Sometimes, an idea is just too big to fit into 10,000 words or less. Sometimes a novel just happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It's bigger than both of you (you and your common sense, that is), it's out of control, it's diarrhea of the keyboard -- call it what you will. You've got a novel in you, and it wants out.
Cheer up. Many writers are hopeless at writing short stories and can only find their stride writing novels. I’m one of them. I've known lots of others. I could start a support group.
Naturally, you are going to want the help and encouragement of your writing group with such an overwhelming project. Provided your group is willing (and some may not be; always ask first), there are four ways to go about it.
Option One: finish the entire novel, and then hand it to your group, or at least to those members willing to take the time to go through the entire thing and critique it for you.
Option Two: Hand in each chapter as it is completed for individual critiques. A chapter per meeting is a good goal, and fairly easy to achieve, depending on how often your group meets.
Option Three: Write the entire first draft of the novel, then hand in a chapter or two each meeting, and use what you learn in your re-write.
Option Four: Treat the project exactly as you would a submission to an editor: submit a chapter-by-chapter outline, a three-page synopsis, and the first three chapters.
Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I’ve always made use of Option Two, usually because, until recently, I never wrote outlines. The feedback I received from other members of my writers’ group helped me develop my stories, let me know when I was hopelessly off course, and gave me a badly needed sense of structure.
However, having now done this several times, I am also aware of the disadvantages, and may try another option next time.
Let's start by examining the positive and negative points of Option One.
Option One: Provided the members of your writers’ group are supportive, helpful, openhearted, and have lots of time to devote to your epic, it could be really helpful to have your novel examined in its entirety. Does the plot stand up under scrutiny? Which parts flow, and which bog down? Are there continuity problems? Do the characters wear on you, or get comfortable? Are there plot holes you've missed, left unplugged? Threads you forgot, or failed to tie in? Is the voice consistent? Did the readers finish with an overall positive feeling about the book? Critiques of the novel in its entirety by a variety of readers (your fellow writers in your group) can catch those things better than anything else.
On the other hand, asking the other members of your writers’ group to sacrifice such an enormous chunk of time all in one shot is a huge imposition, and should never be done without clear, unreserved permission from all parties, and possibly special arrangements. It is unlikely that you will get your critiques in a timely manner, and impossible to receive them all in one sitting. You are unlikely to get more than one person to go through the entire book with you in any detail; most people just have too much going on in their own lives, and will settle for giving you a less detailed overview of your work.
It also means your group, as a whole, would have to dedicate several meetings to your book, and only to your book. Or, you would have to schedule private sessions with the individual members in order to avoid monopolizing the entire group meetings for weeks at a time.
Option Two: Ah, my favorite. On the positive side, getting a chapter back each week, having been carefully picked apart by your fellow writers, is very helpful with re-writes. If you are uncertain of your direction, or feeling stuck and getting frustrated, your fellow writers can often see what you're too close to the book to notice, and point you in the right direction. Little problems can be caught and fixed before they become big ones. Sometimes another viewpoint can salvage a work you're about to give up on, opening new possibilities, keeping your own work fresh and exciting to you. And getting that feedback, week after week, can keep you grinding away despite all the obstacles and distractions that are sure to try and keep you from finishing your novel. There's nothing like friendly, helpful, steady, consistent, relentless nagging to keep a writer on track and working.
The down side of Option Two is that, since your fellow writers can't read your mind or see into the future, and therefore have no idea what you ultimately intend for your book, they can get bogged down by story elements taken out of context. Detail-oriented types can fasten on what they think is an oversight on your part, and spend their entire critique fixating on that one element, never knowing you plan on dealing with it two chapters from now. It is very difficult to judge a book's overall "flow" when reading it chapter by chapter, sometimes with weeks passing in between each submission. And, of course, when the work isn't going well, it's grueling for your writers’ group buddies to have to read huge, thick, steaming piles of pure garbàge week after week while you struggle to find your way through it.
Option Three: This method has been used by other writers in my own group, and I might try it myself one of these days. Having the novel already completed in first draft form and handing it out in small, easily digested chunks avoids the problems of overwhelming your group on the one hand, and getting driven off track by other people’s suggestions on the other. Re-writes may be slightly easier than with Option Two, depending on your personal style; since you have a ready guideline at hand, in the form of the novel as a whole, you can pick and choose among comments without being distracted by shiny, dangling little possibilities. Of course, if the problem is the story itself, you’re going to hate yourself for having to virtually start over after you’ve already written the whole thing. But that happens to all of us, sooner or later. It’s called a Learning Experience.
Option Four: the best of both worlds? Possibly. If your group is already familiar with your style, they can probably tell, from a well-written synopsis, if you can carry off the story you've laid out. If you've done a proper chapter-by-chapter outline, plot, theme, structure, character, and many other elements can be assessed, helpful suggestions offered, and possible pitfalls pointed out, before they are actually written, saving you hours of hard work and hair-tearing. The three sample chapters can display your skills as a wordsmith and give your writing comrades-in-arms a good idea of the three "f"s -- feel, flow, and flavor -- of your finished work.
Of course, you won't get the depth of exactness, the detailed analysis that a chapter-by-chapter critique can give you, or the same degree of handholding, footstep-guiding, or butt-kicking either. Nor will your writing pals get as thorough an understanding or experience of your work, and, therefore, won't be able to be as helpful to you, if they are restricted to reading an outline, synopsis, and sample chapters rather than an entire book.
If you plan on writing a novel, and want your group to critique it, you are best advised to bring it up at a meeting and ask how everyone feels about it. Take a vote, if necessary. Or, wait until the first draft is done, and offer multiple choice.
