You know how a few days ago I was complaining about how editing and rewriting is daunting and how I wasn't looking forward to it? Two things have happened since then.
The first, I have recently gotten two critique partners. Each one of them has sent me either the first chapter or their work of the first 20 or so pages. I have edited both of them and doing so has really helped me with my work. Making corrections and giving suggestions to them has really helped me see what is wrong with my work and what I could do better or differently in my work. Also, I have loved being able to share my ideas with them, and hopefully, help them make their work the best it can be.
Second, I have started rewriting my book. Now, before I get into all that, I want to tell you about how I was feeling like I sucked as a writer and I wasn't writing. I was making a lot of progress on my newest project and I felt really good about it. Then, for some reason, I started taking time away from writing, I felt like I didn't have any good ideas anymore. And then weeks went by without me writing a word. This terrified me. Writing is what I want to do for a living, and do for the rest of my life. And when fear cripples you like that, where are you supposed to go from there? Then, I got my notes on my second book and there were a lot of them, telling me a lot of problems with my book. And that made me feel even worse. Then I saw this post on Maggie Stiefvater's blog about a crit partner love connection and I decided to give it a whirl. I was already getting help from a friend of mine from college to help me with my book and I figured another person or two wouldn't hurt. Getting my crit partners has almost been a life saver, or at least a career saver.
So anyway, second, I have started rewriting my book, and I can't say how much I am loving it. I was so afraid of starting over. And, I also felt like I loved so much in my book that I couldn't possibly change it or get rid of anything I loved. But I feel reinvigorated. I am only three thousand words into rewriting it, but I feel like I could conquer the world right now. I am a person who hates change. I take a long time to get used to new things and a lot of the time I don't get used to it. I though rewriting my book would be the same. But it's not. It has been so fun. I've come up with new ideas, and new directions to take the characters in and I feel great about it.
I guess what I am trying to say is this. It's okay to be afraid of starting over, but don't let that fear stop you from doing what you love. Because you never know how great it can really be.
Take care.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Woe is me! Editing and Rewriting
You know how they say books are not written but rewritten? Ain't dat de truth!
Recently, Jackson Pearce edited my manuscript. What I got back was 13 pages of horror. I mean, I can't say enough how much I loved having her edit my book. But let me tell you, she did an amazing job of tearing my book apart. Now, when I went to college and got my degree, I minored in editing and publishing and one of my professors said when you edit you need to tear it to shreds, and that is precisely what Jackson did. However, she just enabled me to see what I was doing wrong and how I can fix it.
Also, however, I need to do a lot of reworking and fixing. Jackson suggested that I just start completely over with a new outline and new ideas. That scares me. Not that I haven't considered it, but it is such a daunting task. I spent four months writing that book and to think about spending another four or so months on a whole new outline for it, I feel as though I wasted four months. But then again, I could look at it as spending four months learning from my mistakes and how to fix them. I don't know.
So now I have all these thought and conflicting opinions. A friend from college has read my book and thinks I don't need to start over, that I can work with what I have and fix it, even though it will be difficult. Jackson says to start over. Another friend says I can work with what I have. However, one of my friends who told me to work with what I have is not a writer and the other is a writer but isn't as dedicated to it as I am. And Jackson is a published author with 7 books under her belt. I have recently reached out, via Maggie Stiefvater's blog to find a critique partner. I believe that having someone who is also a writer and knows what I am going through will be a bit help.
So, if you are a writer or want to be a writer, think long and hard about it, don't quit your day job, and be prepared for a lot of time spent rewriting! After all, books aren't written, they are rewritten.
Recently, Jackson Pearce edited my manuscript. What I got back was 13 pages of horror. I mean, I can't say enough how much I loved having her edit my book. But let me tell you, she did an amazing job of tearing my book apart. Now, when I went to college and got my degree, I minored in editing and publishing and one of my professors said when you edit you need to tear it to shreds, and that is precisely what Jackson did. However, she just enabled me to see what I was doing wrong and how I can fix it.
Also, however, I need to do a lot of reworking and fixing. Jackson suggested that I just start completely over with a new outline and new ideas. That scares me. Not that I haven't considered it, but it is such a daunting task. I spent four months writing that book and to think about spending another four or so months on a whole new outline for it, I feel as though I wasted four months. But then again, I could look at it as spending four months learning from my mistakes and how to fix them. I don't know.
So now I have all these thought and conflicting opinions. A friend from college has read my book and thinks I don't need to start over, that I can work with what I have and fix it, even though it will be difficult. Jackson says to start over. Another friend says I can work with what I have. However, one of my friends who told me to work with what I have is not a writer and the other is a writer but isn't as dedicated to it as I am. And Jackson is a published author with 7 books under her belt. I have recently reached out, via Maggie Stiefvater's blog to find a critique partner. I believe that having someone who is also a writer and knows what I am going through will be a bit help.
So, if you are a writer or want to be a writer, think long and hard about it, don't quit your day job, and be prepared for a lot of time spent rewriting! After all, books aren't written, they are rewritten.
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