Wrote a historical Irish Novel. But nobody wants it... but it's not bad...

Dionysus

brianthebard wrote: »

Because you quoted me and directed a statement at me. Are you drunk?

I quoted you because I was responding to you. Radical, eh. If you read my original post, you would have seen the same sentiment, which I was alluding to in my response to you. Less paranoia, please - and more awareness of what other people in this thread have written. Thank you.

As for being 'drunk' - your inability to keep up with this very simple thread doesn't reflect well on your present state of mind.

FarmerGreen

Dionysus wrote: »

It's not as if any of you boys have been poofreading the damned thing, is it.

How would you know, and anyway its just the way I walk.

Cavehill Red

Dionysus wrote: »

It's not as if any of you boys have been proofreading the damned thing, is it.

Actually, I've already commented on the opening section in the creative writing forum.
I don't see you there.

sponsoredwalk

Dionysus wrote: »

One other thing, 1879 was the start of a revolutionary period in Irish society that became internationally significant, culminating in the campaign which introduced the word 'boycott' to many world languages, but also in the less romantic 'party whip' and party organisation which exists in many European political parties today (which was, unknown to many, initiated by the Home Rule Party under Parnell), as well as a mass rurally-based political movement (historically most political movements have originated in urban settlements). There was a widespread international reaction to what was happening in rural Ireland at this time, particularly after Parnell's famous Irishtown speech (which initiated the campaign against Charles Boycott).

There's definitely a movie in a good historical novel about this period.

Wouldn't happen to have a particular non-fiction source in mind that
discusses these issues would you?

Dionysus

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Actually, I've already commented on the opening section in the creative writing forum.
I don't see you there.

Well, that's very good of you. I gather you're now au fait with the entire novel and, moreover, in a position from your esoteric plain to criticise other posters for offering suggestions to the writer which differ from your own.

mikemac

OP, 1879 was a very significant year in Ireland

Good luck with your book, if it's half as good as this book on the famine by an Irish author you'll do well

God knows why you started this thread in After Hours, ask a mod to move it to creative writing forum

brianthebard

Dionysus wrote: »

I quoted you because I was responding to you. Radical, eh. If you read my original post, you would have seen the same sentiment, which I was alluding to in my response to you. Less paranoia, please - and more awareness of what other people in this thread have written. Thank you.

As for being 'drunk' - your inability to keep up with this very simple thread doesn't reflect well on your present state of mind.

Nothing to do with not being able to keep up, just the fact that you're talking out your hoop and taking offence on behalf of the op for no particular reason in a thread that is by and large quite balanced in its criticism and praise of the op.
So again, why the attitude towards anyone who isn't telling the op the sun shines out his arse?

sponsoredwalk

brianthebard wrote: »

why the attitude towards anyone who isn't telling the op the sun shines out his arse?

Honestly if you read his posts he's just criticising the people who, on the
first page, are telling the OP the book is obviously no good because the
publisher rejected it and the few other snide comments. Evidence for this?
Read Dionysus first post, he was halfway through the thread when he first
commented. Honestly I think things have gone a bit crazy because of
a misunderstanding, Dio's criticizing people for just offering ridiculous
criticism instead of constructive criticism & when he offered his own
personal opinion on 1879 & his thoughts others are criticizing him for
offering his own constructive criticism. This is just ridiculous to do that,
if you wrote a book about topic X & someone spoke about what they know
about it do you think that person deserves to be berated for offering their
opinion?

Dionysus

brianthebard wrote: »

Nothing to do with not being able to keep up

Alas, it has everything to do with it.

brianthebard wrote: »

just the fact that you're talking out your hoop

A personal attack doesn't reflect well on you.

brianthebard wrote: »

and taking offence on behalf of the op for no particular reason in a thread that is by and large quite balanced in its criticism and praise of the op.

1. Why you are so upset at my supposed 'offence' on the part of the OP is really for you to resolve.

2) This, this and this spring immediately to mind as examples of posts which have derided the OP, rather than constructively criticised his work. There's a very salient difference, even if it eludes you.

brianthebard wrote: »

So again, why the attitude towards anyone who isn't telling the op the sun shines out his arse?

