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Jared C. Wilson | Digging Up the Bones of a Novel Given Up for Dead
November 25, 2013
I began writing my first novel in 1997, the year my wife and I moved from
Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee. I have wanted to be a published writer
since the first grade, evidenced by the blank next to the question What Do
You Want to be When You Grow Up? in my elementary school progress book, in
which my six year-old little hand scrawled the word "author." Throughout
adolescence I was a prolific writer, churning out short stories and school
newspaper articles and lessons for my church youth group and the like. My dream
all along was to write a novel like the ones I enjoyed so much as a kid, and in
my dreamy imagination I knew I could work some idiosyncratic literary alchemy
with proportionate parts C.S. Lewis and Stephen King. The conditions seemed right in '97. I had a few months free before resuming
studies at a university in our new state. Having left the comfortable
familiarity of our hometown struck the right creative chords too.
So—pouring decades of ambition, years of mental composition, and months of
between-homes angst onto the page—I eventually produced my first
full-length work of fiction, a supernatural thriller titled Otherworld. Things seemed to happen quickly from there. I could see the lightning striking.
With that one manuscript I landed a New York literary agent. That agent got some
great responses from some eager editors. And then a year passed. Then two. Then three. Otherworld got me close to
a publishing deal once, then twice. Then the door closed. Dejected, I was still
enthused enough by the response to pour myself into a second novel. It went
nowhere. Then I began a third. Then life took over. Was it John Lennon said that life is what happens when you're making other
plans? I am blessed enough to have established a supplemental career in writing
in the meantime, having this year signed a deal that will total eight books of
my own on the market when all is said and done, not counting the few I've
assisted other authors with. All non-fiction. The childhood dream of authoring
stories, my first writing love, has simply sat on the shelf gathering dust. So I
made other plans. And while I was making other plans, my agent re-introduced OTHERWORLD, fifteen years after I stopped visiting its grave, to the
new guard in the publishing world. And somebody actually wanted it. I
couldn't believe it. The dream deferred had circled back around. I jumped back into my spiritually afflicted Houston, back into the world of
animal mutilations and UFO sightings and serial killings and demonic possession.
I reunited with my odd cast of characters, reminding me of all the ways the
primary three protagonists were simply expression of myself. And revisiting that
manuscript, with its prose, its character development, its images and pacing all
reflective of my first-timer skills, my twenty-two year-old "not quite there"
creative imagination, I saw not the monument to the towering genius I supposed I
was then, but a whole lot of junk. But I was in a rare position. I could make my
first novel better before any poor sucker could read it. A lot of stuff needed changing. The places I wrote about, suburbs of Houston
mostly, have changed so much in fifteen years, and rather than shoot for
contextual accuracy, I fictionalized those towns, capturing them in the dream
state of 1997 even as I updated metro Houston and the rest of the story to 2013.
I had written of beepers, VCR's, pay-phones. The Internet then was mainly a
curiosity, certainly not a portable lifeline. But I also had weak
characterization, immature ruminations, clunky turns of phrases. Still, the potential was there, the raw story was there, still effective, still
potent, reminding me of that previous magic. It was dusty, but it was real. And
I could fix it! In the fifteen years of never looking at this novel, it hadn't
given up on me. And I learned in the process of this rare opportunity to
resurrect the dead to not give up on any of the old stories, the ones that won't
let go even though we ought to put them six feet under. I've learned that some
ideas ought to be buried, perhaps until the heat and pressure of time's
passing makes them more diamond-like. I have learned this: There is life in the bones of our bad writing, if only we
will have the patience and the perseverance to let them lie longer than we'd like. What dream have you had for a long time, one commenter will win OTHERWORLD and a Starbucks
card
Comments
34 comments posted.
Re: Jared C. Wilson | Digging Up the Bones of a Novel Given Up for Dead
I have the dream of getting myself back into running and spending more time doing vs idle time.
(Darci Paice 1:49am November 25, 2013)
I love other-worldly kinds of stories and it sure takes a creative imagination to create them! I think I would enjoy your book. Happy Thanksgiving!
(Tracy Robertson 4:12am November 25, 2013)
My first love has always been the English language, and I always wanted to be a writer. When I had the opportunity to expand on that dream, someone close to me not only shot down my idea, but hurt me so deeply, that I never gave it another thought. I also considered medicine as an alternate. Now it's too late, since by the time I would become an intern, it would be time for medicare. Since my first love is English, I would love to pursue it, but fear stands in my way. I would sooner capture a tarrantula!! Congratulations on your persistance, and may you write many more!!
(Peggy Roberson 10:04am November 25, 2013)
I have a dream of traveling out west to see Bryce Canyon again...I'd love to read this book!!!
(Bonnie Capuano 10:20am November 25, 2013)
A dream of perfect health after a breast cancer diagnosis and
then travel to farflung destinations. Thanks for your
wonderful post. Best wishes.
