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Write what you want to write or write what you think is a better idea?

OGone

Troubadour
More or less the topic title. I want to write a high fantasy novel, I've envisioned a world and I've got the ideas/plots to crank out 5-6 books (and possibly another few but their plots are loose). However, I'd really like that universe to be successful and so I want to practice with other, unrelated ideas first to give it the best chance possible in getting published. I mean, my first book is bound to suck and I don't want to set that tone for the series, if you know what I mean? (is rewriting a possibility in cases like this?)

Anyways, I have a much better, more marketable idea which is more a sci-fi/alternate timeline. I've been working out the back-story a little and plotting some minor stuff but I really don't like the story as much. I think it's a really good setting and the plot is a great one (although I've only really envisioned the beginning, middle and end through thoroughly - no real structure yet).

I'm probably heading off to uni in September so will have plenty of time to write in the next 3 years. I want to ideally crank out a couple books by then. I need to get some practice in before I inevitably have to begin working a day job whilst writing, still trying to get published surviving on leftovers and staving off debt in a shoddy, cockroach ridden apartment.

What would be better? Writing what I want to write and enjoy writing or writing what I think publishers would enjoy? I just don't want to write the story I have real high hopes for until I'm certain my writing skills will do it justice, if that makes sense. Is it an unrealistic ambition even thinking this way and holding it off?

COMPLETELY unrelated question which I didn't think warranted its own thread: cliffhanger endings - yay or nay? I've an ending to a (as of now short but will be expanded upon) story with a character holding an armed grenade counting down the fuse aloud. The character counts "zero" then the book ends. E.g either his counting was shoddy, the grenade fuse was longer than expected or the grenade didn't go off. Is this a bad way to end a book?
 
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The Unseemly

Troubadour
Well, as to your relevant question, it's a matter of morality. Would you rather write what you personally would prefer and think is better, or write something to make a better profit?
I suppose it rounds down to how something is written. If you write something for your personal taste, you take a risk. People have many differentiating opinions, and I will say that I have read books that indeed have good ideas, however weren't popular because it wasn't structurally sound, or people simply did care.
Writing to make a profit, shrug, is something what you write to make a profit. I (and I know people will disagree) personally thought that the Inheritance series was a good example here. There was a ton of cliché, outdated ideas/concepts etc. However, it was enjoyable, and there you have its success: I'm still to understand why, but a person (and I'm not speaking for everyone) much rather prefers to read something "fun" and "known" than something unknown and, as you call it, something "you think is better".

I stick to the former: I hate writing just to make a profit and for marketing. The point of a story worth reading, in my opinion, is to then go away and ask yourself: "Wasn't such and such so very interesting? Remind me of such and such in real life but in a completely fresh way doesn't it?"

As to your cliffhanger endings: it really depends on what you're writing. I find that, sometimes, books with cliffhanger endings are sort of books that have a beginning, a middle, but because of the "cliffhanger" there's no end. And an ending is important to a book: it's usually the part that sums everything up to make you as yourself those questions (my point above). Of course, you can have a cliffhanger ending, that's an ending, not the summarising bit of the middle.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
Question 1: What to write?
I believe that you should ALWAYS write what you want to write. Working from a desire to tell the story you need to tell will always yield better results than writing for other reasons. I can't imagine having the drive to write a stroy, and do it well, without that underlying passion. Further, I'm a believer in writing the book you'd want to read.

Question 2: Cliffhanger endings?
As much as I love cliffhangers at the end of a chapter or POV scene, I'd loathe a story ending that left too much unresolved. I feel that people tend to like a resolution of some sort. It certainly doesn't have to be the happy ending, yet endings like the one you proposed above would likely leave me unfulfilled as a reader. Now, I'm just guessing at that...the golden rule is always "if it works, it works." However, you always want to develop fans that will come back and read other works. I believe that endings like this would make it more difficult to gain further readership. That's already hard enough.
 
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Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
I say write what you want also. You're going to be spending a better part of a year working on this novel. Why subject yourself to something you're not going to enjoy for that long when you don't have to? If you're not enjoying yourself, it'll show. If you don't like the idea you're working on, find a new idea.

As for cliffhangers, I need some sort of resolution. I'll accept a battle is won but the war rages on. I wont say no to a ending like you described, but it has to make sense to end it that way. If it's just a cliffhanger to draw me into buying the next book, I'll be pissed.

A good cliffhanger ending is Back to the Future. A good open ended ending is Children of Men. A good "won a battle but the war rages" ending is A Game of Thrones. That last one just crossed the finish line for me. I think I would have been peeved if I didn't know it was a big series and didn't have the second book in hand.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
OGone,

I was where you are: I had an idea for a book I really wanted to write but wasn't sure I could do it justice. Writing that first novel is hard, and it's a learning process. If you concentrate on improving your skill, however, there's no reason you can't make that book what you want it to be (or at least a quality that won't embarass you later). I'm quite pleased with how Power of the Mages is turning out; it just took me more drafts (and some really good beta readers like Ankari) to get it to this point than, hopefully, future books will take.

