Help a man with a dilemma will ya.

[Daniel]

OK, here it is. My New Year resolution is the get off my butt and finish at least one book. I've got three in the fire, so to speak. I'd like your opinion as most of you are either successful writers or at least successful readers. Here is a snap shot of the three books, please tell me which one I should focus on.

1. No title yet - SciFi novel. Far future, man is living in domecities, every need handled by the computer, for the most part man is domesticated (as in cattle). Hidden deep in mountain is a Lab. In this lab resides the "other half" of Man, the pure mind. Thye live in a virtual world and they are the ones who maintain the dome worlds, but they don't know this, they are simply doing things as they always have, no idea why. The story tells how a man from the dome discovers the virtual world and how they, the dome dwellers and the virtuals, are reunited according to a mystic plan, clean mind meets clean bodies so Man can reclaim its role as planetary steward.

Book two - Chasing Swallows, A semi-autobiographical novel. It details my journey from middle class America to Communist China. It's a romance, adventure, suspense novel dealing with issue such as internet dating sites, American marginalization of the middle class single white male, American politics and rampant predatory commercialism, Chinese culture vs American culture, Chinese one child policy (which, BTW, I took a risk and violated), and over all its a story of our times at opposite ends of the Earth.

Book three - Drops of Lucidity, a collection of poetry specializing in exploring the minds of people in the news. Not the stars but the school/mall shooters, druggies, war vets, romantics, sucidals, etc.

Also be honest, if none of these sound doable or readable, tell me so I dont waste a lot of time on it. Finally, offer some support cus I don't think I can do it...

[JMac]

My Dear Goldfish friend (I shall never forget that 6s as long as I live),

I'm just giving you my honest opinion from what I've researched and learned through the hard school of knocks. I'm no one special, so take this flip of the penny for what it's worth. I'm not even going to talk about the books. I'm going to ask you some questions.

One: Do you like to read? Do you actually put time into reading (not talking 6s, I'm talking novels or biographies) You gotta a read (a ton) of books to write a book that someone else will want to read.

Number 2: You have to show agents and editors that people are willing to put some money up to read your stuff. You NEED to get your work into the Pro mags. If you want to write Swallows - write literary and real life pieces. If you want to write sci fi - get your work into Asimov's and such.Also, writing pieces for magazines forces you to become a better writer. That way when you actually get to your novel, you'll be much farther ahead in your writing abilites then you otherwise would be.

Personally, I think your great writing voice and your teacher skills will take you alot farther then most. You could probably make it in a Pro Mag no problem. Check out www.duotrope. com for endless ezines and mags to submit too.

There is more, but my brain is used up for the night. I hope something in here is useful. :)

~Jodi

[Chris Campbell]

I'm with the majority here. Chasing Swallows (love the name)
I want to read your story and find out how and why you would leave our lovely little (insert sarcasm here) town and how and why you decided to land in China!

Drops of Lucidity sounds interesting too but not as marketable.

My two cents.....

[peggy]

Okay, Daniel, again, two cents, yadda, yadda, yadda, BUT

#1 is the Matrix, if you are not careful. Science Fiction seems to be the hardest genre to really get your break in, and the audience is limited, but when it works, it explodes (in a good way). If your synopsis is not representing the originality of your work, then ignore this comment.

#2 is the novel I would want to read. By your synopsis, it is fresh, intersting, and as Jeanette pointed out, it is the that will come across as 'honest'. I read how it has been four long years so far, and it has felt like surgery for you (or something that brought that image to my mind), but it has everything that makes it a hit. Actually, it sounds fascinating. It doesn't have to be autobiographical... it just has to read as 'true'. Every novel that makes it has that selling point. And the title is fantastic.

#3 Very esoteric. (If I spelled that correctly). Yeah, cool project. Not much for the masses as far as 'commercial', but interesting. Sounds more like a pet project.

So the real question is... Do you want to finish a novel to make the best seller list, or do you want to love every minute of the process? Without knowing you, even the 'painful' writing could be the writing you love, so all three seem viable. For the commercial aspect, number 2 is your best shot.

After a bartending shift, I always say too much. Hope this is helpful and not offensive.

[Daniel]

You points are very valid and helpful.The Sci-fi is not "the Matrix" it's more Second Life.com to one extreme and Brave New World to the other extreme. Domes are for raising human bodies, virtual world is for raing human minds, the hero brings the two together and the newly reformed humans return to the now frah and lcean world. Its a fun story and I will write it. But not as my first book. As you and others have said, Chasing Swallows is what I am doing now. Full bore. I hope to have it ready for editing and review this year. Most of it tis already written in countless journals, emails, short stories and even in some sixes. I just need to assemble the parts in one cohesive story. It will be full on autobiographical but will feature journal-like insights into the two cultures (USA and China) and how some times they clash, some times they crash but nothing is impossible when you are chasing swallows.

Thanks again for your valued input.

[Sister Two Moons]

Daniel,

Sister Two Moons thinks you should chase those swallows. Clarissa Pinkola Estes encourages the creation of a "scar coat". You should create the coat ( actually ). It will propel your writing toward a finished product that will clothe both you and the reader, a sort of "let me inside you" effect, which is what eevery writer wishes for.