So the big rewrite of August Rock is done and well at the mo -I'm feeling that it's crap. There are gaping holes in the story as I added new twists and turns. Having done the rework I foolishly thought it would be a doddle to clean it up and polish - hah. I need to leave it a week or two then begin to clean and build and tighten. Hopefully with distance it will look better.
Now on the reading front......this was hijacked by dd's reading the Twilight series. DD is nine so I had been warned by another friend that I needed to jump ahead in the story (to discuss things)as DD plowed through Twilight with amazing speed - so I did. I enjoyed both books for what they are - good YA fiction. So on the reading front - Eclipse and Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer and I have just finished The Art of Love by Elizabeth Edmondson. I began this book at the end of the summer and only rediscovered it this week wedged in a suitcase. Great read. But I am seriously behind on my goal of a book a week - life and writing intervene too much sometimes!
Now for finishing the AR a real treat - Jan Jones's Fair Deception. Nothing quite like a good Regency for a well earned break!
9 comments:
Congratulations on finishing!
Time will give you a better perspective on the story's strengths and what you have still to do. Enjoy your little break!
A break, imo, is essential after a big piece of work. You will be far too close to see it with any degree of balance at the moment.
Do hope Fair Deception doesn't disappoint!
Ooh, yes, I know what you mean it sounds easy in your head, until you look at all the scribbles on the paper!
My reading has come grinding to rude halt with Owen Meany. It's fab, really, but for some reason it's been a slog. I am only a few pages from the end, so I'm off now...
I'm absolutely sure it's not crap, Liz! As Julie says, give yourself time! Well done for all the hard work.
It's definitely not crap! You just need to go back to it with fresh eyes.
Thanks Julie...I have the perfect weekend lined up!
I'm well into the book now Jan and loving it!
JJ - I think I know it will be a better book but I haven't made life easy for myself!
That's for the vote of confidence Chrish :-)
Helen - it may well be crap now but with time and work it won't be - I hope :-)
lx
I can really relate to your rewrite process. It's difficult but worth it and at least you're able to recognize what parts you need to work on. Good luck!
Consorting with artists, writers, cartoonists, etc., I see a lot of similarities:
The usual set of feelings are
1) What I'm working on now is crap.
2) What I did a year or two ago is great. Why can't I do that now?
3) What I did three years ago is embarrassing. Can we hide it away? I'm so much better than that now...
You'll be fine. :D
Steve already said it, but I'll say it again. I always think my latest book is crap. Embarrassing crap. Really. I think it's because by that point I know it so intimately, and I can see where it fails to live up to my expectations.
When you're too close, all you see is the flaws. But when you back up and squint, I bet you'll see the beauty.
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