Budding Authors

[Roy Howes]

So far I have seen reference to 'writing a novel' from three different people here, and clearly they are wisely syphoning accurate data from the experts in order to have as much realism as possible. Two things I would like to say about this:
Firstly, be careful not to be over technical. I realise you want everything to be just right but if you are successful with publication the majority of your readers wouldn't give a flying fig about the precise position of your character's cabin providing its location was believable, i.e. not right alongside the captain for instance. Too much detail can turn a good piece of fiction into a poor piece of fact.

Secondly, I would be very interested as to how many budding authors we actually have in our member's directory, why they chose Titanic for their setting, and what genre of book they are working on. Obviously I don't expect people to post their entire plot and character listing but an idea as to how writers see they can use the ship as the basis for a good plot would interest me greatly.
I ask because this was the main reason for my own visit to the forum - research for a piece of fiction. I expect publishing houses must think 'Oh no, not another story about the Titanic'
Personally my book is a thriller but not about Titanic, she is only a means to make the rest of the story work.
I look forward to some interesting responses.

 

[Marilyn Lena Penner]

I've read some good and some iffy 'Titanic' fiction. There is a fair bit of "Jack & Rose" fanfiction, and some where the historical characters are definitely not based on the historical persons.

My favourite Titanic novel is "Titanic" by Tony Aspler and one, whose title escapes me, that had Jacques Futrelle as the viewpoint character. They are both mysteries, which seem to be more exciting the romances. I have not yet seen one from the viewpoint of the crew. I look forward to reading such a one with as much interest as I look forward to Jason's opus about Major Peuchen. [Strong hint to Jason.]

If I wrote a Titanic novel [and I would like to write one], it would either be about Major Peuchen [unless Jason wishes to. He is the expert.] or about Annie Funk. They may not be the protagonists, but they interest my imagination. So mine would be a pseudo biographical type book.

I'd like to read a good 'Titanic' novel - about the people rather than the technology; but other people are more interested in how things work and want to read about that.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hi Marilyn,

quote:

and one, whose title escapes me, that had Jacques Futrelle as the viewpoint character.

That would be The Titanic Murders by Max Allan Collins.

quote:

I look forward to reading such a one with as much interest as I look forward to Jason's opus about Major Peuchen. [Strong hint to Jason.]

Not to worry, you won't have to wait too much longer. Trust me though, it will be worth it.

quote:

If I wrote a Titanic novel [and I would like to write one], it would either be about Major Peuchen [unless Jason wishes to. He is the expert.]

I appreciate your kind words, thank you. Although, I don't know everything about him, but I've uncovered a lot of material which has allowed me to write about his life and times, and what kind of person he was.​

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Roy, I don't think anyone has ever thought to count anyone coming here who aspires to be an author. Several of us are published, either by way of printed books or in the world of cyberspace. (See the articles section for that.)

The problem is that writing...and writing well enough to be published...is a lot easier said then done. Tracy Smith, Captain Wood and myself did four months of research, writing, and re-writing just to produce a single article that was published here on ET.

Mark Chirnside did several years worth of research just to produce his first two books. If I recall, it was something like four years from the time this brilliant young man fist signed on here to the time his first title hit the booksellors. A lot of people when they see what it really takes to achieve even a small measure of success, have a tendency to decide that there are easier ways to make a living and throw in the towel.

Those who carry on occasionally manage to get published but still have to hold down regular jobs if they want to pay the mortgage and buy trivial necessities like food.

 

[Roy Howes]

Sorry Michael, it was not my intention to offend accomplished writers in any way. I do appreciate the difficulties in producing work that is good enough for publication - I spent over three years on my first attempt at a novel and the nearest it got to a book shelf was the one in my home study - still only in its second draft.

I certainly didn't expect anyone to come up with an actual figure as to the number of wannabe writers, It was merely an interest as to how writers were using Titanic as a platform for their work - the thought was spawned from something I read about the James Cameron film being 'a love story set aboard Titanic' and NOT a film ABOUT Titanic.

I apologise again to everyone if I sounded condescending.

