Scanned through many blogs and hearing from other writers I have noticed a large chunk of us have struggled to find the 'groove' this month. I tried to remember if this always happens or is it just this January that writers are having a slow start to the new year? Any thoughts?
I have found I am working very differently from previous rewrites. Normally when I write it is full steam ahead never looking back except maybe to check the hero's eye colour (yeah, I know I should write it down at the start and I do but I can never find where). But this time I keep fussing over the beginning. I don't know if its fear (maybe) or just a sudden understanding of the impact of the words I choose. I am also layering in more with each pass. Also because there is so much new stuff I have to keep looking for all my wonderful dyslexic stuff! Then having gone through it again and again I wonder if it works for the new direction? Have I hinted at too much too soon? I think I have become obsessed which is not something I have ever been. It probably means I should push pass this first bit now and get on with it!
7 comments:
I don't think it's particularly this time of year, Liz. I think it's that a number of us are synchronising 'beginnings of books'. (Or re-beginning in some cases).
Usually I know right off how a book is going to start, but this time I started Having Doubts. And the more I ploughed on, the more uneasy I got.
Me, I listen to the voices. I just wish the b****rs would speak up a bit.
I'm finding that this year is getting off to a very slow start with many aspects, not just writing. Perhaps January is a time for reflection, recapitulation and planning, rather than doing? That's my excuse anyway.
I've realised that in the previous two years, I've bitten off way more than I can chew. Far too many writing projects, and they're all quite involved and complex. Why can't I write something simple? So this year I think I'm going to shelve all but two of them, in an attempt to get something actually done.
Obsession is good! Without it we don't get the immersion into our stories that we need, in order to do a good job.
I've definitely found it hard to find a groove this month and have found it hard to focus on just one thing. The poor wip has been neglected.
I'm glad your immersed Liz and the time spent getting the beginning right won't be wasted:-)
I'm just too damn busy! January is always a busy month in the funeral trade.
Zinnia's comment has quite taken the wind out my sails! I'm still thrilled with your advice and I'm going to do what you suggested (I think that's a long term project). In the meantime I have taken a long hard look at the 5000 words of the new novel and have decided to write the book I want to write instead of what I think I ought to be writing. I was in the doldrums but you helped.
I'm still stop and go with the novel. But I've just sold two short stories which has inspired me to get into gear with that side of things. My problem is (like Captain) I try to do too many projects at once and can't find time for all of them.
It's definately been a bit slow for me.
I was trying to fit in too many projects at once, but have been trying to focus on my rewrite for the past few weeks, as I need to get it sent out. Well, that was the intention, however, I'm not sure if I'm improving the wip, or simply changing it a bit.
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