# Well...I finished the first draft. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 17, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520 "2003-12-17T12:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/21 "2003-12-19T00:37:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalhoun \* > \*\*What’s the difference between a book and a novel? I always thought all novels are books, but not all books are novels. Please 'splain… > > \*\* A lot of people’s novels are in fact disheveled piles of loose-leaf pages lying on and/or around the writing desk. Nice going, **Rilchaim**. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/22 "2003-12-19T00:43:21Z")
**Rooves** , **singular1** and **cowgirl** : Well, first, I’m gonna let Mr. Rilch look it over and make suggestions. Then I gotta find an editor and let **them** make suggestions. Then I find a publisher. After that…I dunno. **dantheman** : If you sent me an email, I didn’t get it. I did get one from **alto** … **Kalhoun** : I call it a novel because, although I’m aiming it at the 12-17 market, I’m hoping it’ll be something that people will want to reread at some future time. I’m hoping it won’t be something to be read once and tossed aside. Of course, I’m also hoping it will be _read_… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/23 "2003-12-19T00:59:44Z")
Now as for my online stuff… Bear with me here. Two years ago, give or take, I was on a [Haley Joel Osment](http://www.geocities.com/haleyjoelosmentfans/haley.html) fansite, where the fangirls were sharing their stories. I read them and thought, “These stories are really sweet…but I can tell that these girls don’t really know what it’s like to have a relationship. And they also don’t know jack about the movie business!” So I started writing my own stuff…and pretty soon, I had kids asking for more…and then Mr. Rilch discovered my secret…and after he stopped laughing, he zeroed in on the one called “The Seventeenth Person” and said, “Y’know, this is actually pretty darn good. Why don’t you fictionalize it and expand it into a book?” So Haley became Ash, and The Seventeenth Person became the prequel to what I hope will be a series. So check this stuff out, if you like. I particularly recommend “Games” and its sequel “Heartbreaker”. My handle on this site is “Ariel”, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/24 "2003-12-19T01:37:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\ ***dantheman** : If you sent me an email, I didn’t get it. I did get one from **alto** … > \*\* Okey doke, just re-sent. It has my SN in the subject. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/25 "2003-12-19T01:39:29Z")
Aha! > [@](#): > > Diagnostic-Code: smtp;552 5.2.3 This message is larger than the current system limit or the recipient’s mailbox is full. Create a shorter message body or remove attachments and try sending it again. Maybe your mailbox is full? (It’s hotmail, so maybe it is.) ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/26 "2003-12-19T01:46:10Z")
Congratulations! I wish I had the composure or perseverance to write a novel! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520/27 "2003-12-19T07:39:21Z")
**dantheman** : Try one more time. I am constantly getting hit with HUGE spams that almost overload my account. I’ve cleared my junk mail, though, so there will be room for your message! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-i-finished-the-first-draft/219520.md?page=1)