I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I’m in the midst of a mad dash to complete my 2016 reading challenge. I finished two more books over the weekend to see if I can ultimately complete it.
But today I’m talking about MY BOOK. I wonder if I’m making history right now by reviewing my own work. Hm. Anyway, let’s go.
Divided Within is set in and around Houston and follows Andrew Banks as he works his first case as a private investigator. His first client happens to be a teenage girl who suspects there’s something really wrong between her parents that they aren’t telling her about, only it’s much worse than she could have imagined.
A little history before I get into the good stuff. I wrote the book over the course of the first months immediately after I graduated from college in 2013.
Although it’s my own work, I still had problems with it. The first thing I noticed is I obviously forgot how to use commas. Seriously. I’m not sure what was going on. There were commas where there should have been periods and then there was nothing where there should have been commas. Ugh.
The other thing I didn’t really like after my reread was the language. It was unoriginal. It’s a crime novel, but I felt I used cussing at weird points in the story. I don’t feel like it worked.
The other thing that I definitely recognize, though I still don’t have a problem with is the story. I won’t get into the specifics because some of you all might actually want to give it a read now, but one of the complaints I received when I first published the book was that the story was unbelievable. And it is. But I’ll keep saying it over and over again that I don’t read any fiction to read something that’s entirely realistic. If that’s what I want then I’ll watch the news.
After more than three years my favorite aspect of the book is still Andrew and Sydney. I found a few points in which I didn’t like their dialogue, but their relationship is great. So many detectives have a new love interest every other book, but not Banks. You know that just from reading this first book.
I still find it crazy that I wrote this thing, but I did and it’s mine. It satisfied the requirement to read a self-published book for my 2016 reading challenge.
Have YOU read it!? Have you ever tried to review your own work?
Johnny Reads 
Honestly, were I to try to review my own writing, no one else would ever see it.
I am the age-old adage, “My own worst critic.” There are sections of my writings that, as I write them, my adrenaline gets pumping, or other such emotions, but when it comes to tying them together, I feel insufficient. (Is that the right word?)
Not to mention when I try to draw things to a close. That’s my worst area. I always feel my endings are a bit blase.
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I think every writer has to be their own worst critic. At least I’d hope so. I honestly don’t really know what my strengths and weaknesses are. Maybe I’ll figure them out when I write more at some point.
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Sounds like we may be in the same figurative boat there. Nice to have some company; to know we are not alone in the struggle to produce likeable work. As for figuring it out, maybe we shall, or maybe we’ll just put along and let others decide if our writing has merit. Maybe? 🙂
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I think you’re quite right.
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Haven’t read it, but you made me curious with your own review! Love your point of view on your own work. It’s realistic and you are not afraid for any criticism. I like honesty! I’ll put it on my Reading List for 2017. I’m in for a good crime novel.
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Oh boy. If you read it you’ll be the first person since like 2014. 😂
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