David, I'm taking this as a sign. Last week I thought, maybe it's time to dive back into that novel draft I set aside a dozen years ago, the one with nine different POV characters/voices. Then a wonderful interview with Jennifer Egan about Goon Squad popped up in my podcasts (NYT Book Review) and got me REALLY thinking about it. Then your polyvocal post appeared in my inbox. And so I am delving into that set-aside manuscript, thinking about why these nine voices and what is it that emerges from their combined perspectives and experiences. Eagerly awaiting polyvocal[2]. Thanks for your thought-provoking insights and writerly wisdom.
Good god, man. You mean to say this Stack is doing some good out in the world?? I'm gonna have to consider the implications of that. Seriously, though, you might find that the manuscript has matured/fermented while dozing in the bottom drawer. You may find yourself dissatisfied with what you see on the page; if so that's simply a measure or your increased sophistication as a reader (and especially a reader of your own work). I used to say that my dream was to wake up and find a rough draft on my desk . . . hate composing, love fixing. Maybe you'll find a similar dynamic. I'd rather remodel a structure than build one from scratch. Maybe everyone falls somewhere on the continuum between those two poles? Anyway, thanks for your note!
I remember (12 yrs ago?) you saying that about enjoying revision far more than composition, and thinking it odd at the time. But I have come to a similar mindset. Which is fortunate because my time-spent ratio is about 10:1 (revising:composing).
I am finding this old manuscript has enough good in it to merit further work, and enough groans in it to tell me I've progressed as a writer. And it's about baseball, so it will be fun work.
Yes, as I tried to explain, the heading for the Birth Year Project posts, after I put up the introductory bit--the years done to that point--I couldn't get back to it to update. I chatted with Substack's AI several times but the issue wasn't resolved and I moved on. I'll give it another shot, perhaps next week. I'll also have a look at 1939 and see if it can be updated. Thanks for responding!
My novel that Ooligan Press will launch on 10 February 2026 has multiple voices and moves all over in time. It started with just one voice, and then it had several in third person, and now they are all in first person. All the writer-magic that I might have hoped for happened during the writing—voices just popping up and demanding to be heard, characters taking over scenes, scenes I wrote and only understood later... I wrote a novel in the 1990s with eight voices, but I didn't have the skill to make it work. Maybe I've earned that skill by now?
David, I'm taking this as a sign. Last week I thought, maybe it's time to dive back into that novel draft I set aside a dozen years ago, the one with nine different POV characters/voices. Then a wonderful interview with Jennifer Egan about Goon Squad popped up in my podcasts (NYT Book Review) and got me REALLY thinking about it. Then your polyvocal post appeared in my inbox. And so I am delving into that set-aside manuscript, thinking about why these nine voices and what is it that emerges from their combined perspectives and experiences. Eagerly awaiting polyvocal[2]. Thanks for your thought-provoking insights and writerly wisdom.
Good god, man. You mean to say this Stack is doing some good out in the world?? I'm gonna have to consider the implications of that. Seriously, though, you might find that the manuscript has matured/fermented while dozing in the bottom drawer. You may find yourself dissatisfied with what you see on the page; if so that's simply a measure or your increased sophistication as a reader (and especially a reader of your own work). I used to say that my dream was to wake up and find a rough draft on my desk . . . hate composing, love fixing. Maybe you'll find a similar dynamic. I'd rather remodel a structure than build one from scratch. Maybe everyone falls somewhere on the continuum between those two poles? Anyway, thanks for your note!
Ha ha! Indeed it IS doing some good.
I remember (12 yrs ago?) you saying that about enjoying revision far more than composition, and thinking it odd at the time. But I have come to a similar mindset. Which is fortunate because my time-spent ratio is about 10:1 (revising:composing).
I am finding this old manuscript has enough good in it to merit further work, and enough groans in it to tell me I've progressed as a writer. And it's about baseball, so it will be fun work.
I really enjoyed Ruth Ozeki’s book and plan to look at these other ‘non conventional noveli’ novels that you’ve added here.
Would also love to read your book(s)!
I was born in 1939 and you did my birth year despite failing to include it in the years you claim. I’ve reread some of The Dollmaker from that year.
Caryl Barnes
Yes, as I tried to explain, the heading for the Birth Year Project posts, after I put up the introductory bit--the years done to that point--I couldn't get back to it to update. I chatted with Substack's AI several times but the issue wasn't resolved and I moved on. I'll give it another shot, perhaps next week. I'll also have a look at 1939 and see if it can be updated. Thanks for responding!
My novel that Ooligan Press will launch on 10 February 2026 has multiple voices and moves all over in time. It started with just one voice, and then it had several in third person, and now they are all in first person. All the writer-magic that I might have hoped for happened during the writing—voices just popping up and demanding to be heard, characters taking over scenes, scenes I wrote and only understood later... I wrote a novel in the 1990s with eight voices, but I didn't have the skill to make it work. Maybe I've earned that skill by now?