You're being irrational.

Sergeant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS1NOXWVWgo

Cavehill Red

Dionysus wrote: »

Well, that's very good of you. I gather you're now au fait with the entire novel and, moreover, in a position from your esoteric plain to criticise other posters for offering suggestions to the writer which differ from your own.

I'm not au fait with the entire novel. However, the OP's agent is. And they've been in touch with the publisher. So he should, as I've said, speak with his agent to decide what to do next.

What he should not do is chop the book in four to please some abusive randomer off the internet just because they say so while blowing smoke up his arse.

If you want a four part epic about your own obscure historical interests, go write one. The OP's written his own book. He's not looking to write yours.

Dave!

Good luck OP, hope it works out for ya !

JohnMearsheimer

I work for a publisher. We get a lot of great work submitted to us on all sorts of things but at the end of the day if the publisher feels that a work won't make money then it will be rejected. I know it's a cynical thing to say.

Our commissioning editor will bring the best of the submissions to our attention and we all will discuss the market for the book, see if there is similar books already out on the market, check out how well it is doing if there is, how our book could offer something new, the author's ability for doing publicity, marketing opportunities for the book. Historical fiction and fiction in general is a hard sell, especially for smaller publishing houses that don't have a lot of money to plug books. There is so much fiction out there and it's hard to get yours noticed.

I'd agree that 190,000 words is far too long. The length of the manuscript could be putting some publishers off. Some publishers may feel your manuscript has potential but the work required of them to get the manuscript up to scratch would be greater than the return.

Submit it to as many publishers as you can and hope for the best.

Dionysus

Cavehill Red wrote: »

I'm not au fait with the entire novel. However, the OP's agent is. And they've been in touch with the publisher. So he should, as I've said, speak with his agent to decide what to do next.

That's not exactly rocket science, in fairness. Considering he's posted in Afterhours, I was safely assuming that he was not looking for his agent's view when he decided to post here. My bad.

Cavehill Red wrote: »

What he should not do is chop the book in four to please some abusive randomer off the internet just because they say so while blowing smoke up his arse.

There you go again telling everybody what the OP should/shouldn't do with his book. The irony. 'Abusive randomer' indeed.

Cavehill Red wrote: »

If you want a four part epic about your own obscure historical interests, go write one. The OP's written his own book. He's not looking to write yours.

He's not writing yours either, so please stop telling him what he should, or shouldn't, do with his novel. You're now telling him what he should be doing on two threads, while having the audacity to condemn anybody else who offers suggestions which differ from your own. Hypocrisy much?

FarmerGreen

Foolish much?
http://www.theballyquenthistoricalsociety.com/2010/09/ballyquent-whats-in-a-name/

Cavehill Red

Dionysus wrote: »

That's not exactly rocket science, in fairness. Considering he's posted in Afterhours, I was safely assuming that he was not looking for his agent's view when he decided to post here. My bad.

No, he was looking to vent, and later he was frustrated about what to do next. I suggested he seek feedback from the publisher via his agent to establish why they passed. It might have nothing to do with his writing at all.
He seemed to find that suggestion helpful because he thanked it, just as he thanked my critique of his opening chapter.
Still haven't seen you there, incidentally.

Dionysus wrote: »

There you go again telling everybody what the OP should/shouldn't do with his book. The irony. 'Abusive randomer' indeed.

Actually, you're the one being prescriptive about a text you haven't read. I'm defending the OP's right to create his own work as he sees fit, and not be told to adapt it to what some abusive randomer, ie yourself, desires from it.

Dionysus wrote: »

He's not writing yours either, so please stop telling him what he should, or shouldn't, do with his novel.

You seem to be suffering from a logic breakdown. I've suggested he ignore your attempts to direct him on how to restructure his book to your liking. That's not being prescriptive as you are. It's defending his freedom to create his own work.

