me - for his work in favor of abolishing the death penalty. One of the truly good guys.

Anyway, good luck with your group, and I hope you get even more than you hope to find there. I daresay they're lucky to have you.

[msgadget]

10. I joined because I'm a secret writer, voracious reader

and I'm naturally nosey, a trait I suspect we share, Lefty. I'm sorry, I don't know the composition of the group since this is only my second visit. I was hoping it'd be so active I could lurk and drink in the energy for inspiration!

Why are you here?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

11. Killing time

I wander the Internet when I'm not working, just sort of like hitting the watercooler in a regular office, but without having the burden of living people.

I'm always interested in folks who are interested in writing. When I do readings, I'm consistently swamped with novice writers who want the magic formula, or, at the very least, the name and phone number of my agent. I never knew that everyone wants to write a book, but that's how it seems. If only those folks were as diligent in reading the classics as they were in their desire to be "rich and famous."

You'll find inspiration in your group, I'm sure, just as long as you're not surrounded by professional writers. With them, you'll find only bitching and moaning about the business and nothing that will transport you. This is why I avoid writers. And people.

Have fun.

[sybylla]

12. That's how I always felt

It is my baby and I want it to remain mine. If I allow others to read and invite critiques, then it really isn't my product. But things have changed recently.

A writer/friend of mine roped me into a writer's group. I've always shunned the group thing because I've never been to one I thought would ever be any use to me. This one is different - every one of the members is a capable and experienced writer, eager but yet unpublished. Anyway, it is the first time in 16 years of writing that I've shared anything, but I always share with a caveat - I decide what kind of criticism I get. I ask the readers to only consider certain aspects of the sample I give them - does it grab you? have I failed to deliver anything I promised? have I jumped the shark? And nothing says I have to act on their comments.

One of the problems with never sharing is that your perspective on your work stays two dimensional. Finding someone you can trust to give you a worthy evaluation helps you see your work from their perspective as well.

I will never share my work with more than a few trusted individuals before publication. But when I feel I have gone as far as I can go with a piece, I have discovered the value of a second set of well-trained eyes.

My advice is share when you are comfortable. Whether that is with friends or your editor, whether it is at the beginning of the creative process or at the end. If you write for yourself and no one else, you will know when and if the time is right.

[indigobusiness]

14. There's the rub. And, on the flip side, the crush of an overzealous critic

could stop you in your tracks, as well.

I'd prefer suspecting I was being flattered, or kissed up to, than actually overtly lied to. Perhaps it is actually decent writing, worthy of some level of praise? Now, there's a lovely consideration.
It's probably crap, though. If I wrote it.

Fear and loathing and the written word.

[lala_rawraw]

13. when I can't

stand it hold on to it anymore, lol. or sometimes never