Novels – Jeffrey Messineo

Some Success – Notes by Hand – Mar 13

Pulling the guitar string through the tuner, wrapping a few times then a luthier’s knot, I twisted to tighten and –snap—it popped. The high E string. A fresh set. The other five ready to go. Sparkling, beautiful. New. An inauspicious start.

Not how I planned it.

I wanted to play, not do maintenance.

This scenario, though, is often how my writing starts. I begin any sort of way, discarding each as boring, base or unworthy, until finally landing on a sentence to entice the reader.

Probably a lot closer to how marketing for publishing works. The one idea I’m sure will launch my book inevitably fails. The iterations eventually reveal a working approach.

Writing teaches one thing over all others, the power of perseverance. 70,000 words don’t happen by accident. Particularly when each of those words have been touched more than a baker’s dozen on the way to you, dear reader.

My latest example is the re-release of an audiobook. In a day I sold and distributed as many of them as I did in the first year of print publication. There is an audience and that audience is not always readily apparent.

What does show up? Me. I appear and continue to chip away because if I tell my story and just one of you is relieved of your worry and pain for the shortest time, I am a success.

That’s what the story is for. That’s what all of them are for.

Be well ~ jefe

Catch What I’m Reading This Week

Finished

He does some cool stuff with timelines and structure in here. Just be sure to wash your hands! (You’ll know once you’ve read it.)

Started

The prologue is chilling and opening chapters enticing. Always wanted to read this after I heard him interviewed on Book Worm when it came out. (Rest in Peace, Michael Silverblatt.)

Ever been wrong?

…or how Linda Caroll motivated me to write again…

I was mistaken.

Writing a novel is a lonely, arduous, substantial, joyous experience.

But that wasn’t where I was wrong.

The first one, novel that is, was whipped into the best shape I could and when I didn’t know what else to do, I sent that nugget out.

Wrong move.

I had the naive idea that an agent would see my potential and help me where I needed it. Then, we would send that nugget to an editor who would help me shine and polish before it went into the world as an immediate best seller.

After sending the story to 130+ agents—every single one I thought might find interest—I joined a writing group.

After the first time we shared pages, I told the group what I’m going to tell you now: “The good news is: we can all write. The bad news is: we can all write.”

All the pages were good! Really. Each of us had storytelling ability.

The fact is, anyone who tackles a novel, is probably someone who has been told by many people—teachers, friends, loved ones—that they have talent. They possess something special. Otherwise we wouldn’t suffer so to finish a massive tale to share with the world.

I’m fortunate. A professor once took me aside asking how many classes I’d taken in writing (this is my first), or another tell me I might have a future in this (writing).

I was too young to understand your professors don’t say these things to students to be nice.

I am old enough to understand I wish I had taken them at their word.

I was mistaken.

It’s taken me decades to follow through.

A very successful agent read a script and told me to write the next one so we could get them out in the world and get me started. She wanted more than one. That is a vote of confidence.

I was tired and never followed through. Mostly scared, though.

I was mistaken.

When I finally sent out this novel, I hoped someone would help me get the nugget into the proper shape. I had no idea where to go.

It’s not their job to do this.

Selling stuff is for pros. It is not for finding your feet.

I knew this in previous vocations but not for publishing.

I know this now.

Mistakes notwithstanding.

Here’s the post that kickstarted me today:

How writers gaslight themselves by Linda Caroll

If you’ve ever questioned yourself as a writer, this is for you

Read on Substack

Noir at the Bar

I am excited to share a reading I’ll be participating in on March 22, 2025.

Noir at the Bar is organized by Eric Beetner and this Los Angeles iteration is located at The Book Jewel (6259 W. 87th St.) at 7 pm.

In addition to Eric Beetner and myself, Adam Sikes, Caitlin Rother, Sean Jacques, DC Frost, John McMahon will be reading.

Listen to stories, hang with cool people. It’s a vibe, as they say.