Hooray For Dragon Page!
Dragon Page! The last episode interviews Patrick Rothfuss, who has written the latest fantasy novel bombshell "The Name Of The Wind". An excellent opportunity to hear what the heck all is up with getting a novel published, although, unfortunately, Mr. Rothfuss didn't go into enough of that part of his writing experience.
I've picked up the book in my blow-bys through Barnes & Nobles, but it hasn't gripped me as yet. There's something in the attitude of the protagonist and the set up of all his names that put me off and I haven't give it a fair shake yet. Notable, however, are the following factors -- it is his debut novel and it's written in first-person singular. So he's already filled the niche that my manuscript is seeking out. Which reminds me that my favorite married couple editors haven't gotten back to me yet on my submission. I hope Mr. Rothfuss' bombshell motivates the publishers to want one of their own NYTimes sensation, and decides that that new sensation is me!
Differences between Patrick and I are that he wrote his novel in seven years, and I wrote mine in a Month. And when he finished his, he already had enough for a trilogy, but for me, the novel can stand alone or I can continue my protagonist's story. When Patrick stopped writing and examined how to publish it, he had 300,000 words, and then he went on to finish his story. My novel ekes just over 65,000 words.
So there are some differences, Mr and Mrs Neilsen Hayden! I'm not necessarily a clone of the latest sensation ... unless, you know, that's what you want. :-)
Hopefully, the ultimate determinant (new word?) is if I have the ability to write a good story. The market has its demands and expectations, and agents will be seeking out qualifications on that front to sell my work, but in my own mind what I want is to have produced good writing. I want this more than I want to have written a bestseller.
Even so, I'm going to have to plunge into "The Name of..." and see what is considered as good these days. I hope I'll agree! :-)
I've picked up the book in my blow-bys through Barnes & Nobles, but it hasn't gripped me as yet. There's something in the attitude of the protagonist and the set up of all his names that put me off and I haven't give it a fair shake yet. Notable, however, are the following factors -- it is his debut novel and it's written in first-person singular. So he's already filled the niche that my manuscript is seeking out. Which reminds me that my favorite married couple editors haven't gotten back to me yet on my submission. I hope Mr. Rothfuss' bombshell motivates the publishers to want one of their own NYTimes sensation, and decides that that new sensation is me!
Differences between Patrick and I are that he wrote his novel in seven years, and I wrote mine in a Month. And when he finished his, he already had enough for a trilogy, but for me, the novel can stand alone or I can continue my protagonist's story. When Patrick stopped writing and examined how to publish it, he had 300,000 words, and then he went on to finish his story. My novel ekes just over 65,000 words.
So there are some differences, Mr and Mrs Neilsen Hayden! I'm not necessarily a clone of the latest sensation ... unless, you know, that's what you want. :-)
Hopefully, the ultimate determinant (new word?) is if I have the ability to write a good story. The market has its demands and expectations, and agents will be seeking out qualifications on that front to sell my work, but in my own mind what I want is to have produced good writing. I want this more than I want to have written a bestseller.
Even so, I'm going to have to plunge into "The Name of..." and see what is considered as good these days. I hope I'll agree! :-)
posted by Me | 4/29/2007 09:42:00 AM
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