# I wrote a novel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [October 8, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789 "2025-10-08T17:47:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/61 "2026-01-10T01:22:06Z")
Please keep linking us to your work. It’s very entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/62 "2026-01-10T15:03:47Z")
IMHO my best story is the most recent one on Substack. > **[Kintsugi](https://rickwritesgood.substack.com/p/kintsugi)** > > Martin stopped by Ullerton’s office just before lunch. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/63 "2026-01-10T15:33:42Z")
Thanks and I just realized that I can read all of them on your substack site ---
**Author:** ![stopnonstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@stopnonstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stopnonstop)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/64 "2026-01-10T18:56:29Z")
I enjoyed Kintsugi @RickJay. I like the repetition, with slight variances, of the three paragraphs about Martin coming home to his wife that sets up the final section break. Anyone who has had to deal with grief would appreciate this story. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/65 "2026-01-10T19:21:30Z")
Well, the ones I’ve posted. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/66 "2026-02-14T01:23:53Z")
Won the Reedsy story contest! I don’t think I can link to the story there, so I put it on Substack for you all. > **[Six Home Runs](https://rickwritesgood.substack.com/p/six-home-runs-ff3)** > > What price heroism? ---
**Author:** ![stopnonstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@stopnonstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stopnonstop)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/67 "2026-02-14T16:24:48Z")
Congratulations. Good story - although I’m pretty sure the Expos would have won the World Series! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/68 "2026-02-14T16:29:09Z")
Congratulations! My work is more literary and gets far less general enthusiasm than my friend’s straightforward beach reads, which are written with straightforward plots and no attention to language or style. ---
**Author:** ![Mongoose3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Mongoose3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongoose3)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/69 "2026-02-14T17:08:06Z")
Well done! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/70 "2026-04-09T13:34:53Z")
Got another one published in another second rate website! > **[Baggage By Richard Jones](https://literallystories2014.com/2026/04/09/baggage-by-richard-jones/)** > > Nate’s flight was late landing, it took forever to get off the plane, and then his bag didn’t come out. “Son of a bitch.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/71 "2026-04-12T15:19:18Z")
Went to a writing conerence yesterday and got to pitch face to face to three agents. One wanted pages, and another said “query my boss, this isn’t my genre” (which I knew, but aailability of agent time was limited) “but great pitch, this sounds like her cup of tea.”) the third, who I signed up for last minute, was definitely not in my genre, and still wanted it pitched to someone else at her agency. I am way, way better in person than online (I’m inherently a presenter) and need to go to more of these. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/72 "2026-05-25T15:21:42Z")
Got a sixth story published (or it will be in two months) in a publication you’ve never heard of! In my opinion my BEST story or close to it but it proved harder to place than some of the funny stuff. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/73 "2026-05-25T15:38:49Z")
Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/74 "2026-05-26T00:50:41Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > In my opinion my BEST story or close to it but it proved harder to place than some of the funny stuff. That’s saying a lot, because your other stuff was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/75 "2026-05-26T01:39:33Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Got a sixth story published (or it will be in two months) in a publication you’ve never heard of! In my opinion my BEST story or close to it but it proved harder to place than some of the funny stuff. Congratulations. I dabbled in writing myself between when I lost my mind (got medically retired from the Navy) and when I lost my soul (went to law school and became a lawyer). About 18 months. I spent perhaps too much time chasing publication, not enough just writing stories I would have actually liked to read. I did get a couple published, but my favorite story is also the one I didn’t even try to publish. I figured it would be just too niche (want to read about an Ensign on a forward deployed US Navy warship undergoing a mental health crisis?) and instead started a WordPress page just to get it out there. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/76 "2026-05-26T12:49:49Z")
Thank you! I think maybe comedy is just easier to find a home for. This story is not at all funny. > **[Kintsugi](https://rickwritesgood.substack.com/p/kintsugi)** > > What better to repair with than beauty? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/77 "2026-05-26T13:22:43Z")
Wow! . ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/78 "2026-05-27T03:07:57Z")
Love it! ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/79 "2026-05-27T05:14:29Z")
Enjoyed that, thank you for posting! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789/80 "2026-05-27T08:47:51Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > I did get a couple published, but my favorite story is also the one I didn’t even try to publish. I figured it would be just too niche (want to read about an Ensign on a forward deployed US Navy warship undergoing a mental health crisis?) Yes. I would. Many people would. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-novel/1023789.md?page=5)