Wannabe Writers #17

Wannabe Writers is a writing group for the un-published and anyone is welcome to join. It's a place where future authors can ask questions, share stories, and get feedback. Click (here) to find more about how it works.

Where I am in the writing process: I am just shy of the 67k word mark in the novel I began in January 2010. When all is said and done, I expect it to be around 80k, so I'm nearly to the finish line! I've also began going through older chapters to make notes, so when I start revisions, I have a starting point.

My current problems: Maintaining momentum. I'd been turning out page after page of drivel, and yesterday I hit my stride. A wonderful new idea came to me out of nowhere that I can't wait to work on, I'm just hoping when I sit down today, I won't be back to writing drivel. I can never tell until I sit down to write how things are going to be.

My question this week:  Do you recommend finishing (and polishing) a novel, even if you know the story would never be strong enough for publication?  To finish just for the sake of finishing or to focus your energies on a better project? 


My initial instinctual answer is YES! I plan on doing a mighty jig when I finish my first novel, and while I do intend on polishing it for publication, I think it is so important to finish the draft, if for nothing more than to say you finished it. That said, to be practical, it may make more sense to know exactly where you are in the story. If you're only a quarter of the way in, it may not make much sense to continue if you're not feeling passionate about it anymore. But if you feel the need to complete the story, I'd say go for it!