I FINISHED MY FIRST DRAFT!
Yeah, that needed to be shouted from the rooftops! I'm so excited, and so proud of myself. And so... scared.
Let the mental flogging begin: Ack! It's awful! What were you thinking? You can't write. No one is going to want to read, let alone PAY to read that dreck. Throw it away, hide it under the bed where no one will ever see it!
Now, now, I tell myself. That is just perfectionism and protectionism taking turns at body punches. True, there were moments when I felt I was literally vomiting the story onto the page. But you know there's some good stuff in there. Be kind.
So, now I let the book sit and marinate while I learn how to edit. I'll practice my emergent editing skills on my flash fiction and short story. Then I will return for the rewrite. I'll get rid of the dreck and make it readable. I'll take risks and let people read it, and who knows -- I may just see my baby published.
"Everybody has a secret world inside of them. All of the people of the world, I mean everybody. No matter how dull and boring they are on the outside, inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds. Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands maybe" ~ Neil Gaiman (A Game of You)
7.12.2010
It's In The Can
Posted by Shelli at 6:02 PM
Labels: Real Life, Work In Progress
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6 comments:
Woo hoo! Well done. I hope you hop on the editing train quicker than I have - draft one was completed at the beginning of December - draft 2...? on page 4. :-)
I just found this via Twitter - I thought it might be good for you...
http://www.bubblecow.co.uk/2010/07/tips-for-editing-your-own-novel/
YAY! Congratulations! It's such an exciting thing to know that you have the brain stamina to write a novel.
Don't you feel that you've changed and grown as a writer already? Hold on to that feeling and don't let the Yousuck Monster convince you that you shouldn't be writing. You absolutely should, I've read your flash fiction.
Enjoy the editing process, but you're right to let your novel marinate first.
How exciting! yahoo....woohoo...and all that jazz...And it is really great that you can identify those voices that want to drag you down so you can filter them out! Looking forward to reading this book, my friend.
newtowritinggirl -- Thanks! They say you should let your wip sit for awhile before you rewrite. You should be right on schedule! And thanks for the article. Good stuff, I'll have to refer to it once I get started.
Jane -- Thank you so much! Yes, I have changed and grown so much, it's amazing. It's intimidating though, because the book I finished isn't the book I started. So, I'm letting the book marinate while I get my courage back up!
Renee --Guess how I learned to combat those negative voices? Another hidden blessing from CFS. Thanks for your encouragement.
Sorry I've been absent for so long, Shelli - I;m still struggling to catch up after vacation.
HURRAY for you!!! Congratulations on your complete first draft - that's a wonderful accomplishment! I'm proud of you, Shelli - way to go!
I think you have the right idea - to let it sit a bit before editing.
Sue
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