Question for Writer Friends

[raefinlay]

Just suppose you had written 60K words of a 120K word novel and then realized the novel is fatally flawed. And suppose you realized it contains writing that is no longer your style and voice. Would you finish it anyway?

Comments

[everyonesakitty.livejournal.com]

er... depends on:
1. whether this book is Unmagicked (I know it is). :)
2. whether you let your friends read a synopsis and tell you if the story is worth it.
3. whether you would consider a collaboration effort on it.
4. whether you truly believe you will finish the next book.
5. whether you have learned the lesson you were supposed to learn from it (I think every would-be novel has one and once you've learned it, you have permission to toss the novels that won't work).
6. whether writing it is a chore and the muse is gone.

I know you can learn from every book, but first novels are not always keepers. I'd say plot it out and try to overcome the fatal flaws at least in theory before you shelf it. I don't see anything wrong with tossing 60K as long as you know what's next and can keep learning. I know I keep hassling you about the synopsis, but I think at this point that's what will show you what the book is really about and let you know whether it can be salvaged.