Writer's Fallout Shelter

I'm having the same problem. What I finally decided upon was to archive the many drafts, outlines, and character profiles to a CD and a flash memory stick. I completely removed the files from my computer. I filed away the CD and I put the memory stick in my safe deposit box at the bank, in case the house burns down.

My first two attempts at writing a novel turned out to be two totally self-serving pieces of literary tripe that absolutely no one could relate to unless they were named FastEddie65 (me). I found myself writing like Rex Pickett, and the world sure as hell doesn't need another version of "Sideways." But, it's like having a baby, and you never want to let your baby go. So instead of throwing the baby out, I treated it more like a red-headed stepchild and kind of tucked it out of the way. If I really need it, I know where it is. But it is stored in such a manner that if I wanted to revisit it, it would require enough effort that I would really have to be sure.

What I am now doing is attempting to write a book with really short chapters, in the style of James Patterson. I've decided this is a good approach for a beginner. The main reason is because I could post the chapters here and receive feedback. There are very few people on this site that like reading anything over 1,500 words unless there's a big payoff (same is true on any site of this type). Writing the short chapters forces you to provide a hook more often than you ordinarily would, to keep the readers' attention. I'm talking about 500-750 words maximum. The only exception being near the end, where even Patterson will write longer chapters as the story begins to wind down and unfold.

Patterson writes in a very boiler plate fashion, and frankly, after four or five Alex Cross novels, I got tired of it. But again, as a beginner, I think it is a good construct to follow.

Ed