Keith Robinson
This is advice most authors agree with but don't hear until after they've published, when it's too late. The advice is simply: "Don't publish your first book."
It makes perfect sense when you've written 5+ novels, because you realize how much better your fifth novel is compared to your first. You grow as a writer, and the first novel or three are part of that growth, that necessary learning curve, so it seems foolish in retrospect to put that first novel out as your debut, because it will eventually become your worst-written novel. Imagine that first book is the first of a series, and it's the one you have to advertise to hook readers into your series. Meanwhile, the most recent book in the series is far better written!
So, by all means write your first book and complete it, but do that as a way of practicing for the book you actually publish as your debut. If you want your debut to be the Big Idea you've always dreamed about, then first write something else and save your Big Idea for later, when you're better.
As a way to practice, don't start ten novels and leave each unfinished because they suck. Persevere with one novel and finish it no matter what. You won't publish this one, but that learning curve (figuring out how to finish it, working on plot, pace, honing your craft, etc) is WAY more valuable than constantly starting over. Work at it until it's as good as it can be. Then you'll be in a better position to write your debut novel.
My debut was Island of Fog (Book 1). It's not my best, BUT it wasn't my first either. Before that, I wrote numerous short stories (which didn't really help much) and started various novels that I didn't complete (very frustrating). I also started AND COMPLETED a 70,000-word novel, which I've never published. I may do one day, but it needs a lot of work first. And that's the point. At the time, that book was amazing to me. Now it's pretty shaky.
The book I actually published first came after all that other work, so at least I quite a lot of practice!
It makes perfect sense when you've written 5+ novels, because you realize how much better your fifth novel is compared to your first. You grow as a writer, and the first novel or three are part of that growth, that necessary learning curve, so it seems foolish in retrospect to put that first novel out as your debut, because it will eventually become your worst-written novel. Imagine that first book is the first of a series, and it's the one you have to advertise to hook readers into your series. Meanwhile, the most recent book in the series is far better written!
So, by all means write your first book and complete it, but do that as a way of practicing for the book you actually publish as your debut. If you want your debut to be the Big Idea you've always dreamed about, then first write something else and save your Big Idea for later, when you're better.
As a way to practice, don't start ten novels and leave each unfinished because they suck. Persevere with one novel and finish it no matter what. You won't publish this one, but that learning curve (figuring out how to finish it, working on plot, pace, honing your craft, etc) is WAY more valuable than constantly starting over. Work at it until it's as good as it can be. Then you'll be in a better position to write your debut novel.
My debut was Island of Fog (Book 1). It's not my best, BUT it wasn't my first either. Before that, I wrote numerous short stories (which didn't really help much) and started various novels that I didn't complete (very frustrating). I also started AND COMPLETED a 70,000-word novel, which I've never published. I may do one day, but it needs a lot of work first. And that's the point. At the time, that book was amazing to me. Now it's pretty shaky.
The book I actually published first came after all that other work, so at least I quite a lot of practice!
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