Yeah, there's no correlation whatsoever between length and merit, as long as you've got the right amount of words for the story you want to tell. I don't like short books that feel like they should be longer, but even with my bias toward the long story and the ongoing series, I'd rather read a short gem that's just the right length for the amount of story that's there than a rambling piece of crap.

I feel like a loser, now.

You know, even if longer meant better? This still wouldn't apply.

NaNOWriMo. National NOVEL writing month.

Fiction fiction fiction.

Whole 'nother set of rules from non-fiction.

ION, one of my CPs from the online Regency critique group just landed an agent. Also, a few months ago I judged a writing contest entry that was just downright brilliant--sparkling writing, hilarious and insightful. I found out today it won its category and received a request for the full manuscript from the judging editor.

I'm happy for both of them, to see really excellent writing getting the consideration it deserves. And I don't have room to envy them, when I only just finished a book that's more or less ready to submit, and just sent out my first partial yesterday. But I am a little jealous, to be totally honest. I want those things to happen to me, too!

Allyson, word count is always less important then good writing. And you've got the latter, so screw the former. (Plus, as Deb said, non-fiction = different.)

It's a daunting thing, but I think my biggest problem is no ideas of what to write. All that's in my brain recently has been fandom stuff, and I'm not writing a Firefly or SG-1 novel. For one thing, I couldn't carry it off, and for second, if I'm going to write a book, I'm going to write something that's mine.

Must ponder.

I've never found any hard and fast rules on non-fiction aside from how to query with it.

ION, Kristen did a redesign and formatted my sample, so I'm all spiffy, and terribly nervous.

xpost with Natter

[link]

Looks great, Allyson.

thanks! all credit due to Kristen.

That's extremely clear and easy on the eye.

Allyson, honestly? I don't know if there even are any hard and fast rules about non-fiction.

I've always understood that NaNoWriMo is actually more of disciplinary tool or a jump start for people wanting to write but having trouble getting their butts in the chair and completing something.

That's my understanding WRT NaNoWriMo as well. I'd like to be in the right place in the creative process to try it one of these years just to see if I'm capable of that pace. Not that I'd want to write that fast all the time--I think there's something to be said for a measured pace. The first draft I just finished took 8 months. I'd like to cut that to something closer to 4-5 over the next few books, so that I could ultimately turn out a complete book every 6-9 months, including research and editing time.

I'm of the school that believes a book should take whatever length of time the book wants to take. If it isn't getting finished because the writer's wandered off to grow dental floss rather than sit down and write, that's one thing. But for me, I'd neither rush a book without a gun to my head nor deliberately try to fit the time into a particular pacing schedule.

And yes, the deadline on Cruel Sister was in fact a gun to the head of sorts. But I wouldn't have agreed to the deadline if I hadn't been damned sure I could get it done. Whether I got it done and it was any good, mind you now, that's a whole different issue.

Back to work.