tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post3794252937747816859..comments2024-03-10T00:26:33.241-08:00Comments on <strike>Muse Riding Shotgun</strike>: IWSG: The Cycle and the Break.Mason T. Matchakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-42451698352902681232016-02-08T20:50:06.073-08:002016-02-08T20:50:06.073-08:00I've got nothing but that, in this entire entr...I've got nothing but that, in this entire entry and my last few. I just don't believe any of it.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-4147652401777587902016-02-08T20:49:37.769-08:002016-02-08T20:49:37.769-08:00I check over my query after every few weeks of sub...I check over my query after every few weeks of submissions, and never change more than a word or two. Drives me mad just like everything else does. -_-Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-25766710654491194332016-02-08T20:48:53.717-08:002016-02-08T20:48:53.717-08:00Thank you. (Even if I don't believe you.) An...Thank you. (Even if I don't believe you.) And none of the things I usually do to get myself going with writing are working anymore.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-66652339066980963642016-02-08T20:48:13.952-08:002016-02-08T20:48:13.952-08:00Yeah, I know that a lot of people say only bad wri...Yeah, I know that a lot of people say only bad writers look at their work and think it's amazing. But at least that makes it easier for them to keep going and get good. Me, I just plain don't know anymore.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-71699285674404496062016-02-08T20:47:08.122-08:002016-02-08T20:47:08.122-08:00Thank you. But I still feel like you have way too...Thank you. But I still feel like you have way too much faith in my work, much more than it deserves.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-28501348800567079072016-02-08T20:46:40.745-08:002016-02-08T20:46:40.745-08:00I appreciate that, especially since you've act...I appreciate that, especially since you've actually read my work. And I know I'm too hard on myself. But I don't know how to not be.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-44757692588498425902016-02-08T20:45:33.287-08:002016-02-08T20:45:33.287-08:00I appreciate that, and I'm glad you found a wa...I appreciate that, and I'm glad you found a way back from where you were, but I've gotten to the point where hearing things like that doesn't help me. It's always like, okay, that's them, not me.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-70296913225573902522016-02-08T20:44:38.443-08:002016-02-08T20:44:38.443-08:00Why would I have someone read a book that I no lon...Why would I have someone read a book that I no longer think is worth reading?Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-72352073766859857592016-02-08T20:44:15.388-08:002016-02-08T20:44:15.388-08:00I don't know. If writing more built more conf...I don't know. If writing more built more confidence, I wouldn't be having this problem in the first place.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-9345354439111764792016-02-08T20:43:44.701-08:002016-02-08T20:43:44.701-08:00Got back to you on that, sort of.Got back to you on that, sort of.Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-53492952172228169832016-02-08T05:40:31.318-08:002016-02-08T05:40:31.318-08:00We've all been there. I agree with Alex about ...We've all been there. I agree with Alex about letting some other writers take a look at it. Sometimes fear drives that doubt, so it might be that you just need a few people to encourage you to help you believe in yourself again. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317095707905133969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-39459005566064831312016-02-05T16:30:53.608-08:002016-02-05T16:30:53.608-08:00First of all, it's perfectly normal to see all...First of all, it's perfectly normal to see all the flaws in your work after you send it out. It happened when I queried, and it happens every time one of my works goes on submission.<br /><br />Secondly, I revised my manuscript continuously while I queried it. I queried in batches of 5-8, and then I revised. Sometimes it was based on rejection and/or feedback. Sometimes it was based on silence. I know a lot of people don't do this, but I did, and when I finally got an offer of representation, I knew it was because of the query revisions. She would not have taken the manuscript I sent out with my first query.<br /><br />Dianne K. Salernihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16459839567235304842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-70582352985191240972016-02-05T07:19:56.347-08:002016-02-05T07:19:56.347-08:00Drinking Red Bull usually helps me when I get down...Drinking Red Bull usually helps me when I get down. I know that's not terribly helpful advice. I'm an indulgent person who will drown my sorrows in caffeine and sugar, and usually pasta or potato chips too. But after that, I switch gears and work on something I love. Some might call it avoidance. Okay, so it is avoidance. But hey, I think we've all been there. <br /><br />And so you know, you don't suck. Loni Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126958230703180761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-91982908536804189702016-02-04T12:55:04.029-08:002016-02-04T12:55:04.029-08:00I'll join the horrible writer's society if...I'll join the horrible writer's society if you start one. I think a lot of it has to do with self-doubt. I can't go back and read things later without cringing. There are always mistakes, always things that should have been worded differently, always plot holes big enough for semi trucks could sink into. I honestly just asked a CP if my recent MS was trash because it felt like it to me. But I think that's natural and a good sign (as long as we don't let the self-doubt take control). It shows we want to improve. I'll be more scared if I can look at something and say 'this is perfect'. Then something is wrong.Tonja Dreckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-19652839103699637502016-02-03T13:52:09.784-08:002016-02-03T13:52:09.784-08:00ps the urge to write comes from the soul, it can&#...ps the urge to write comes from the soul, it can't die, it can only wither - but something will bloom from there soon enough, trust me. I've been there. I used to write copiously as a kid but by the time I got to college I'd stopped for many many reasons. Didn't