In November 2005 I entered the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) contest just for the fun of it. The idea of the contest is to attempt to write 50,000 words within the month. Obviously 50,000 words isn't enough for a novel, but it's usually enough to tell you whether you have something that will turn into a novel eventually.
At the time I was also eager enough to write a companion journal called "NaNoWriMo Notes" and published weekly installments of it online at Blogcritics and my own site before, during, and after the contest. I kept publishing because instead of it just being a journal about the contest it had evolved into a record of my attempts to complete a novel.
You see, by the time November had come to a close that year I had written somewhere between seventy and eighty thousand words and was too far gone to stop. I've had plenty of fitful beginnings before, but none had ever cleared the thirty thousand-word mark, let alone gone as far as this one had, so I was determined to finish. I couldn't let all those words languish in obscurity; I had a duty to them to see them published.
Since I was already in the habit of keeping a running commentary it wasn't that difficult to continue. In fact there were weeks when I managed to get more accomplished writing about what I didn't accomplish, than actually accomplishing anything. I have to admit that not only were those particularly frustrating weeks, they were also the ones where I know I came perilously close to self-pitying navel gazing.
Even when I had finally finished the manuscript, including re-writes, edits, and proofreading, I continued to monitor my progress in attempting to find a publisher via the "Notes". But there is only so much you can write about that without repeating yourself.
Since I was still without a happy ending for "Notes" - getting the book published - and I was contemplating self-publishing it through Lulu.com, a print on demand company, I decided for publication purposes that NaNoWriMo Notes: An Exercise In Creative Insanity would end with the completion of the novel so it at least had the illusion of a happy ending.
Article comments
1 - Constance
Good luck. I start nano but never finish.
2 - Elvira Black
Good luck, Richard--I think using connects is a good thing. Even if they don't publish you, they might put you in touch with someone else or give some valuable feedback.
3 - Matt
Doing your homework on a publisher is definitely a good idea; it might not be in your book's best interests to be too picky, but hey, that's your judgment call and no one can rightfully tell you otherwise.
Plus, if you manage to sell it without an agent, more power to you. It's rare for unagented manuscripts to even get looked at nowadays.
4 - Anna
First off: Good luck with the novel. I can understand where you're driving at. I'd be scared, too, were I to try and send my written works to publiushers with the thought of rejection pecking away at the back of my head. As far as I can see, you've already taken steps and you probably don't see it now by you'll get more strength from trying. And from trying, I'm sure you'll eventually succeed. =)