My deadline for RUMORS is August 1st, so this is how I spent the last five days:
Day 1- rewrote the first 10 pages
Day 2-rewrote the first 10 pages again
Day 3-still didn't like the beginning, rewrote
Day 4-thought beginning might work, revised more
Day 5- revised a bit more, perfect!
From Day 1 to Day 5, I accomplished absolutely. Nothing.
For each rewrite, I would open up a new word doc and start over. I had several several new docs that I opened and by day 5 I was reading through all of them, out of order, and decided hands down that the best beginning for the book was--the very first one I had! I spent all that time revising and rewriting just to end up with the exact same beginning.
Aside from nearly pulling my hair out and poking my eyeballs with my flashdrive, I realized it wasn't ALL for nothing. I mean, I did learn the reason why deadlines are called DEADlines now. Kidding. Deadlines aren't bad at all. For me, it's still a learning experience of putting the date out of my mind and having fun with the writing, or else I stress too much and all creativity stops.
But I did learn that I shouldn't second guess my writing like I did with the beginning of my book here (and now that I think back to it, I've done the same thing with others and end up with nearly the same outcome). Sometimes its best to go with your first gut instinct, whether it's with writing or certain life choices.
Like, my gut tells me I don't need that piece of chocolate cake even though I really want it. Sigh.
BUT, your gut is telling you that you totally need to sign up for my newsletter (in the left column) or enter my art giveway details here.
8 comments:
Ugh I know the feeling. It's a lot harder to trust you gut than one might think. *hugs*
Good advice Rose, I say always trust yourself until you hear different from at least more than one friend or colleague that YOU TRUST. At least when it comes to writing that is.
I don't know if my gut and literary agents will ever see gut to gut. Maybe I need to muzzle my gut, but I agree with you.
I second guess myself all the time. There are just so many angles I could take with any one scene that I make myself dizzy trying to decide!
hi miss rose! i think going by your gut is the best. its like flying by the seat of your pants cause you take chances but you finally get there and it was exciting on the trip.
...hugs from lenny
I'm so glad that I'm not the only one that goes nutso on revisions and rewrites. I open a new document and begin again only to end up hating it.
Good luck on getting yourself something you really like!!!!
true, true!
so glad you saved all the old files! that would have been torture if you'd deleted them!
It's nice to know I'm not the only one who has mastered the art of unproductivity.
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