Regarding cliffhangers: As long as you make sure you provide resolution to the story of the first book, I don't have any problem with you introducing a new problem that you leave unresolved until the next book and leaving some plot threads open. That's what I did. On the other hand, I'd be pretty disgusted to reach an end of a book and have nothing be resolved.
 
Agreed, the only way to write is to enjoy what you're writing. (But it's not a choice between fun and profit, because there are very few fiction writers on the non-screenwriting planet who make a real living at it.)

Still, I think you're on the right track asking how soon you want to dive into the big project. If there's another idea you can explore first, great-- if it's something you really can care about too. If you think it's easier to sell, that's a nice synergy with everything else, but only if you do care.
 

OGone

Troubadour
Thanks all for your posts. Seems the theme is write what you want to write.

I should say, I *really* want to write all the ideas I have I just don't have nearly as much fun writing some of them as others. I like describing crazy environments and weird creatures, when it comes to describing urban environments I just fall totally flat.

OGone,

I was where you are: I had an idea for a book I really wanted to write but wasn't sure I could do it justice. Writing that first novel is hard, and it's a learning process. If you concentrate on improving your skill, however, there's no reason you can't make that book what you want it to be (or at least a quality that won't embarass you later). I'm quite pleased with how Power of the Mages is turning out; it just took me more drafts (and some really good beta readers like Ankari) to get it to this point than, hopefully, future books will take.

Regarding cliffhangers: As long as you make sure you provide resolution to the story of the first book, I don't have any problem with you introducing a new problem that you leave unresolved until the next book and leaving some plot threads open. That's what I did. On the other hand, I'd be pretty disgusted to reach an end of a book and have nothing be resolved.

Maybe I should just go with what I enjoy writing then (which is high fantasy). I've a couple good ideas for sci-fi books which I'd like to write eventually, I don't like modern or futuristic environments as much but I think my ideas are far more thought provoking and original. My fantasy plots are interesting but the world is fairly typical...

What I definitely need to do is get into a habit of writing. I was thinking if I could finish writing something I didn't enjoy then when I come to write something I do enjoy it'd be much better... Right?

The cliffhanger: that's just the thing, I don't want anymore books but at the same time don't want to end the story just in-case I ever think up a good sequel. If I implied the grenade did go off then he kills everybody within 1600km radius - would that really be much better?
 

MadMadys

Troubadour
As every other person has pointed out, you should write what you want at this stage. Even your more "marketable" idea is, realistically, not going to sell so you're better off writing what you enjoy and learning more about actual writing. That way you can apply what you've learned writing the one to the other.

Also, over the time you're writing that high fantasy, you can further develop the other story (along with other ideas) on the side when you need a break and perhaps make them better than they are now. Never be in a rush to get things like that done on your first novel because there is a lot of growth that occurs in really creating that first world and ironing out the first characters and plot elements.
 
What would be better? Writing what I want to write and enjoy writing or writing what I think publishers would enjoy?

I think you should try to write a book your readers would enjoy. Writing what you want to write is all good and well, and convincing publishers to print your book is also all good and well. But if you are serious about being a writer, I believe that you must be an entertainer at heart - you must desire to entertain people with your stories, and find enjoyment in that.

That said, if you doubt you are a good enough author to write the book you want to write, what makes you think you are capable of writing something you don't want to write? Writing a book you're not motivated to work on is harder than writing a book you really like.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
Maybe I should just go with what I enjoy writing then (which is high fantasy). I've a couple good ideas for sci-fi books which I'd like to write eventually, I don't like modern or futuristic environments as much but I think my ideas are far more thought provoking and original. My fantasy plots are interesting but the world is fairly typical...

I've said this before, and I'll probably say this again...

Frankly, my advice to you is to:

1. Start writing your masterpiece. Don't worry about it's marketability or your ability; just start writing.
2. Get a few chapters done.
3. Find some good beta readers. Find a writing group.
4. Get feedback on your writing.
5. You'll improve rapidly based on the feedback. Keep rewriting the first few chapters until your improvement slows.
6. Continue with the rest of the book.
7. Plan to do several drafts. You'll learn so much writing the first couple of versions that the 3rd or 4th will probably be pretty good.
8. Polish it up and send it out into the world.
9. Learn from the process of writing the first book and start the next one.

EDIT: Went back and reread my analysis of your Iron Pen entry to refresh my memory on your specific writing. Honestly, you don't suck. Your story is coherent, you gave me a character and stayed consistent to his viewpoint, and you kept up tension. All these are good signs. You mainly need to practice, get feedback, and hone your skills a bit.
 
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OGone

Troubadour
I think you should try to write a book your readers would enjoy. Writing what you want to write is all good and well, and convincing publishers to print your book is also all good and well. But if you are serious about being a writer, I believe that you must be an entertainer at heart - you must desire to entertain people with your stories, and find enjoyment in that.

That said, if you doubt you are a good enough author to write the book you want to write, what makes you think you are capable of writing something you don't want to write? Writing a book you're not motivated to work on is harder than writing a book you really like.

Agreed, and agreed with MadMadys too. I'm going to practice writing with things I enjoy to write. Don't want to put myself off writing before I've even started. Going to continue on with high fantasy and world building, maybe the other story will see light another day. I'll use time I'm bored with fantasy to fill in its history. Thanks for the help everyone.
 
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