So far I've been doing great on my mid-year goal to write every day (except for Sunday, because I figure a break once a week is a good thing). So far I've only missed one day (because I honestly just forgot until really late at night). I haven't worried too much about word count, because I've noticed in the past that when I'm really pushing for a certain number of words my writing quality goes down and I come to resent my writing time every day.
The most amazing thing has been happening, though. I've been enjoying writing! I have to tell you, it's been ages since that happened. Finishing the first draft of Half-Baked Magic was like pulling teeth. I hated the way the story was going, I hated the way I was writing it, nothing seemed to be working, and by the end I was just sick of the whole thing. I think that's why I've been so antsy about writing this year, because the last time I was writing regularly it didn't go very well.
I wouldn't say I've hit my stride on this draft, but I will tell you that it's been better. I changed the POV for this second draft (it should really be called a second first draft, since I'm basically starting over from scratch), and I'm just letting myself enjoy the process. Even the past few days, when I start writing pretty late at night and I tell myself I only have to write 100 words (my bare minimum for the day) I always end up writing more, because I don't want to stop.
That's been wonderful.
I often let my fears get to me when it comes to my writing. Usually if I've taken a long break from it, I get so anxious I feel sick just thinking about reading what I'd written again. I'm trying to not let that happen this time, because you know what? I am a writer. I am writing, and one day, I'm going to be published. I can and will work hard to make this happen, and whether it's five or fifty years down the road my book will be on the shelves for sale. As Rick Walton (picture book author and former teacher of mine) says, "almost everyone who sticks at [getting published] long enough and works at it hard enough, will."
To leave you with some wonderful, amazing news, my internet friend Natalie Whipple announced today that she now has a two book deal with Harper Teen. I can't think of anyone else I know who has worked so tirelessly and for so long to make her publishing dream come true. After five years of querying, rejections, switching agents, and being out on submission for a very long time she's now sold two books to an awesome publisher. That didn't come from luck. It came from hard work.
Natalie is one of my writer heroes, and today I cried a little when I read her post. It wasn't easy, but she worked hard, and she made it happen. I can do that, too.
I've started writing again recently and this is exactly how I feel! Sometimes writing is so painful and hard, but I do it anyway.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I write a little every day now as well and I am far closer to polishing it up than I was before. I can't wait and the excitement is starting to build!
ReplyDeleteAlyosha, writing is hard! I think sometimes I forget that, because shouldn't writing be so quaint and fun? Except that at times it really, really isn't. :) Good for you! Keep going!
ReplyDeleteCaledonia, that's great news! I know I get my best results when I'm writing every day. Best of luck as you keep going!
Debbie, it's so impressive and admirable to me that you know how to work that way -- to keep pushing through a draft you hate and PRODUCE it.
ReplyDeleteI think it's easier to write a first draft (or a second from scratch) if you acknowledge that it's probably not going to be very good. Then you just write and you don't worry about inconsistencies or anything because hey, you know it's bad so just let it be bad. Then it's done and you can go back and change it.
ReplyDeleteI think that's why handwriting works better for me than using a computer. Computers make it too easy to make changes as you go, so you can get caught up in details.
Oh, and re anime subs versus dubs (um...me? A Twitter stalker? Maybe...) I'm a sub fan, but I think that dubs have their place. Really, I think it depends on which you watch first because then it's what voices you're used to. I think I always expect the voices to sound the same, just be speaking different languages, and that's not the case, so it's always a bit jarring. (Also, I agree that FMA is awesome; I kind of marathoned both series the other week....I'd be reading it now, but I only have the first four volumes....and I lack the energy to order more....)