I'm off and writing a new partial for my agent. Even though I've written one other middle grade partial, my agent told me to start on a new story while she's shopping the one full MG and the partial MG manuscripts. I guess from now on, since I've written a full in each genre I write, I only need to write partials for her to submit. I'm not sure if all agents work this way, but mine does. And, I have to say that I really like it. I don't have to commit myself (or the time) into completing an entire story. I can write a partial and synopsis and then move on.
The only downside that I see to this arrangement is that perhaps my enthusiasm for the story may wane if I don't keep plugging along. I've got several women's fiction manuscripts that are partially completed because I lost interest. But those cases are different, I think (I hope) because I hadn't written a synopsis and they were written early in my writing career - meaning, I've learned a lot more since then and I'm sure if I went back to those, I'd see the problem I lost interest - no clear story problem.
Either way, I think it's pretty cool that I only have to commit to three-five chapters and write the dreaded synopsis.
How do you write? One full story at a time, or in partials?
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4 comments:
I think it is great that you have an agent who will shop with partials. As long as you know where the story is going you can finish it when needed. I only have two novel manuscripts. One, I've stopped editing and started publishing. The other I'm still working on. But, I could start another anytime.
Totally cool on the partial shopping, Kris. Since I don't have an agent yet (still keeping my fingers crossed)I write the entire book. Like right now, I'm at 55,000words on my YA The Lion Awakens and on the homestretch. But although I knew how the novel was going to start, I have a few ideas of how it could end. Still haven't decided on "the one" yet. But the middle? I'm not an outliner. I let my characters take me where they will. I might have some plot points in mind, but I never set out to write a book with an outline. So I wonder if the partial thing would work for me? Not sure since I'm not always sure what will happen in my books. Am I making any sense at all, because I totally feel like I'm babbling right now. If I were to do it the way you do it, I would be forced to completely figure the book out in advance, no? And I think that part of the fun of writing a book is the discovery along the way. Plus I wonder, too, like you, if I would lose steam or interest. And then there's that part of me that wants to finish what I start, if for no other reason than to find out how it will end. Anyway, good luck to you, kiddo. Sounds like you have a wonderful agent who believes in you and your work and is helping you figure things out along the way. I'll be cheering for you!
Sid, who are you publishing with?
Buffy, a bit of rambling is good for the soul. Writing only partials and a synopsis does force an outcome to the story - which I don't particularly care for since I don't outline either. BUT - the one thing is that the story is not set in stone in the synopsis, so once I do start writing the full, I can take it almost anywhere I want as long as it's sort of like what was subbed. Well, at least that's my understanding. I'm not to that point, so I'll let you when that happens! : )
I'm an "all the way" kinda gal ;) Okay, so that sounded bad, but you know what I mean. If I start a story, I bloody well have to finish the dang thing or the characters will nag at me until I do.
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