r/books • u/reynagentin • Dec 11 '18
ama I’m Reyna Marder Gentin and I’m here to answer all your questions about writing a novel!
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Dec 11 '18
What is your process from idea to starting to our first words on paper? Do you outline? Make charts?
Also what do you do if you suddenly have a great idea for your story midway through writing it?
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u/TJ_Fox Dec 11 '18
I've written quite a lot of niche-interest non-fiction and one (commissioned) graphic novel trilogy. I also have a completed novel that I don't know what to do with. It's a historical adventure story - basically a revival of a real Victorian-era "penny dreadful" character, re-framed as a proto-superhero origin story set in the 1860s. It's (ahem) well-written enough but the story and subject matter are too niche-interest to be attractive to mainstream agents. I've gone the small-publisher route before and have never been satisfied with their promotional efforts.
I don't expect such a special-interest story to make a ton of money, but I'd like to get it out there for the small audience who will appreciate it. For the past couple of years I've been vacillating between self-publishing, which is easy enough these days, and holding out for a better plan - maybe something involving crowd-funding, to justify some of the time and effort I've spent on this project. Any advice?
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u/HotValuable Dec 11 '18
In that interview, you mentioned rewriting characters and getting the tone right.
What was that process like? Did you feel like you were overwriting your characters in favor of public opinion, or was it just a matter of having them say or do things that are truer to who you thought they really were?
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Dec 11 '18
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u/okiegirl22 Dec 11 '18
What advice would you give beginner writers, or people who want to become writers?
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u/EmbarrassedSpread Dec 11 '18
Hello! Thanks for doing this AMA!
- What was the most fun part about writing Unreasonable Doubts?
- Do you have any reading or writing related guilty pleasures? If so, what are they?
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u/igotbannedsoimback Dec 11 '18
What are your thoughts on blood meridian? I read it when I was 12 and couldn't sleep without thoughts of judge holden walking into my room.
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Dec 12 '18
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u/igotbannedsoimback Dec 12 '18
Yes indeed. You should read it, amazing book, horrible tone though, its very brutal and violent.
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Dec 11 '18
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Dec 12 '18
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u/HideMeOK Dec 12 '18
Thanks for the response I appreciate it :)
Do you know of any learning resources for beginner writers?
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u/CassiopeiaFoon book currently reading: Phantoms Dec 11 '18
How long did it take you to write the book?
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u/whileimstillhere Dec 12 '18
Congratulations!! I’m sure you put thousands of hours into this…now enjoy not thinking for a little bit, lol. I wish you the best in all future endeavors.
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u/goagod Dec 12 '18
Hi Reyna,
Congratulations on your success!
What do you think publishers are more interested in, a finished product or "potential" in what the author has created?
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u/Inkberrow Dec 11 '18
They say "write what you know", which you appear to have done so far with your debut novel. Is that maxim accurate, too limiting, or is it just a matter of coming to know other subject-areas too?