So I have been doing some serious thinking and plotting about where I want to take my story. Yes, I have at one time completely finished it, giddy and foolishly sent to 6 agents (NOTE TO AGENTS: I greatly apologize for making you read that garbage. Hopefully, you just skimmed through and will not recall my name in the future) and after finding much helpful advice, mostly from the Agent Query Connect website, I started my second rewrite, much to my sister and mother's and mostly hubby's, dismay. Quote sis and mom "But it was *so* good. I just don't see how everybody doesn't love it!"
I got halfway through the second rewrite and just "wasn't feeling" it. Enter the third rewrite. I had an epiphany! With the help of a critique partner and a book I read that I loved, I realized I knew exactly what needed to happen! (DISCLAIMER: am not copying said book that I loved)
Now comes rewrite numero tres! I'm feeling it! I'm loving it! I'm losing momentum! Another thwack on the head and I realize the things I need to do to make my peeps (that's my characters-heehee) sound the way they really are in my mind.
I need mystery! I need intrigue! I need to figure out what in the heck to do! I know how they are in my mind, but I'm just not seeing it on the pages! Him: dark and mysterious with a secret past. Her: spunky and sad, longing to start a new life, but unwilling to accpet anyone's crap along the way. *SIGH*
What do you do when you get to this point, when you're feeling a little lost? What is helpful to you when you feel like packing it up and calling it quits?
Don't quit!! Repeat as needed.
ReplyDeleteI do get down too. My biggest battle is speed. I find it goes so slowly - and then when I face a big rewrite I know how long it's going to take. And I still don't think it's going to be good enough *sigh*
So I try to ignore it as best I can and just work on one thing at a time. Works most of the time. :)
Thank you Jemi! I am repeating right now as I'm trying to make myself write. I want this and i want it to happen, but sometimes it just doesn't feel good enough and I feel lost as to how to make it work!
ReplyDeleteOh and speed! I am a want it right now kinda gal so this almost a year thing is REALLY killing me! BUt I am realizing that the longer it takes the more I learn and the more I grow into a writer not just someone typing some words, so I press on.
I am repeating and ignoring! Great advice ;)