My understanding with non-fiction is that the assumption is that the work is not complete. I'm way ahead of the game and not behind it, I think.

January is totally doable. I figure I can get a lot of writing done over the holidays, since everyone is away. I can usually complete a draft in one sitting at night. But then I need to get the thing out of my head which takes a few days, and move on to the next one. An essay each weekend should be cool.

I think you're right about nonfiction in one sense, but I still don't know if anyone would *buy* it incomplete, simply because you haven't proven you can finish it yet (to them, I mean).

Either way, you're good -- and if you can do an essay a weekend, even better.

And again, Amy types what I was going to type so I don't have to. Tad's (Tad WIlliams) quote for the back cover of "Weaver" came because I asked him for one. He read the book, loved it, wrote a beautiful blurb, sent it to me in email with a "tell 'em to chop it up as needed" thrown in, and away they went.

but I still don't know if anyone would *buy* it incomplete, simply because you haven't proven you can finish it yet (to them, I mean).

Oh, I totally get that.

I'm kicking myself because I was so doubting that anyone would want it after the last batch of rejections I had convinced myself that the project as a whole was dead, and was just looking at avenues to sell individual pieces.

me = no confidence

me = no confidence

No, no. you = writer with representation, and editor who wants to see completed work. IOW? You = butt in chair and write.

Sell the thing. Have the next one moving right along. Keep 'em coming back for more. This is good, and as it should be, because you do wonderful stuff.

Keep 'em coming back for more. This is good, and as it should be, because you do wonderful stuff.

Yes, this.

Deb and I make a lovely tag team, don't we?

Off to put Sara down for her nap...I hope.

Now I'm feeling guilty for not working more on my novel (damn, that sounds pretentious, "my novel"). I mean, I can say with honesty that I know people who sell books, which means I can't use the excuse "that sort of thing doesn't happen to real people."

Off to put Sara down for her nap...I hope.

I wish I could remember which stand-up comic in the late eighties came up with the idea of Flintstone Valium. "Here, sweetie, see? Bam-Bam!"

Hijacking for a meme moment, one that I'm not sure I wanted to post up in my lj. SMP having decided that Cruel Sister did not, in fact, suck, I told Jenn in email that, based on prior performance, I wouldn't be surprised if they were expecting a fifth one, and were very puzzled when there isn't one handed over by New Years, or something.

And my agent, who has been dealing with them down the line, said, I suspect you may be right about their expectations. Do you have any interest at all in writing a 5th book in the series at this point, regardless of whether it's on spec or not?

My feeling about it is that, if they ask for one and offer money, I'll write it. It keeps my name out there, it keeps things alive, but honestly, without a paperback deal, I don't know why they're bothering, because without the paperback deal, the series is dead in the water. I do wonder whether Ruth isn't trying to get enough of them out in hardback to justify grabbing one of the scarce inhouse paperback slots for the series, but if she is, I wish she'd fucking say so, already.

But I'm sure as hell not writing Bruton Town on spec. Much rather work on Kinkaid.

End of meme. Am I being too pissy about this?

End of meme. Am I being too pissy about this?

You have as much right to career expectations as anyone. If your product is not getting the reception you're hoping for, it makes a lot of sense to spend your powers on something that works better for you.

You have as much right to career expectations as anyone. If your product is not getting the reception you're hoping for, it makes a lot of sense to spend your powers on something that works better for you.

Yep. I'll confess to a certain feeling of responsibility, though, which is what's actually pinging my damned conscience meters: I set SMP's expectation patterns in concrete by always having at least 15K of the next book in the series right there when they remembered that, hey, looky, there's more, option clause, when can we see oh, done? Thank you.

But they had the chance - when they bought Cruel Sister - to specify an option on books five and six, and they didn't. So I'm kinda thinking I'm off the hook for any expectations they may have about me doing it on spec, whether the original expectation was enabled by me or not.

Like I said, hopefully not too pissy.