Yi, what is your feedback on my novel? 10.3.6

[rose1901]

Hello and thank you in advance for your insights.
I'm a creative writer. I've reached the end of a new novel I've been working on for some time. I revise as I go, but I have not yet begun the final revision process. That will come next.
Tonight I had that "Is this anything?"-experience: a moment of self doubt and of truly feeling like I cannot tell or see if what I've been working on has merit.
I often confide a bit in Yi about where I'm coming from before I state my question. So I let Yi know about these feelings and said I was wondering if what I have done is any good, or if the book will be published.
My question was: "What is your feedback on my novel?"

Response: 10.3.6 changing to 43

I take this to mean
10 ~ Be cautious and humble
10.3 ~ Don't be arrogant about what you have done or assume it's great or that the book is good to go right now. Don't be too big for your britches. Possibly: You cannot clearly see what you have done.
10.6 ~ Go back and look at what you have done (do a careful final review/revision). If you do this well and completely, and make good editorial decisions, there will be great fortune.

Changing to 43 ~ Be resolute, don't give up on this project.

I would love your thoughts and insights.

I am ambitious and want to find a publisher for this book. I'm already published novelist, but that doesn't guarantee this will be published, though I have hope and I do back up my hope with a lot of hard work.
Thank you!

 

[redoleander]

hi rose1901.

I thought of what Lise says about 10.3

"As long as one acts within one's abilities, no tiger will bite. A small thing done in a great way is great, a great thing done in a small way is small. Adapt your actions to what is possible or not, what is smart, what is good in a situation, and what is within your abilities."

10.3 and it's fan yao 1.3 are about obeying situation, abilities, and timing.

The first thing I thought of (which may not be relevant at all) are any "tigers" around you. Are you sharing work with anyone who might take it? Anything like that?

Barring that, I agree with your interpretation. I say this because you're a published novelist already and hopefully won't get discouraged; this line is pretty direct that something is not right (yet). Maybe the scope or scale of the work needs to be adjusted? Maybe it needs to be tighter within your expertise? Or more research done. It's saying, yes, there's a lot more to do, maybe even an overhaul. Keep doing that, checking your work, doing that, checking your work until it's really solid.

I think that there must be a lot of promise in it to receive lines that tell you to be so thorough. Maybe even just examine base assumptions about who the work is for or why you're writing it. "Solider acting like a great chief" always stands out to me. Could be a warning about a subpar editor or confidante. Or it could be asking you to more honestly assess what's inauthentic or misaligned in your own approach. Even things like length? Format? Is it controversial and you have to be thoughtful about how you approach it? Those are the things I think of.

 

[rose1901]

hi rose1901.

I thought of what Lise says about 10.3

"As long as one acts within one's abilities, no tiger will bite. A small thing done in a great way is great, a great thing done in a small way is small. Adapt your actions to what is possible or not, what is smart, what is good in a situation, and what is within your abilities."

10.3 and it's fan yao 1.3 are about obeying situation, abilities, and timing.

The first thing I thought of (which may not be relevant at all) are any "tigers" around you. Are you sharing work with anyone who might take it? Anything like that?

Barring that, I agree with your interpretation. I say this because you're a published novelist already and hopefully won't get discouraged; this line is pretty direct that something is not right (yet). Maybe the scope or scale of the work needs to be adjusted? Maybe it needs to be tighter within your expertise? Or more research done. It's saying, yes, there's a lot more to do, maybe even an overhaul. Keep doing that, checking your work, doing that, checking your work until it's really solid.

I think that there must be a lot of promise in it to receive lines that tell you to be so thorough. Maybe even just examine base assumptions about who the work is for or why you're writing it. "Solider acting like a great chief" always stands out to me. Could be a warning about a subpar editor or confidante. Or it could be asking you to more honestly assess what's inauthentic or misaligned in your own approach. Even things like length? Format? Is it controversial and you have to be thoughtful about how you approach it? Those are the things I think of.

Dear redoleander,

Thank you for this.
Re: the possible "tiger." Yes, there is someone: a former teacher of mine is also Vice President and Executive Editor at a major publishing house. He knows about this book because his class inspired it, but he hasn't read it yet. My plan is to show it to him after I have done the final revision. I respect him and hold him in high regard. He is a brilliant and critical. I have no idea what his attitude toward the book will be. Do you think he might be unduly critical and dismissive of the book? Perhaps not give it the consideration it might deserve? I'm curious to know if this change your interpretation of the reading.

I'm grateful for your honesty and thought-provoking words. There could be something misaligned or inauthentic in my approach. I've been seeing this book as a "gate opener" or a way to open doors that will enable me to publish two other (already completed) novels I've been sitting on for years now. I have not published a book in almost a decade and so I have seen this one as a way to unlock what has felt like a closed door and get things moving for me again, if that makes sense. My approach to this has possibly been less heartfelt and soulful, and more rushed, than with my other books.