(Sharon Berger 10:24am November 25, 2013)
My dream has been to be able to talk with my mother who passed away a few years back. I want to talk about all the things we didn't get to talk about because of time, distance and just to let her know how much I really miss her.
(C Culp 10:33am November 25, 2013)
I knew from a young age that I wanted to help people. At
first I thought med school but financial difficulties in my
family had me veer into a business degree. That way I
marketable with fewer years of study. It worked. Then I
married, had children and became a homemaker for nearly 20
years. When the kids were not needing me at home as much
anymore, I found entry level work in a nearby assisted
living. They trained me and after a year and a bit promoted
me to a health care admin position assisting the residents.
Funny, how things have turned out and I really love my work.
(G. Bisbjerg 10:44am November 25, 2013)
My dream would be to be a "keeper of the light"... a lighthouse keeper. Since that is not really an option any more, then the next best thing would to live in a lighthouse. I would love to run a bead and breakfast in an old lighthouse.
(Sandy Fielder 12:22pm November 25, 2013)
oops! I meant I would love to run a bed and breakfast.
(Sandy Fielder 12:23pm November 25, 2013)
My dream would be to travel through the U.S., being a tourist
and visiting as many beautiful natural parks, especially the
ones with waterfalls or any body of water. The southern and
western States are where I would start first.
(Wasanaa Smith 12:38pm November 25, 2013)
My dream is to write my own books. I have started, but no time or space to
continue at this time.
(Michelle Schafer 2:15pm November 25, 2013)
I dream of being a piano player in order to learn and play for family and friends and church.
(Lucas Hillman 3:39pm November 25, 2013)
I dream of taking a sabbatical from my job of 20 years to continue my education (specifically: earn a law degree) but I can't afford to quit and I know I don't have the fortitude to both study and continue working.
(Christine LaRue 5:50pm November 25, 2013)
My dream would be to run my own business one day. This sounds like a good book I will be sure to read.
(Rich Cook 7:32pm November 25, 2013)
My dream is to lose weight and write.
(Melanie Backus 10:27pm November 25, 2013)
Thank you for sharing your story about how you became a
published writer. Very inspiring.
(Michelle Dry 11:13pm November 25, 2013)
My dream is to finish this last four weeks and get my Bachelors and hope to find a job I will enjoy.
(Yaritza Santana 11:30pm November 25, 2013)
I'm working on my dream garden at the back of the house.
(Kai Wong 12:09pm November 26, 2013)
Your book sounds interesting. I like thrillers.
(Mary Brandis 12:45pm November 26, 2013)
My dream would to be able to travel, with the US.,first. Thanks for a chance to win your book.
(Amy Milne 2:14am November 26, 2013)
My dream is to become a great doctor :) Thank you for the giveaway
(Somia F 5:10am November 26, 2013)
My dream is travel the world
(Galina Zamoriy 7:37am November 26, 2013)
I have met most of my dreams. In terms of an unrealized crazy dream, maybe to sing with Taylor Swift, but that will never happen.
(Pam Howell 10:17am November 26, 2013)
My crazy dream was dropping 2 inch chickens in a boiling pot to make soup. Sure can't figure that one out!
(Barbara Wells 10:56am November 26, 2013)
My dream has always been time travel To go back and see historic events as they are actually happening. I know that someday this will someday be a possibility, however, maybe not in this lifetime.
(Vennie Martinisi 11:22am November 26, 2013)
Looks like a good read. Would like to win this book.
(Tina Lechuga 1:17pm November 26, 2013)
My dream is to get better at sewing. This is a little bit crazy since I only seem to spend about 15 hours a year on actually doing this.
(Laura Gullickson 1:28pm November 26, 2013)
My dream is to travel to all of our nation's national parks. Loved Zion, Olympic North Rim of the Grand Canyon and Glacier!
(Laurie Gommermann 2:05pm November 26, 2013)
My dream is to travel and see all the wonderful things I only read about.
(Earlene Gillespie 4:21pm November 26, 2013)
What a fascinating book! I have always dreamed of going to Australia.
(Bonnie H 4:36pm November 26, 2013)
This looks like a great book. I'd love to win.
(Cathy Thomas 5:12pm November 26, 2013)
my dream is to travel the world and see all the cool places in
it.
(Stacey Smith 11:23pm November 26, 2013)
I always wanted to ride a camel. Not just ride one, but to actually race a camel across the desert.
(Rosemary Simm 4:21pm November 27, 2013)
Sometimes a dream just needs the right time. When it's a
creative endeavor, sometimes it needs a little more time for
the creator to step back a and gain some perspective about
the project. My dream was to be an archaeologist, and that
dream, too, needed some time and space before I was ready to
learn that there is plenty of time and space for a volunteer
digger--it's turned into a fun hobby, but I'm not making big
discoveries or leading expeditions. Just helping out adding
to local history, and I love it.
(Janet Martin 5:38pm November 27, 2013)
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