Writing Woes
Have you ever had a story that you couldn’t write but couldn’t stay away from either? I sure do. It’s called AMAZING GRACE, a paranormal romance novel that I’ve been trying to write for about six years. By now, I’ve had so many versions, so many changes, so many false starts, so many stops and re-starts, I’m not sure where I am, or where GRACE is either. I love the first chapter. It’s a near-death experience, and even now, six years later, I think it’s some of my best writing. But after that…yikes! I’ll bet I’ve written at least five different chapter 2’s, 3’s and 4’s. Once, I got as far as Chapter 6 and decided it didn’t work at all. About two months ago, I put it away, yet again. Then, last night, either while I was sleeping/dreaming or about to go to sleep or about to wake up, I had (another) epiphany. I knew exactly how to fix chapter 2. Exciting, right? Aaaa-aagh!!! Do I want to do this to myself again? No! But I can’t help it. GRACE haunts me, and I know I won’t rest until I’ve told her story. So, I just dragged out my stack of notebooks again, opened my GRACE folder again, and I’ll probably start writing…again.
Oh, Paula! That is terrible!!! I feel that way with one of my books, Undyingly Yours. My problem is that I love it so much that I fear rejection. Dumb, huh?
I think maybe what we should both do is just finish our stories. Don’t worry about the quality. God will take care of the quality. We have to take care of the quantity! I think that will be freeing . . . at least to me!
~Gloria
Comment by admin — November 18, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
When I say don’t worry about the quality, that means you can’t look back at the pages you’ve written. Just keep moving forward. Finish it! If you have a brainstorm about something you need to change, make a note in red font color so you know it’s not part of the story, but rather it’s a note to self, then keep going. Force yourself not to look/edit previously written pages. That is where we get in trouble.
Comment by admin — November 18, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
Well, I have only one novel started and that’s how it has been going - only for about 12 years…or is it 14? I let it sit so long between writing spells that I have to re-read it to remember what comes next. I think if I ever finish it, it will be the best thing I’ve ever written.
Do you think maybe this is a story that doesn’t want to be written? One of those “lifetime achievement” things? Catherine Palmer wrote a bunch of romance novels set in South Africa before she finally wrote her life story in novel THE HAPPY ROOM. It was the best writing she has ever done and you could tell her heart was poured out in it.
This novel I’m struggling with has a whole lot of ME in it and I suspect that is why it is so hard for me. I fear exposing my heart so totally.
Comment by authorjss — November 20, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
I agree that I should finish Grace’s story, but every time I start writing it again, I feel like I’m not doing it justice. I’m not really writing the story that needs to be written. I think the real problem is in the character of Grace. Maybe I don’t understand her and her situation and what she really wants well enough. –Paula
Comment by admin — November 20, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
How are you doing, Paula? Would you like to brainstorm Grace? Tell us what you know about her, and start with the GMC. Give us some back story about her. We can flesh her out from there.
Comment by Gloria — November 27, 2007 @ 2:02 pm