Many sincere thanks!

 

[my_key]

My question was: "What is your feedback on my novel?"

Response: 10.3.6 changing to 43

10 meaning 'not abiding where you are'
43 meaning ' breaking through / breaking up'

nuclear 37 Dwelling People

The feedback might be something like this:
Your book sits in a position where you have decided from your centre how to write this novel Something about this is in need of 'breaking up' or not from your 'own city' - perhaps not with full heart and soul in it. As such something has to be reorganised : made different in key words or themes you have chosen (43). There are changes that need to be made to allow it to really sing out (10). From deep within the book there is a calling to bring 'a women's constancy' (this might well be your constancy) into what you have written. The structure does not lend itself best to telling the story your words have to tell. Perhaps there needs to be a greater focus on relationship or how your characters work and gel together. (37)

You ask about feedback on the novel yet I see in your post that you have turned the reading into a personal critique. Be wary of this type of analysis.

10.3 - A lame book is still able to be read. The book can be more than it is right now don't settle for it being 'just good enough'
10.6 - Review some of your earlier story lines or ways you have structured certain sections. These are the ancestors of your current draft book. Be sure to tell the full story of the ancestors they deserve to be celebrated in all their glory.

...or it may be nothing like this at all.

Good Luck

 

[redoleander]

“Do you think he might be unduly critical and dismissive of the book? Perhaps not give it the consideration it might deserve? I'm curious to know if this change your interpretation of the reading.”

I don’t know if it’s so much about him being unduly dismissive — maybe it’s just letting you know that in its current form it won’t be received well and you need to put more thought and revision into it before you share it

 

[rose1901]

10 meaning 'not abiding where you are'
43 meaning ' breaking through / breaking up'

nuclear 37 Dwelling People

The feedback might be something like this:
Your book sits in a position where you have decided from your centre how to write this novel Something about this is in need of 'breaking up' or not from your 'own city' - perhaps not with full heart and soul in it. As such something has to be reorganised : made different in key words or themes you have chosen (43). There are changes that need to be made to allow it to really sing out (10). From deep within the book there is a calling to bring 'a women's constancy' (this might well be your constancy) into what you have written. The structure does not lend itself best to telling the story your words have to tell. Perhaps there needs to be a greater focus on relationship or how your characters work and gel together. (37)

You ask about feedback on the novel yet I see in your post that you have turned the reading into a personal critique. Be wary of this type of analysis.

10.3 - A lame book is still able to be read. The book can be more than it is right now don't settle for it being 'just good enough'
10.6 - Review some of your earlier story lines or ways you have structured certain sections. These are the ancestors of your current draft book. Be sure to tell the full story of the ancestors they deserve to be celebrated in all their glory.

...or it may be nothing like this at all.

Good Luck

Wow! Thank you, my_key. This all really, really speaks to me. I'm grateful to you for taking the time to share. It resonates.

 

[rose1901]

“Do you think he might be unduly critical and dismissive of the book? Perhaps not give it the consideration it might deserve? I'm curious to know if this change your interpretation of the reading.”

I don’t know if it’s so much about him being unduly dismissive — maybe it’s just letting you know that in its current form it won’t be received well and you need to put more thought and revision into it before you share it

Thank you so much, redoleander. Makes sense.

 

[rose1901]

10 meaning 'not abiding where you are'
43 meaning ' breaking through / breaking up'

nuclear 37 Dwelling People

The feedback might be something like this:
Your book sits in a position where you have decided from your centre how to write this novel Something about this is in need of 'breaking up' or not from your 'own city' - perhaps not with full heart and soul in it. As such something has to be reorganised : made different in key words or themes you have chosen (43). There are changes that need to be made to allow it to really sing out (10). From deep within the book there is a calling to bring 'a women's constancy' (this might well be your constancy) into what you have written. The structure does not lend itself best to telling the story your words have to tell. Perhaps there needs to be a greater focus on relationship or how your characters work and gel together. (37)

You ask about feedback on the novel yet I see in your post that you have turned the reading into a personal critique. Be wary of this type of analysis.

10.3 - A lame book is still able to be read. The book can be more than it is right now don't settle for it being 'just good enough'
10.6 - Review some of your earlier story lines or ways you have structured certain sections. These are the ancestors of your current draft book. Be sure to tell the full story of the ancestors they deserve to be celebrated in all their glory.

...or it may be nothing like this at all.

Good Luck

Also, those are wise words about being wary of turning the reading into a personal critique. Thank you for pointing out that I'd done so. I'm a novice, but thanks to this forum I'm learning a lot.