When should I let my husband read the novel I'm working on?

[MoreCowbell]

When do you guys think it is best to show your writing to someone, in this case my husband? He would like to read what I have so far but for some reason I seem to remember Stephen King saying in his book On Writing not to do that for awhile, but of course I can't remember his recommended waiting time.

What do you all think? How many chapters or words in should I be before I show my hand a little?

 

[SFG75]

I would say that you knock him out on painkillers and then splint his leg. Tell him that you are his biggest fan and that he is to bring back to life, a character that he previously wrote about. Insist that he type it all out on an old typewriter with a missing "n" that you will fill in. Then, surprise him with a syringe and an axe. Oh wait, I read Stephen King and for some reason, Misery came back to me. Sorry.:blush:

 

[The Mythwriter]

Well, I don't see that there's a time interval beyond what you feel comfortable with. All authors have different advice on all things writing. C.S. Lewis shared his stories in chapter increments with Douglas Gresham so they could talk about what he'd written.

I might advise not waiting until you've finished the whole thing though... I've tried that, and she never finished the whole book. I can't tell if it's boring or just too much too fast... (She's not a huge reader.)

 

[Justin91]

This depends...not knowing your situation...

If the story is flowing from you and you are being really productive, I would wait until the story was complete. Sure there are probably several errors and things that would make more sense if done differently, but for now, your job is to put words to page. I would be afraid that once he read what you had to offer, he might give you suggestions, and then you would lose the momentum you had developed so far.

If he insists he wants to read it now, and you are afraid to hurt his feelings, then you could let him read it - but make sure he keeps his opinions to himself until you are finished. You may find this difficult to do and spend a lot of your time wondering if he was pleased instead of you writing.

However...If the words are not flowing so smoothly, or if you are in the middle of a block, it may be a good idea to get his perspective on what you have.

Have you written before and shared with him prior to finishing?

Good luck!

 

[Libra]

When you are done writing it.

 

[Libra6Poe]

Don't know your situation. If you're using him for feedback, I'd say every several chapters.

 

[PlaypitsPark]

NEVER. Let him buy a copy when it is published. I have the same problem with my wife. We have been married for umpteen years and we love each other to bits, but there is no way she could ever give a truly independent opinion about my writing. She has told me she wouldn't want to, that she would be far too critical. Readers of your work are remote from you. They do not know you, and they never should know you. The only way you can write what you really want to write and what you truly believe is to keep those you love at arm's length from your work.

 

[Red_Venus]

This post made me laugh because I was right where you are once. I recently wrote a full length novel and about three chapters in I decided I would let my hubby in on my little project. To be honest, it was the best thing I ever did because every day after he finished the first three chapters, he kept pestering me to get the next chapter done and the next. I'm not certain I would have finished my novel had it not been for him (Lord knows I'd started and lost interest in at least ten other writing projects)...and now I'm being published.

My advice...show your husband what you've accomplished. What have you got to lose? And he might just be the person that pushes you to the finish line...

 

[PlaypitsPark]

This post made me laugh because I was right where you are once. I recently wrote a full length novel and about three chapters in I decided I would let my hubby in on my little project. To be honest, it was the best thing I ever did because every day after he finished the first three chapters, he kept pestering me to get the next chapter done and the next. I'm not certain I would have finished my novel had it not been for him (Lord knows I'd started and lost interest in at least ten other writing projects)...and now I'm being published.

My advice...show your husband what you've accomplished. What have you got to lose? And he might just be the person that pushes you to the finish line...

That sounds great. I have had my son and his friends clamouring for the next chapters of my novels. Perhaps I was a little hasty saying 'Never'. But by letting someone close to you read it you really do take a risk. There is always the danger they will say it is good so as not to hurt your feelings.

 

[Red_Venus]

That sounds great. I have had my son and his friends clamouring for the next chapters of my novels. Perhaps I was a little hasty saying 'Never'. But by letting someone close to you read it you really do take a risk. There is always the danger they will say it is good so as not to hurt your feelings.

That is a good point, Play. I was blessed with someone who is painfully honest with me in that regard, and I have thick skin, so it worked out well. That may well not be that case for others...

Also, as a side, while I was writing my first draft, I joined a writing forum and posted tidbits of my work there. That's a great way to get an unbiased, honest opinion of your work, and a lot of help with issues that you might face while writing a book.

 

[manuscriptx]

Sneak peaks

If you're husband is as special as you probably tell other people he is; you should have no problem sharing your ideas with him whenever he asks.

Writing a novel, poetry or blabble short stories that don't have much substance.
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Are you afraid he will be critical? Has he not expressed the kind of honest praise for your creative writing as you presumed he would?

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In my case; I had three people who read my writing before. An ex-girlfriend, my mother; brother, a few aunts and cousins as well as someone I mainly kept in contact with online.

The interesting dichotomy is that the online person thought my writing style was excellent. They somehow saw mostly what it was I was trying to get across with my writing and they experienced what I had hoped they would reading the words.

The people I knew intimately didn't understand. That bothered me.

You know how they say a writer can't honestly evaluate one's own work?
The same goes for the people you know.

Someone that has never talked to me over the phone, or been in my presence had a completely clean and unbiased open mind.

In some ways a person you know may think you're not the kind of person who writes " that way " . Particularly if you're a first time writer. Whatever the genre' happens to be.
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That's my two cents anyway.

 

[Vadarya001]

I think you should wait until it's finished and published before he looks at it.. just my opinion. I've had many people, guys in particular, want to read my stuff and I just feel uneasy about it.