Unbidden, doubt creeps in
With 10-20.000 words to go, the Arpia novels have reached a stage I might consider “critical”: 160.000 words are set in ink, and therefore about 90% of the writing is fully done, not counting the “revision 1″ phase half of the writing still has to undergo.
It’s strange to think that I’ve been working on the Arpia novels since the summer of 2005, over 3 and a half years.
What is even stranger, however, is the fact that I never seemed to ask myself one specific question until now: is it book-material, i.e. is it any good?
Yes, I doubt my novel’s content.
I can almost see the finish line for the first and longest part of the race. Beyond that line, the rest of the race seems more relaxed, because it’s revision time, a moment where you analyse what you’ve written and redo most of it to improve it. Sure, it’s an impressive and demanding task, and it’s absolutely necessary to reach the third part of the race, the round where you pitch your work to literary agents.
But, thing is, there are three solutions to the question I ask: yes, it’s book material, and there nothing to worry about (i.e. “no matter what literary agents & publishers say, it’s good, and publishing will only be a bonus”); no, it’s not book material, and you’ve wasted many years of your life on it, so stop now (i.e. “better luck next time, or maybe not”); no, it’s not book material, but you’ll still finish it so you have something to show for it (i.e. “it’s too bad, but it would be a shame to leave it as it is”).
Scrap that, I don’t think I could ever believe in option 2.
Still, it leaves the question unanswered, and that isn’t of any help.
Someone to whom I am most grateful for reading Arpia tells me that it’s book material, but that it reads like a video game, perhaps because he has known Arpia first and foremost as ARPIA2, the video game for EV Nova.
Any other opinions to help me figure out this existential question?
4 February 2009 at 21:49
I think (although I cannot) you worry too much. And yet, it may be good if you do just to write them on your blog, like you just did, it’ll make you feel more confident, I hope, and as long as you’ve got good strong emotions in the book, it’ll be all right!
Carry on Writing (or whatever it is you do) and be happy!
Oh, and the answer, obviously, *rolls eyes*, is 42.
4 February 2009 at 22:01
It’s book material… it just reads like a video game
(now to refresh my memory with hundreds of A4 pages and too much ink…)
Oh, déja vu…
But seriously, it is good
5 March 2009 at 14:40
When will the Arpia books be finished? I am quite a big fan of the Arpia plug-in!
5 March 2009 at 14:49
Hey Ashton,
Thanks for your comment. Right now, there are still about 20.000 words to be dealt with, so the Arpia novel(s) won’t be ready for a few months. Even then, I’ll need to find a publisher or a literary agent!
All in all, I’ve no idea. Still, I’ll keep you posted.
5 March 2009 at 17:57
Ah, ok. How are you planning on selling the books after you are done?
5 March 2009 at 21:44
No idea. But if it doesn’t get sold, then it’ll all be available online at the very least.
5 March 2009 at 23:16
Thank you for your time! Looking forward to Arpia!
PS I luv Starlight Gliding, it is such an awesome song