ever expect to write again then one day out of nowhere a story hit my head like a truck and I couldn't not write it, I could barely function at all outside of writing it. I sat and wrote for days on end, it's still the longest thing I've ever written at well over 180k. Every so often I get to the point where I think "I suck at this, everything I do sucks why do I bother" and I give up and then bang, out of the blue something will launch itself out of me force-ably and it's all I can do to keep the ole body fed and watered until it's over. Don't force it. It'll come. Writers are like dams, the water may run dry but the rains are out there, somewhere, it'll hit you like a flood you never knew was there or even possible.Tambaloneushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11973551751322266799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-82436081974933492122016-02-03T13:47:03.090-08:002016-02-03T13:47:03.090-08:00I think the issue here is that your writing is usu...I think the issue here is that your writing is usually doing something different. Something new. Something unusual. In this climate publishers are after the next thing they think will get a movie deal or just ... clones of things that have worked before. I think the solution for you is to push your work out there in a different, new and unusual way. How or what I am not sure. I wish I lived nearby, what I'd do is create a little video for you to market it. If I was good enough. It's not you that has the problem here, it's them. How many incredible books went through dozens of rejections? How many more are still out there, unpublished, unusual and original stories are out there un-read because nobody will take that first chance? <br /><br />It might be a sign. For you to find another path to where you want to be with your publishing. Don't give up on the stories!! They're GOOD and I want to read more of them and if I do then plenty others will too. <br /><br />Have you considered writing a small series for amazon's ebook publishing? A lady here at work does and while she's really keen to be published 'traditional' one day it is getting her name out there and getting her lots of feedback. She says the thing that works is a series of smaller stories, cheap but that'll hook people in and make them want to keep reading - something you've never had a problem with I can never put your books down! That's not where you want to be of course but imagine going to a publisher as "as the successful author of the X series, with a readership of NUBMAHS I'm (long intro here)". I dunno, though. I'm no published author but all of the authors I do know personally are self published now, even the one who had a book published traditionally the first time went for self so she had control over it.Tambaloneushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11973551751322266799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-776471668484069622016-02-03T10:00:29.552-08:002016-02-03T10:00:29.552-08:00You're being too hard on yourself, Mason. To a...You're being too hard on yourself, Mason. To an unhealthy level. I think you're forcing it and if you don't enjoy something, it's not going to happen.<br /><br />Don't think about the end result. Screw it if you "never make it." Get back to writing because you love doing it. In fact, write like you'll never show it to anyone. Do it because it makes you happy and if it doesn't, then you need to take a real long break. This is for you, first. Remember that.<br /><br />And if it's any help, I think you're *quite* talented.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-23647135985812983342016-02-03T08:47:44.421-08:002016-02-03T08:47:44.421-08:00Several years ago, I went through a particularly d...Several years ago, I went through a particularly dark moment with my writing. I asked myself over and over again, "Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I putting myself through this?" And so I gave up on my manuscript and I gave up on the idea of being a writer.<br /><br />In the aftermath of that decision, I did end up scribbling a few notes for story ideas, I guess because I couldn't help it. I had no intention of pursuing them. But slowly those story ideas started coalescing. They turned into something that I started to get excited about, and soon I got back into writing.<br /><br />As for the manuscript from before, the one that I hated so much that it made me stop writing... I'm never going back to it. But I've cannibalized the old manuscript for characters, settings, and other things. So all that work did not go to waste.<br /><br />I don't really have any advice for you. I can only tell you that I understand. I went through a deep (and frightening) depression because my writing career wasn't going the way I wanted it to. And I can tell you that I worked through it and came out a better writer and (more importantly) a happier person as a result. I believe that you can too.James Paillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06213113363979079375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-35632132499286111472016-02-03T07:33:27.181-08:002016-02-03T07:33:27.181-08:00What Stephanie said.
Let a couple other writers lo...What Stephanie said.<br />Let a couple other writers look at the book. They might help spur excitement in it again.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-39827151693322966092016-02-03T07:06:25.246-08:002016-02-03T07:06:25.246-08:00I think the longer you look at ANY book, the more ...I think the longer you look at ANY book, the more you can pick apart its flaws...especially your own. That inner critic can really be a devil. I think you have to recognize those doubts for what they are and find a way to keep going until you feel more confident. The more you write, the more that confidence builds, I've found. Although you'll always have a small voice in the back of your head telling you, "I suck!" I think even Stephen King probably has that...Stephanie Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461865229341760836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6667260282067472646.post-71922928607177707532016-02-02T22:06:52.184-08:002016-02-02T22:06:52.184-08:00Huh, blogger didn't like my comment. it said i...Huh, blogger didn't like my comment. it said it was too long, so I sent you an email rather than edit it. <br />Renahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02767762370997304308noreply@blogger.com