Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!
For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.
Day 34 Questions:
- Did you write a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)?
- Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable?
- Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication?
You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!
And here is today’s pretty picture:
Ramona DeFelice Long 
I wrote several “practice novels.” And there is one, in particular, that is in a drawer and will NEVER see the light of day again. Two others garnered some interest by a couple of agents but never sold. I may someday pull them out and try to make them workable. But that first one? NEVER.
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I worked so hard and long on my first novel that I was determined for it to be published, and it was. I’m a little afraid to go back and look at it now that I have completed 18 more. I don’t think I have any in the drawer I wouldn’t be willing to consider, although I do have quite a few portions of short stories that never went anywhere. But I never throw away a piece of writing – ya never know where you’ll be able to use it.
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1.) Did you write a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)? Oh, yes!
2.) Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable? I’ve put it aside, but will probably resurrect it just for the title alone, SHOOTING BRIDES.
3.) Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication? As written, they are not publishable, but I have learned to fix messy novels. Maybe.
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1.Did you write a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)? Of course!
2.Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable? It tried to make it workable, but it’s still in the drawer.
3.Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication? Aside from some really bad stuff written in middle school, I think I’ve decided that first practice novel is better off in the drawer.
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My practice novel is currently in a drawer awaiting rewrites. It did, however, help me to win a grant for unpublished authors. I do have a short story that I wrote in high school that should definitely never, ever be published. It’s about a woman who adopts an abused monkey named Eric. She lets people think she lives with a man to help her get out of dating. The funny thing is I am now married to a man named Eric. I didn’t know one person named Eric in high school…unless Erik Estrada counts.
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1. Did you write a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)?
I’m an overachiever. I wrote two.
2. Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable?
One hasn’t ever gone anywhere, though I’ve tried to do a short story from it. The other was cannibalized for my Cressa Carraway series. The bones of it became the second novel of that series, REQUIEM IN RED
3. Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication?
In their original form, I hope neither or those do.
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1. Did you write a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)?
I started with comic book stories, then fanfic, then sat down to write a novel. I did learn many things from the process, especially about gardening.
2. Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable?
It’s in a drawer until the Muse tells me what the story is really about. I thought I knew, but I was wrong.
3. Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication?
It won’t, because I disposed of all print copies and the carbons.
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1. Did you have a practice novel (one that taught you how to write)? Several, but I don’t know if they were that useful.
2. Is that story in a drawer or did you make it workable? I’m hoping the first of three mysteries featuring the same protagonist has become workable, and I can go on to polish the next one. But progress has been slow.
3. Is there a story you’ve written that you hope never sees the light of publication? Oh, several of them. They still exist because sometime I may enjoy reading them as part of my history.
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