So, I was thinking.

[valis2]

I started writing a romance novel ages ago. Ages upon ages. Unfortunately, it suffered from the Page 36 Curse, which meant that, like many other stories I used to write (er, before I discovered fandom), once I reached page 36 it was too much work to revise continually, yet I could not continue until it was revised. So I stopped writing it.

Anyway, I was thinking about rereading it, and then I was thinking about how there were a couple of good passages in it and also a lot of not-so-good passages. And then I thought, it might be nice to reread it with my current writer's eye and see what jumps out at me as being bad writing. Also, what jumps out at me as being good writing. And see what I've learned. Or, not learned, as the case may be. Then I thought, hmmm, it will never be published, so I might as well share this fun with the flist, right? In fact, knowing me, I'll end up mocking myself, and that could be funny. Of course, this would be a bit of work--it's 36 pages, typed, and it will be a bitch to retype it, as I found when I shared all that floating cat stuff a few years ago.

So what do you think, flist? Do you want to read my (probably awful) romance novel from ten years ago, with writerly commentary and sarcastic comments?

ETA: Wow, it's only 16k long. *boggles* In my head it was such a looong story...lol. PS: I am not going to revise it or finish it, just use it as an editing experience. I will definitely type out a summary of what I remember of the ending, though.

Comments

[cactus-wren.livejournal.com]

If you want to type it all up (better you than me!) you know I'll read it!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent! There'll be one victim--er, reader, at the very least!

*hugs you*

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

Will it inspire you to revise and continue it?

I'll read it. But then I'll probably bug you to finish it because I'll want to know what happens next. So, um, you're warned...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Nope, no revisions, no continuing, it will never be finished. I'll definitely write the summary of the ending as I remember it, of course, but this is the ultimate WIP...hee!

And you're sweet, I'm so glad you'll give it a try. I promise to have some entertaining commentary to go with it. ;)

[tamela-j.livejournal.com]

YAY! This would be a cool memeish type thing...everyone share their 10 yr old fic--sporking required!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hahaha!! Yes, exactly!!

I'm kind of excited. It's nice to do something like this, unleash my inner editor...

[todayiamadaisy]

I would love to read it if you're willing to type it. (Could you scan it instead, to save yourself some work?)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I could scan it, but then I'd have to try to figure out how to comment on it, and I think that just typing it in is okay. Hell, I just did four pages, and it went pretty quickly.

I'm thinking of posting two versions--a clean copy and a commentary-added copy. Means I'll have to have waaay too many links for such a silly idea, but still, in the end it'll make it easier for everyone, I think.

[little-tristan.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely read it. Assuming what you said before is true and you really do read everything on your flist, I owe you more than 36 pages. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, great! That's very sweet of you.

As far as reading everything--I do look at every entry, at least every personal journal entry. However, some entries I don't click the cut for, and some entries I skim. I don't filter people out, though.

For comm entries--I just look for the pairing and skip a ton of those. For example, on crack_broom I don't read anything except the Snupin entries, and maybe an occasional Snarry entry.

Have to preserve my eyes a little, y'know. There's a lot of S&H h/c still left to read...

[little-tristan.livejournal.com]

I've put a few original (non-fanfic) stories on my journal, as well as the first chapter of my novel. If you haven't read them, I don't owe you squat. But I'd probably read yours anyway. I have a lot of free time. ::g::

[thedoingofit.livejournal.com]

I'd definitely read it - I'm very curious! :o)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, awesome!

Is that an Ever After icon? I just watched that movie again recently. So very very cute!

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Yes, please post it! Though I daresay it won't be nearly as funny as your flying loincloth cats...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I don't think anything I ever post will be as loltastic and WTF as those cats, seriously! hahah!

*hugs*

[kakiphony.livejournal.com]

You know we do!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hee! Awesome!!

*giant hugs*

[bronze-ribbons.livejournal.com]

I am averaging like ten words an hour these days, so 16K sounds ginormous to me. Here's to the next 37 pages of whatever you're working on now. :-)

*noises of much encouragement*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I've gone from 6000 word days down to 60 word days right now. This week I've been so damned tired! It took me three days to write a teeny not-very-important 300 word scene, I swear.

So it's a nice change of pace to transcribe this old story. I'm intrigued by the mistakes, seriously. It's kind of like looking at a time machine of myself and my writing at the time.