 

[Marilyn Lena Penner]

Hi Jason,

>Not to worry, you won't have to wait too much longer. Trust me though, it will be worth it. <

I'm standing in line, toonies clenched in my fist, to buy that biography. I know it will be accurate and worth reading, and I hope you'll sign my copy. Should I ever get up the gumption to write my 'Titanic' novel, this site and that book will be in my bibliography, as will Mr. Hustak's and Mark Chirnside's and others.

Roy, the papers on this site are thorough and professionally written. It's a great resource.

Michael, I know that writing is not a cinch. We library folk assist writers and researchers, and I admire the pains they take to get every detail right. It is really amazing the amount of research that is done for articles and small circulation productions like family genealogies and church histories. Then to write the article or book in an interesting as well as informative style also takes pains.

I appreciate all the workership and applaud the accomplishment of those who have made it in print, and those who attempting it.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Sorry Michael, it was not my intention to offend accomplished writers in any way.<<

You didn't offend anyone and I don't think you sounded condecending. There have been a lot of people here on the forum who've aspired to write books but regretably, few ever accomplish the goal.

If you want to get an idea of just how many books have actually been written on the subject, you might want to check out Michael Tennero's website at http://www.titanicbooksite.com/ He's listed hundreds and likely over a thousand. That's a lot of inspiration out there.

 

[Tracy Smith]

*I do appreciate the difficulties in producing work that is good enough for publication - I spent over three years on my first attempt at a novel and the nearest it got to a book shelf was the one in my home study - still only in its second draft. *

Many times, it's not a matter of one's writing being "good enough for publication". A publisher's concern, first and foremost, is money. That is, they will only publish works that they believe will make them lots of money. This means that a well-written manuscript may be rejected for publication because the publisher thinks the topic or focus is not currently "hot"; that it may only attract a limited audience, and so on.

This is true of fiction as well as nonfiction. I read somewhere that John Grisham had a hard time getting his first novel, "A Time to Kill" published because the publishers he submitted it to didn't think it would sell.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Tracy, just wanted to let you know it's good to see you here again. Hope you can stay awhile.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Hi Marilyn,

Thank you for your support. It is much appreciated.

quote:

Tracy, just wanted to let you know it's good to see you here again. Hope you can stay awhile.

I'll second that. Welcome back, Tracy!​

 

[Tracy Smith]

Thanks, guys. I hope to be posting more often.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>I hope to be posting more often.<<

Outstanding! You've been missed.

 

[Marlene Dotterer]

If I may jump in on this thread: I've been more of a lurker lately, but I have written a novel. It's just placed as a quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. So I'm kind of excited about it.

I would really like some opinions from Titanic people. The book is about Thomas Andrews - not so much Titanic, as the years 1906 - 1912, while she was being built.

I do change some things. The book is science fiction - there is time travel and, by extension, time travelers. There are many changes, but the biggest is that one of the time travelers marries Thomas Andrews. I don't even know if this kind of thing is allowed. Are there copyright or other issues I need to worry about?

There's an excerpt up at Amazon.com. The link is amazon.com/dp/B001UG3CKS
The title is The Time Travel Journals: Shipbuilder

Evidently, you have to be in the U.S., and have an Amazon acccount to access the excerpt. But if any of you would mind having a look at it, I'd really appreciate it. I'm anxious to know how the Titanic community would accept it!

Much thanks,
Marlene Dotterer

 

[monica e. hall]

I can't access the link, being in the UK, so cannot comment knowledgeably, which I would have preferred to do. I doubt if there are actual copyright issues involved here - merely factual ones. I mean, Andrews was married. What are you going to do about his wife and family? Or was he single in 1906, so you could 'marry' him off to a time-traveller? Just interested, since I can't read it.

 

[Marlene Dotterer]

He didn't marry until 1908. I'm pretty sure he was courting Helen Barbour in 1906; he certainly knew her. But yeah, the time traveler gets his attention. I acknowledge that in the original timeline, he was married and had a child, but I don't mention Helen by name.

When I get a chance, I'll post the back cover blurb that I used for the Amazon contest. That will give everyone a better idea of what happens in the book.