Feeling much better about my gameplan today after chatting to some NaNo peeps that know what they're talking about (Thank god for them!) Figured I should stick this up for anyone else having a similar kind of stress.
Basically, what it comes down to is contracts, and that's the sort of thing your agent is there for. You can negotiate a contract in which you keep the rights to your world and characters. Your publisher gets first refusal on sequels, but if they don't want it, then you aren't stuck.
Contracts aren't permanent either, meaning that after a certain period they are either renewed or the rights return to you.
Long story short: Don't Panic! Everything's going to be okay! And I'm going to continue on with my plan :)
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In other news, I hit 20k on my draft yesterday! It's taking shape very nicely, and I'm really thinking that, after this draft, it's only going to need a polish up before it's ready to go. no more complete rewrites (Hahahahaha and I only thought I'd have to do that once!!!) I can't believe I'm going to have four completely versions of this story when's all said and done! And it's only been a year (almost exactly) since I started the rewrites... That's a lot of words. Not including two novels in November. And ghostwriting. And fic. I'm surprised I have any fingers/brain left!
I got a seriously interesting critique back from a good friend of mine yesterday, Amie. To paraphrase, it's not her cup of tea because she's not a fan of lit-fic, and she couldn't get past the literariness to the substance.
I didn't freak out at all, which kind of surprised me. I really value her opinion and she put it in a really interesting way that's given me a lot to think about.
I certainly don't see it as lit-fic, but then again, I don't really see it as anythng. It just is what it is; something that I'd like to read. And I guess, what I like to read, is lit-fic. That makes a lot of sense to me, even though it wasn't what I was aiming for. And it fits in with what other people have said (whose cup of tea it was) So, whilst it's made me realise that I will have to work to make it a little more accessible in the edits (especially the beginning) It's also made me feel a bit better about the whole labelling thing. Hopefully, by the time it's finished-finished, I'll know for certain what it Is!
It's funny though; I spent most of my teenage-hood (and 20-21) being the worst kind of literature snob. YA was a dirty word to me, so it was almost an insult when my grandmother called my first draft YA. But then I came to terms with it, chilled out, and made me peace with YA. I love the stories it produces, and to be doing that was fine with me.
So much so that when it's called lit-fic, I'm right back there feeling almost insulted initially haha! But that lasted for less than a second, and now I'm just curious. Can YA be Lit-Fic, and vice versa? Whatever it turns out to be, it's what I like to read, and maybe I just have to work that one out.
Have some beautiful music (because for some reason I've stopped doing that lately?)
Song for Bob by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis -- I have it on loop this week! Really gorgeous piece of instrumental music. Perfect cellos are perfect.
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