Wafti

I have a busy life, I barely have any time for writing, but I have a novel which I have planned and desperately want to write. Most of my spare time is spent in a state of lethargy because I’m exhausted from work, my girlfriend, and other social commitments.

I know that agents only ask for the first 3 chapters and a brief synopsis when considering work. Is there any way I could write three chapters, send that and then if I get some kind of positive response I’d at least have a reason for dropping commitments (not my girlfriend!).

Or would the agent be uninterested in something that's not complete/feel lied to if they ask for more and find I have none to give?

I just feel that having some sort of early nod from an agent would give me due cause to rebalance my lifestyle and really get into my novel.

Is this a good idea?

RomanticRose

Probably not the best of ideas. Agents sell a product, and they can't sell an unfinished manuscript.

I believe that you make time for what is really important to you. Maybe the lethargy you describe stems from not allocating your time in relation to your priorities.

Good luck,
RR

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Dan

If you were serious about writing, you'd be retooling your lifestyle already. That sounds harsh, but it's the truth. We make time for what's important to us.

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http://mr-fixits.blogspot.com/

"Addicted" - A Serial Blog Novel

Cade Becker just survived a brutal attack at the hands of his big brother. Now, on the mend and wracked with guilt, Cade decides to find out for himself what could turn a good man into...something else. His search leads him from his quiet, suburban New York home to an all-but-abandoned town full of horrors and beyond, his brother's last words "Where is she?" still ringing in his ears.

StephenP2003

Agents/publishers rarely, if ever, accept "proposals" for novels. Take your time. If you're serious about finishing this thing, stop making excuses and start trying to find time to finish and polish it. Don't dump your money-making work or any physical/emotional distance from your girlfriend, but reshuffle your fun time and replace some of it with novel-writing time. Caffeine helps. Believe me; I finished a short, 45,000-word book in less than two months, even with my 50-hour work week.

The poster above me probably doesn't understand what it's like to spend the majority of a week surviving rather than pursuing hobbies. Don't make your life a living hell to finish the book, just a semi-hell.

But again, you need a finished product when it comes to fiction. I have no doubt that 90% of the active (and inactive, actually) members here have a finished manuscript somewhere, most of which will be rejected countless times by agents and publishers. I don't think you can afford the disadvantage of not even having that.

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Dan

Yeah, I only have a full-time job, a wife, and an infant son to worry about. Oh, plus friends, family, a couple of dogs and constant home improvements. It's all so easy, it ought to be against the law!

But hey, I'm always down with a gratuitous, ill-informed potshot. They make life fun.

Jeez, the original poster's title is Cheating the System for crying out loud. That doesn't exactly proclaim a love for writing.

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http://mr-fixits.blogspot.com/

"Addicted" - A Serial Blog Novel

Cade Becker just survived a brutal attack at the hands of his big brother. Now, on the mend and wracked with guilt, Cade decides to find out for himself what could turn a good man into...something else. His search leads him from his quiet, suburban New York home to an all-but-abandoned town full of horrors and beyond, his brother's last words "Where is she?" still ringing in his ears.

StephenP2003

Sorry, but your post to him seemed more like a 16-year-old telling him to ditch his friends and screw homework because writing is life. I believe people who are serious about writing still tend to put other things above it, either out of guilt or simple necessity. What the original poster really needs to realize is that he needs a finished product, no matter what. Whether it takes him another three months or three years, what counts is the emotional investment he puts into it DURING his work on it.

If he's not serious about writing, he'll never finish the book and/or he will never sell it. But that's for him to find out.

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Dan

No, it didn't. It was a simple statement: "We make time for what's important to us." Judging by the content of his post, he needed to hear it. He flat-out admitted to needing incentive to write, and asked about taking a shortcut to get that. If someone needs that, they're not going to make it as a writer.

It makes no difference if he wanted to be a writer, a world-class pianist, or an All-Star shortstop. If it's important enough to you, you'll make time.

__________________
http://mr-fixits.blogspot.com/

"Addicted" - A Serial Blog Novel

Cade Becker just survived a brutal attack at the hands of his big brother. Now, on the mend and wracked with guilt, Cade decides to find out for himself what could turn a good man into...something else. His search leads him from his quiet, suburban New York home to an all-but-abandoned town full of horrors and beyond, his brother's last words "Where is she?" still ringing in his ears.

