Yes, I'm still editing. Ask me again next week and - actually, by this time next week, I hope to have finished editing, fixed all the little things that I didn't catch on the line edit, and sent the book out to my awesome beta readers and be working on another project.
Which, incidentally, is what this entry is about.
For obvious reasons, I still have my head deep in The Book of Lost Runes. I haven't had much luck or made much progress with any other project ever since I started editing it. While I've taken a few notes on other plots-in-progress, mostly bits and pieces of character and setting stuff for books that refuse to tell me what the hell their story is actually supposed to be, that's about it. And it's frustrating, because I was hoping I'd be able to both edit this book and plot some other stuff.
I do have about two pages of notes for the sequel to BOLR, though, and some of that takes things closer to the "Indiana Jones meets Ocean's Eleven" concept that I had for the first book but sort of moved away from. I already have one moment of genuine awesome planned. It's entirely possible I'll plot the whole book around getting to that moment. But I digress.
As I've talked about here before, I have notes and plans for a ton of different projects. And like everybody else, I have a limited number of hours in the day. I want to spend more of that time working on all these different things, but when I sit down to do that, it's like there's nothing there. I'll be able to figure out a few things from these stories I'm trying to tell, but nothing more, because I still have this one big project I'm working on.
It's like writer's block in reverse - I'm blocked because of what I've already written. I know life's not fair, but this is ridiculous.
And even after I send BOLR out to pre-readers, that won't be the end of working with it. There will be further edits, I know that; I'm nowhere near good enough to have written a book that only gets positive criticism and nowhere near egotistical enough to think I did. I'll have to work on a query letter, which I'm already dreading, and a synopsis, which I'm already loathing. There's also the agent search, but that's less "creative work" and more "please love me".
Like a lot of my fears or worries or concerns that I write about here, I know this shouldn't get to me as much as it does. From what I've gathered about reading others' writing processes and all that, working on several books at once isn't all that common. (Brandon Sanderson being a notable exception, as his work in progress bar on his site has four different projects on it and I don't know how the hell he does it.) But I want to do more. I always want to do more.
So, dear readers, I must ask: am I alone in this? If I'm not, how do you handle it? Judging by the comments I got on one of last month's entries, I have more projects in various stages of development than most people who read this. But I can't be the only one who has this sort of trouble. (Ye gods, I hope not.) I'd appreciate any advice.
Even if it's just to remind me that I'm thinking too much, as per usual.
I know how you feel. I should be working on novella, but another shiny venture with book 1 (already done) pulled my attention away, but even then my thoughts stray to books 2 and 3. I have no good advice, because I just go where my mind tells me and write what I feel like writing, or draw what I feel like drawing, or plan what I feel like planning. I'm not good with deadlines or homework...
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of what I'm trying to do. When I get ideas, I write them down, as per usual, and don't try to do more than that. I can't force myself to work on stories that aren't ready, and doing so only frustrates me. It is good to see that this seems to be a pretty normal thing, though.
DeleteI'm the same way. I can only work on one project at a time. I can't even start a new story until the current one hits publication. Yes, if I was smart, I've be working on one before that point, but I guess some of us just aren't wired for it.
ReplyDeleteJust keep jotting down ideas for now.
That's what I'm doing. ^_^ I have been able to get down some sequel notes, as I said, but little else. It's oddly comforting to know I'm not the only one.
DeleteI'm a pretty bad example but I usually have like a dozen or more things I'm gradually adding to - but I do tend to find I do big chunks of one while it's in my head, when I'm in the 'zone'. The problem is getting back into that zone when I've gone off to some other zone for another story - that can be really hard for the un-disciplined and i'm about as undisciplined as they get. Which is why I have a half a million half done stories. I love to start them and ride that wave of energy but once it peters out having the persistence and dedication to keep at it, to polish it, that's what makes an author - which is why I admire your ability to do so, because it's nowhere near as easy as even ya'll make it look :D
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that you absolutely must finish everything you start - I've abandoned projects for good reason and I will do so again. But finishing *something* is really important. I have a bunch of half-done stuff too, but the only way to get better at telling stories is to actually complete them, so you can figure out how they work and how to make them better. Keep at it, I know you can do it. ^_^
DeleteI feel all inspired so I re-plotted out one of the few things I've got that actually has an ending (probably sucks but at least it's an ending) and I'll attempt to actually finish the thing. It's a fanfic (why can i only ever think of endings to shitty fanfics) but at least it's SOMETHING so yay. Thanks for the encouragement :D no idea if I'll post it anywhere but it'll be something to finish.
ReplyDeleteFanfic still counts. It's practice, obviously not something you can have published, but I know I've learned from writing fanfic before.
DeleteLike you I'm stuck in the editing process. Gone is the first feeling of awesomeness when I first wrote the story. And though I know the edits must be done to turn this pebble of a story to a diamond, it is just so 'strugglesome.' See, I'm not even sure I'm even using a real word. But that's the writer's life. And I really want to see this story to completion, beta-read and polished to the best of my abilities. And hopefully, by this winter. Good luck with BOLR.
ReplyDeleteThank you. ^_^ And we're writers. It's a word if we say it is. :P
DeleteI don't know if I'd say I'm stuck, I just know I'm in the middle of a long process. But it's all necessary. I know the book is much better now than it was when I first finished it, all thanks to editing. So it's worth it.
I get ideas and jot them down for future use, but I'm a one-story-at-a-time writer.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning that I'm like that too, when I'm working on a specific project. If I'm just plotting different things, I can jump around, though.
DeleteWhen I'm stuck on a WIP I can work on something else, but that's about it. I usually have to pick a book and stick to it until it's done, otherwise I'd probably drive myself crazy trying to go back and forth. I don't know how some writers do it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'd be able to work on anything even if I was stuck on a WIP. >_< As I've said, I can switch around while plotting, but when I'm actually writing something, that's the only project I can even think about.
DeleteAs a teacher, I have to find time wherever I can, so I'm often in the middle of drafting, editing, and plotting various projects -- short stories, novellas, and novels -- at the same time. My only advice: sacrifice. I don't watch as much TV or surf as much as I used to, and I never play video games anymore. But I wouldn't change a thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that would change anything, though. Giving up the things I enjoy to try to make myself work on multiple things at once, when it's hard to pull myself away from that one project? Sounds like a recipe for frustration to me.
DeleteI have a really hard time focusing on more than one project at a time. Right now, I have revisions/edits due for a contracted project, 3/4 of a rough draft of a long-shot project written, and vague,swimming ideas for a future project that is probably a better thing for me to work on than the long-shot one. But heaven help me, I just can't give it my attention until I finish that first draft, no matter how small its chances. I guess I am a one-project gal!
ReplyDeleteAt least you've figured out that's how you work, though. From everyone's comments here, I know I'm not the only one, and I can accept that. It was just another case of seeing people who aren't like this and wondering if I'm doing it wrong.
DeleteYou're so hard on yourself, Mason. You are SO productive and so many projects going and get so much. Cut yourself a giant, relaxing break. It's good to focus on one thing and get it in good shape - and give it the attention it needs :)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying. >_< But even a week later, it's still not working. Gah!
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