Dionysus wrote: »

You're now telling him what he should be doing on two threads, while having the audacity to condemn anybody else who offers suggestions which differ from your own. Hypocrisy much?

Yup, there's the logic breakdown again. By the way, the creative writing forum exists for writers to seek critiques of their work. That's its purpose.

Esel

Some great, authentic Irish dialogue in the last 20 or so posts....

Hobbes

Why not release it as an ebook. Does that need a publisher? Or can you just throw up on iTunes/Amazon for sale?

Donal Og O Baelach

I just want to thank everyone for their comments on this. Both the harsh banter and the kind support helped me get through a difficult evening.

I think we should replace the Samaritan hotline with a link to AfterHours....or maybe not.

Ulysses Gaze

Be patient OP.

Edward Rutherfurd, the author of those behemoth historical novels like London, New York and the two Dublin novels, took years before he was published.

Is the novel something that could be broken into two books?

curlzy

Ah that's harsh, rejection sucks. Don't give up though, it can take forever to get a book accepted so just keep trying. Chin up and best of luck.

wow sierra

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWQeRX-0Ssg

Be patient.

Patience- Damien Dempsey

Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal

Well, I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back at ye, you know I'm going to catch ye
'Cos you know I've got no brakes
It, doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.
I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back wailing, big right sailing
because you know I've got no brakes
it doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.

Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on the ball

Well I've exchanged the spear and the sword for words and melody
Oh. what a felony how the record company
pushes the McDonalds Music: an aural lobotomy for those who choose it.
Corporations pumpin' all this money in to pop
To keep the real singers far away from the top
Some folks are never told what these corporations do
****in' up the planet exploiting me and you!

Well, I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back at ye, you know I'm going to catch ye
'Cos you know I've got no brakes
It, doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.
I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back wailing, big right sailing
because you know I've got no brakes
it doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.

Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on the ball

From my room in Donaghmede I'm 'bout to kick all your asses
Stick your pink champagne and **** your backstage passes
I'm a warrior coming down the mountain at ye
A wood cairn springing from the trees to catch ye
I'm licking my wounds in the wilderness
Praying for the warmth of the sun's kiss
My time has come, your race is run
The throne is rightly mine you greedy swine

Well, I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back at ye, you know I'm going to catch ye
'Cos you know I've got no brakes
It, doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.
I take a few shluggs on the kisser
I'm coming back wailing, big right sailing
because you know I've got no brakes
it doesn't matter how long that it takes
My luck I'm going to make.

Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on the ball
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on the ball
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on my goal
Patience, gimme some of that sweet patience lord.
I'll keep my eye on the ball

Deus Ex Machina

I have some experience with the literary world, and what I have learned is that getting published is an extraordinarily difficult goal to set oneself. You could complete your work, and it could be exactly how you wanted it to be be when you set out (no mean feat in its own right) and it could be unsuitable for publication, or unsuited to a great many publishing houses.

I have come to the conclusion that your sole target should be completing a work which you believe to be in some way meritorious. Anything beyond that is out of your hands. If I were you the question I would ask myself is if I genuinely believe that what I have produced is a clear expression of my idea. If that is the case then you have already achieved a lot more than most who have put pen to paper.

Krusader

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Send a chapter to an agent in the USA. They lap that sh1t up there

This ^^ and put Celtic in the title and you're on to a winner

MarkR

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

I wrote a historical Irish novel (4 yrs work), set in 1879, with long flashbacks to the famine. In fairness it is a very large novel (190,000wds).

I can imagine the rejection letter.

Dear Mr. Donal Og O Baelach,

TLDR.

Lol.

Really cool publisher.

P.S. Please send some lucky charms.

superelliptic

sponsoredwalk wrote: »

Wow, fair dues for going through with this, I can only say that some of the
best novels in history were rejected repeatedly so just stick with it & don't
pin your hopes on anyone in particular :cool:

That list was an eye opener - Dune was rejected 23 times?:eek: Jaayzus...

That one book has spawned more sequels that CSI!