Wafti

Writing is serious to me, very serious. I adore it, get lost in it, I end up doing 2 hours of writing when I should only have done 1, I get in trouble for it - strike inspiration in the morning and turn up late for work (God that was embarrassing). Not being able to write is not because I don’t have the motivation, it's because I have a busy, busy schedule.

I'm writing these posts between making a late dinner, writing on my book, waiting for a phone call from my girlfriend who's at the hospital with her friend, and finishing off a report I have to hand in the day after tomorrow. I too have a 50 hour working week (actually, less than that so I bow down to Dan… ) and coming home after work I'm in a state where I have just enough energy to stay awake, let alone spend quality time with my girlfriend, see my friends, make phone calls, answer phone calls etc etc.

Oh and ‘weekends’… Ha! What are they again?

I'm at the stage where I feel excited and fulfilled if I manage to write a half a page in my morning break (lunch breaks=non-existent).

So please, don’t tell me I'm taking short-cuts and that I'm not a real writer because I can’t devote hours to it at a time. Hell, I'm gonna finish this novel, God knows how long that'll take, but it's in me and it needs out.




I appreciate the advice, and kind of realise now that I'm not gonna be able to make a shortcut, because what does an agent/publisher/buyer of my book give a damn if I have a busy life and social commitments? You’re right, it’s a product, no matter what I care about it.



What I need is someone to tell me that what I'm writing is worth reading - because if its not, then I'm wasting my time and energy (when it’s in demand). I like to do things in perspective; I want something concrete before (IF) I ever pursue this seriously. A man’s gotta eat.

RomanticRose

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Dan

This post is a direct contradiction to your first one. I would have responded differently to this one, but in your first one you sounded exactly like someone who was too lazy to work for what they want.

Everyone wants people to tell them they're good enough, and when they don't hear it, they'll quit. But some people will continue to plug away, regardless of outside opinion or lack of success, simply because they love to do it.

Ask yourself, "Which type am I?"

P.S. It was the other guy with the 50-hour week.

__________________
http://mr-fixits.blogspot.com/

"Addicted" - A Serial Blog Novel

Cade Becker just survived a brutal attack at the hands of his big brother. Now, on the mend and wracked with guilt, Cade decides to find out for himself what could turn a good man into...something else. His search leads him from his quiet, suburban New York home to an all-but-abandoned town full of horrors and beyond, his brother's last words "Where is she?" still ringing in his ears.

Wafti

Yeah I see how I came across as lazy. When I said Lethargic, I meant I get so tired that when I sit down to write nothing good comes out. The problem is that when time does become available, I just want to relax/have some romantic time - ah it's a struggle!


And what type am I? I dont know yet.
I havent given up, so I'm not the type who quits, and I dont want to...

Dan

In that case, don't quit.

I once figured out that I spent over $700 in one calendar year by getting a Dunkin' Donuts coffee every work day. I cut that one thing out, and there was a chunk of extra money laying around. The little things add up.

Rearrange/cut out one little unnecessary time-consuming thing in your life, or decide which things you can multi-task on (I've discovered I can type one-handed while feeding my baby, for example), and you'll be surprised at the difference a few extra minutes a day can make.

I didn't mean to come across as gruff (maybe I did, but only a little). I understand the situation, and it sucks, but the possible reward is definitely worth it.

__________________
http://mr-fixits.blogspot.com/

"Addicted" - A Serial Blog Novel

Cade Becker just survived a brutal attack at the hands of his big brother. Now, on the mend and wracked with guilt, Cade decides to find out for himself what could turn a good man into...something else. His search leads him from his quiet, suburban New York home to an all-but-abandoned town full of horrors and beyond, his brother's last words "Where is she?" still ringing in his ears.

Wafti

Thank-you, I really needed the encouragement - and telling it to me straight is better than skirting over the issue.

I'm gonna have to change my timetable, because I need to write this damn thing. *sigh* and I so love shortcuts....


Cheers guys (and girl)

P.s. got the phone call, some minor good news

Industrial

I agree with Dan above. If your goal is to be published, to get your ideas to the public, then it will require sacrifices.

Sometimes sacrifices are necessary in any struggle, especially one that takes time and effort. The idea of a shortcut is very appealing but often times unrealistic. Keep at it, and put effort into your work, you should be much happier with yourself putting in all your effort and pleasing yourself then taking a half-ass way and failing.

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