Or, what the heck, write four books and try a different method for each one. Just remember to give them all credit in the acknowledgments when you get published.
Cheer up. Many writers are hopeless at writing short stories and can only find their stride writing novels. I’m one of them. I've known lots of others. I could start a support group.
Naturally, you are going to want the help and encouragement of your writing group with such an overwhelming project. Provided your group is willing (and some may not be; always ask first), there are four ways to go about it.
Option One: finish the entire novel, and then hand it to your group, or at least to those members willing to take the time to go through the entire thing and critique it for you.
Option Two: Hand in each chapter as it is completed for individual critiques. A chapter per meeting is a good goal, and fairly easy to achieve, depending on how often your group meets.
Option Three: Write the entire first draft of the novel, then hand in a chapter or two each meeting, and use what you learn in your re-write.
Option Four: Treat the project exactly as you would a submission to an editor: submit a chapter-by-chapter outline, a three-page synopsis, and the first three chapters.
Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I’ve always made use of Option Two, usually because, until recently, I never wrote outlines. The feedback I received from other members of my writers’ group helped me develop my stories, let me know when I was hopelessly off course, and gave me a badly needed sense of structure.
However, having now done this several times, I am also aware of the disadvantages, and may try another option next time.
Let's start by examining the positive and negative points of Option One.
Option One: Provided the members of your writers’ group are supportive, helpful, openhearted, and have lots of time to devote to your epic, it could be really helpful to have your novel examined in its entirety. Does the plot stand up under scrutiny? Which parts flow, and which bog down? Are there continuity problems? Do the characters wear on you, or get comfortable? Are there plot holes you've missed, left unplugged? Threads you forgot, or failed to tie in? Is the voice consistent? Did the readers finish with an overall positive feeling about the book? Critiques of the novel in its entirety by a variety of readers (your fellow writers in your group) can catch those things better than anything else.
On the other hand, asking the other members of your writers’ group to sacrifice such an enormous chunk of time all in one shot is a huge imposition, and should never be done without clear, unreserved permission from all parties, and possibly special arrangements. It is unlikely that you will get your critiques in a timely manner, and impossible to receive them all in one sitting. You are unlikely to get more than one person to go through the entire book with you in any detail; most people just have too much going on in their own lives, and will settle for giving you a less detailed overview of your work.
It also means your group, as a whole, would have to dedicate several meetings to your book, and only to your book. Or, you would have to schedule private sessions with the individual members in order to avoid monopolizing the entire group meetings for weeks at a time.
Option Two: Ah, my favorite. On the positive side, getting a chapter back each week, having been carefully picked apart by your fellow writers, is very helpful with re-writes. If you are uncertain of your direction, or feeling stuck and getting frustrated, your fellow writers can often see what you're too close to the book to notice, and point you in the right direction. Little problems can be caught and fixed before they become big ones. Sometimes another viewpoint can salvage a work you're about to give up on, opening new possibilities, keeping your own work fresh and exciting to you. And getting that feedback, week after week, can keep you grinding away despite all the obstacles and distractions that are sure to try and keep you from finishing your novel. There's nothing like friendly, helpful, steady, consistent, relentless nagging to keep a writer on track and working.
The down side of Option Two is that, since your fellow writers can't read your mind or see into the future, and therefore have no idea what you ultimately intend for your book, they can get bogged down by story elements taken out of context. Detail-oriented types can fasten on what they think is an oversight on your part, and spend their entire critique fixating on that one element, never knowing you plan on dealing with it two chapters from now. It is very difficult to judge a book's overall "flow" when reading it chapter by chapter, sometimes with weeks passing in between each submission. And, of course, when the work isn't going well, it's grueling for your writers’ group buddies to have to read huge, thick, steaming piles of pure garbàge week after week while you struggle to find your way through it.
Option Three: This method has been used by other writers in my own group, and I might try it myself one of these days. Having the novel already completed in first draft form and handing it out in small, easily digested chunks avoids the problems of overwhelming your group on the one hand, and getting driven off track by other people’s suggestions on the other. Re-writes may be slightly easier than with Option Two, depending on your personal style; since you have a ready guideline at hand, in the form of the novel as a whole, you can pick and choose among comments without being distracted by shiny, dangling little possibilities. Of course, if the problem is the story itself, you’re going to hate yourself for having to virtually start over after you’ve already written the whole thing. But that happens to all of us, sooner or later. It’s called a Learning Experience.
Option Four: the best of both worlds? Possibly. If your group is already familiar with your style, they can probably tell, from a well-written synopsis, if you can carry off the story you've laid out. If you've done a proper chapter-by-chapter outline, plot, theme, structure, character, and many other elements can be assessed, helpful suggestions offered, and possible pitfalls pointed out, before they are actually written, saving you hours of hard work and hair-tearing. The three sample chapters can display your skills as a wordsmith and give your writing comrades-in-arms a good idea of the three "f"s -- feel, flow, and flavor -- of your finished work.
Of course, you won't get the depth of exactness, the detailed analysis that a chapter-by-chapter critique can give you, or the same degree of handholding, footstep-guiding, or butt-kicking either. Nor will your writing pals get as thorough an understanding or experience of your work, and, therefore, won't be able to be as helpful to you, if they are restricted to reading an outline, synopsis, and sample chapters rather than an entire book.
If you plan on writing a novel, and want your group to critique it, you are best advised to bring it up at a meeting and ask how everyone feels about it. Take a vote, if necessary. Or, wait until the first draft is done, and offer multiple choice.
Or, what the heck, write four books and try a different method for each one. Just remember to give them all credit in the acknowledgments when you get published.
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