Day 5

Today Dave Farland talked to us about publishing our first book.

This guy doesn't think small. Dave Farland encouraged us today to go big. Don't sell your first novel to a small publisher just because you're so excited to be published that you can't wait a few months for one more round on the manuscript. Especially when one more round on the manuscript would make it not just a good idea, or a publishable manuscript, but it would make it into a great story. People are looking for great stories, that's why we're writing.

Dave Farland actually encouraged me to go big on my novel. He loves the idea behind my novel (again, I did an inner dance of joy) and thinks it could easily be a best selling idea. Of course if I can't make the story a great story it won't matter if it's the best idea on the planet. If the story sucks then the idea is toast. I feel pressured here.

Then the pressure mounted when he said that if you go big on your first novel, and it is successful, then you have to come up with an even better second novel. Then a better third novel. Yikes. I'm supposed to have three brilliant ideas? Then I'm supposed to write three novels, each one more awesome than the last? I do have a trilogy in mind for this first idea (Dave Farland also recommended multiple book series for the Young Adult Fantasy and Sci-Fi market) but it still makes me squirm.

Oh the commitment!

Maybe I'm fooling myself here. Two days ago I was totally ready to edit the snot out of my novel (re-write actually) and get it ready for the query process by February of next year. Tonight I just want to curl up and go to bed. It might be time to run to the gas station for some Oreos.