Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • The Millions

    To All the Novels I Never Published

    by Bryan VanDyke Mar 21, 2023 5 minutes

    I’ve had a manuscript locked in a drawer for three and a half years now. It’s a coming-of-age novel about a boy who believes a supernatural force has seized the minds of the adults in his life. He and his best friend confront and defeat the supernatural force, but victory comes at the cost of their innocence—the classic trade-off. I don’t know if it’s my best work, but it’s my favorite. Perhaps inevitably, I’m terrified of ever trying to sell it to someone.

    I’m not new to this writing jig. A few weeks ago, I went deep into my hard drive archives and tallied the numbers. Here’s what I learned: over the last 25 years, I’ve finished seven novels, three dozen short stories, and 55 essays. The number of published pieces is, well, much smaller. This is all to say that I’m well acquainted with the creative process, its thralls and its jiltings. There

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from The Millions

    The Millions4 min read
    Why Write Memoir? Two Debut Authors Weigh In
    "It was hard on many levels, and I had to keep going back to why I was writing in the first place." The post Why Write Memoir? Two Debut Authors Weigh In appeared first on The Millions.
    The Millions5 min read
    In Alexandra Tanner’s ‘Worry,’ Illness Is the Status Quo
    In a novel where sisterhood entails constant conflict, illness provides an unexpected emotional salve. The post In Alexandra Tanner’s ‘Worry,’ Illness Is the Status Quo appeared first on The Millions.
    The Millions5 min read
    Old Lesbian Love
    The sexual objectification of the body, of our bodies, is less an insult these days and more of a goal.  The post Old Lesbian Love appeared first on The Millions.

    Related