The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day, a day to talk about doubts experienced and fears conquered, and also to offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling.
Our fearless leader, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
My awesome co-hosts for the October 1 special anniversary posting of the IWSG are: Kristin Smith, Elsie, Suzanne Furness, and Fundy Blue!
Be sure to visit the
Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website!!!
Insecure Writer’s Support Group Website!!!
THIS SOUNDS DUMB!
After three weeks of traveling on the mainland, it has been difficult for me to get back into writing mode at home. Not so much writing mode, actually, as editing. My trip was mostly to do research for several projects, the major focus being on my latest novel. Now that the fun is over, I have to knuckle down. Applying the research to various scenes and chapters is the knuckle down part.
It hasn't helped that my calendar was packed with meetings and events for two weeks following my return. The final event was "A Taste For Books" silent auction to raise money for The Makiki Community Library, a non-profit, independent library that hosts our Sisters in Crime/Hawaii meetings each month. Delicious food, good wine, free books! And my auction-bid won a fine set of wine glasses and a pair of Hawaiian hand-dipped beeswax candles. No wonder I'm having a difficult time knuckling down!
My insecurity, and consequent (or is that subsequent?) inability to knuckle down, lies in how I feel about the plot cohesiveness of my WIP. It sounded great as I wrote the first draft, even held together through the second draft. Now that I am readying it for outside editing, suddenly this sounds dumb, that doesn't make sense, and the other thing definitely needs a complete rewrite.
When it comes time to open your work to criticism and editing, do you get the jitters like I do?
I'm trying to get the third draft of my novel done, but it feels like I've hit a brick wall with it. Some times it can be fun figuring out how to edit things, other times it's very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteOh so very YES! to your question. I have finally pushed through and finished the wip from *ell, but it is finally at the publishers and I am still breathing. And, I'm ready for the next one, glutton for punishment that I am! You are not alone...!
ReplyDeleteOh yes I certainly do! My post last month covered this topic too. I think it is natural to be anxious as we have put so much into our work we want everyone to love it, but take a deep breath and go for it. Any feedback you receive will help you make your work shine. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteGreat to visit you today as co-host of IWSG.
Sarah, I was there yesterday, staring at my computer screen and wondering how to edit a scene to make it interesting.
ReplyDeleteLisa and Suzanne, thank you for your support and best of success with your publishing projects.
I find ways to make up all sorts of excuses to not buckle down and edit (sometimes write). For me, it's easier to send out the work for criticism/editing, but it's harder to open up the work after said criticism/editing.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely I have those doubts and "This sounds dumb" definitely sounds familiar! ;-) It's hard to get back into a manuscript after some time away--I'm having that same struggle myself.
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely not alone, although I do love revising. What's hard is admitting a scene I spend a lot of time on and love doesn't work in the book and that I need to completely re-write it. Good luck with your revisions.
ReplyDeleteHi Gail - I imagine it's like I feel when I come to post sometimes .. oh this is not up to scratch - and then I get complemented - seems crazy to me - but boy am I grateful ...
ReplyDeleteHow fantastic you were able to travel and research .. that will make your book and characters come to life ...
Cheers Hilary
If you've gone over it a million times, it's the best you can do. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? (If you have critique partners like mine, the worst is you get back comments so snarky and funny you laugh your way through the revisions.)
ReplyDeleteHi Gail! So nice to meet you through the IWSG! I'm your newest follower! :)
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question: Yes! I always get nervous right before I send my manuscript to my beta readers or critique partner. I wait on edge for weeks wondering if they hate it and thinking I should have made that "one change." I think as writers we need that validation that others like our work. But I agree with Alex, once you feel like it's the best you can do, you have to let it go...Sometimes easier said than done!
~Kristin
IWSG co-host
http://swordsandstilettos.blogspot.com
Hi Gail! I haven't reached your point yet, because I'm only on my first draft of my book. Well, parts of my first draft have gone through several revisions as I floundered about finding my way into it. The first draft of anything I write is agony, but I actually enjoy editing and revising. There've been plenty of times I've thought "this sounds dumb" or "this is awful." I do get the jitters, but I welcome constructive criticism and editing from others because that's where I learn and grow as a writer. It's hard for me to distance myself enough from my writing to be objective.
ReplyDeleteLove, love Hawaii and Honolulu! Lucky you!
Have a good one!
I definitely enjoy the writing more than the editing. Editing makes me feel broken.
ReplyDeleteAll the time! Do you have a team of beta readers you can run your story by? How about bouncing thoughts back and forth for feedback? You have an excellent community in the IWSG here!
ReplyDeleteShare with us your plot... Also, have faith! You were inspired, it must be good! <3
♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥
Thank you for the encouragement, Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteI find it very hard to open up a manuscript I've left alone for awhile. Dumb, stupid, horrible are just a few of the words i might use!
ReplyDelete