It took me nearly 9 months, but I wrote a book (well over 100k words). I know there are many, many authors on here who have already accomplished this, and probably did so at higher quality, but I am pretty pleased with myself right now. I wasn’t sure I could do it when I started, but I’m happy to find that I was able to finish.
There were many people who reached out to me with encouragement or explained why my story might not be for everyone (X-Men fan fiction with lots of explicit sex, violence, and a rape scene - I can see where it's a niche market).
But it was a great learning experience - I've never written any other fiction. I do hope to write more and maybe my next effort will be for a wider audience. I do want to mostly finish whatever my next story is before I start posting, so I don’t leave everyone hanging when I have a lull.
I'm sure it's always bittersweet when you finish a story - I don’t know if I will revisit these characters, or if I’ll ever even do fan fiction again, so finishing is sort of a farewell.
Anyway, this was mostly for me to pat myself on the back (been working on my flexibility for weeks to be able to do it properly). Thanks for stopping by!
Comments
Nyssa, you didn't complete your job
Hon, you claim you wrote a book length story. Is your agent pushing this great manuscript to several publishers? Why do you have an agent? Because she knows which publisher puts out the genre type of story you wrote. Now your publisher accepts your manuscript and pushes all the right buttons with all the book review editors around the world informing them of this great story coming out...,
You didn't do all that? Love, you need to push yourself as any beauty queen, as any politician, as anyone seeking that lifetime job. Writers are notoriously introverted for the most part. This isn't the movie, "Build it and They Will Come". What's the title of this great manuscript you wrote? And are you going to make your potential readers see if they can find it?
You did the easy part, writing a story. The hardest part is pushing it out where people will read it whether it is in printed, electronic, or freely posted. Let's give it the old Can Do attitude now and every time you put out a great story.
Hugs hon
always
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
I wish
Barb, thanks for the kick in the butt and the hugs. Sigh, unfortunately, with Marvel (and therefore Disney) characters I can’t publish for money. I knew that going in, but it was a story idea that I felt I could develop and would be a good practice exercise. But I will definitely take your overall advice to heart. Thank you and hugs right back atcha!
Nyssa, look at my name
Mattel wanted to crucify me when I came online thirty years ago. Anyone who got close to "their Barbie" was dead meat. Long story, I'm still here and they are still making millions selling their Porno Doll to daughters everywhere. Unless the characters and names of those characters are rademarked, you're not liable for using same in your story. Even if it is, there still is no legal problems using the name unless for financial gain or other purposes. I'm betting the names were well known before someone or some company decided it was theirs. Barbie is over six hundred years old and in Germany was a boy's name long before Mattel decided the name was their exclusive right for their German porno doll, Lilli.
Word of caution, due diligence in research if you wish to publish. A writer might be right according to law but some of those people have millions of dollars to wear anyone down in court even if they are wrong. Litigation isn't cheap.
I've lost several times on different events even though those who I faced in court broke several laws. They had money and lawyers on a leash waiting for those like me. I wish all of them a warm place in Hell for the lives they destroyed. I hope they enjoy those thirteen pieces of silver. Want you to understand being right doesn't always help.
You may always change the names of your characters. Plagiarism doesn't mean a writer stole another's story as many have found out in court. Their "original story" was written before the idea ever formed in their own mind. If any of the original authors were still alive, they could probably sue. Over the years courts have become less accommodating of cases of plagiarism as it seems original works, aren't.
While close to the subject of names and places, I have noticed several writers asking about using names of colleges, universities, businesses in their stories. People, I'm not a lawyer, but using public names in a story does not mean you may be sued. Harvard, MIT, JC Penny, Amazon are all public names. They are trademarked but one may use the names in stories provided one isn't using that name to sell an item or a story.
"Harvard is sponsoring my story. The Dean, President, and staff helped write this tale." Will get one sued.
"It was on the campus of Harvard I was changed into a girl, werewolf, alien, etc." Is NOT grounds for a lawsuit.
"I purchased a broach in JCPenny and it changed me into a female, monster." Is NOT grounds for a lawsuit.
Trademarked names not used for momentary gain, slander, or legal implications are not grounds for a lawsuit.
Now all said, anyone may sue for any reason or no reason. Your black cat stared at me and made me sick. I'm suing you. And there is no doubt I could file the case myself or find a lawyer who would. Our world has too many politicians, too many lawyers, and too many judges. But then that's my personal opinion.
I'm too old for this...,
hugs hon
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
I absolutely get your point, but this is a little different
I do plan to publish this story (Feral Saga) on other sites. It's going up on TGStorytime right now (chapter 15 just added) and I plan some non-TG sites soon. But it is clearly using Marvel intellectual property and there's no real way to obfuscate that - the point of the story was to use the very things that make them such unique characters the focus of the plot. But fair use allows me to use them for uncompensated Fan Fiction as I have written them and I plan to do so.
But I will try to be as fearless as you, I think this is just a case of (not) picking my battle here.
Smart Girl
Hugs hon, you're a lot smarter than me. Don Quixote and I tilt at windmills and usually end up getting knocked senseless by the spinning blades.
Hugs hon, stay safe, stay well, and enjoy the available pleasures life brings your way.
always
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Yes, it's a real achievement
Congratulations! You deserve a celebration. It certainly takes consistent efforts that most people aren't capable of.
I've very much enjoyed what I've read so far of it, and can see that you've done some solid work.
As far as being "published" -- guess what? You're already published. Anyone, anywhere in the world can read what you've written.
Big hugs and big cheers! I will drink a toast to your achievement as soon as five o'clock makes its way here.
AND THANKS BY THE WAY!!!
- io
Thanks Io!!!
Thanks for the kind words and all your encouragement along the way. I’m blushing at the attention even if I did kinda beg for it. I’m also grinning like an idiot all day.
I did forget to mention all the support I got from Gabi (Xtrim). She was a huge help and cheerleader. I had some other proofreaders but Gabi was who I really relied on. So let me hijack this comment to thank Gabi once again!!!
100k in 9 months
100k in 9 months? That's pretty good in my book, it's taken me roughly seven months to get 50k words on Fall of Kruhl and I'm not even finished. It took me years to complete Battle for Earth, but to be fair it was over 250k words.
In any case, congratulations are in order. It really is a good feeling finishing off longer yarn, isn't it?
Have delightfully devious day,
I don't actually know how long it is
I know that none of the chapters was under 5000 words and many were close to twice that and there were 21 of them, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was 150k. Not bragging, more like I'm realizing I should probably assemble it in book form.
Thanks so much for sharing D.A.W., it makes me feel like I'm part of the club to have you stop by and comment on my back-patting.
Congrats!!
Congratulations on finishing! A wonderful accomplishment to celebrate!
Have you looked into using something like Scrivener? For managing book-size projects I've found it to be soooo useful. And it'll do word counts by chapter or the whole thing for you too. :D
Thank you!!!!
No, I've just been using google docs and making each chapter a separate file. Thanks for the tip and the congrats. But will Scrivener make my book as epic as your stories?