Finding the Will to Edit
When it comes to writing I become a bit of a perfectionist, therefore I freak out a bit in the editing process. It seems like every comment I get back on my work makes me cringe. I want my book to be the best it can be, but that goals seems unobtainable.
I get to a place in the editing processes where I get stuck. I know it's not good enough, I know what kind of it work it's going to take to polish everything and I just get stuck. Then I don't do anything. Then I get writing withdrawals and my brain starts feeding my shiny new ideas.
I know I shouldn't chase these ideas. I know I need to sit down and be disciplined enough to edit.
I love my book, really I do. I want to see it through to the end. I want to submit it to agents and publishers and I want to hold it in my hands someday and know that I accomplished something. But I just can't seem to get past the thoughts of how flawed everything is.
Does anyone else have this issue? What have you done to work through it?
I get to a place in the editing processes where I get stuck. I know it's not good enough, I know what kind of it work it's going to take to polish everything and I just get stuck. Then I don't do anything. Then I get writing withdrawals and my brain starts feeding my shiny new ideas.
I know I shouldn't chase these ideas. I know I need to sit down and be disciplined enough to edit.
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I love my book, really I do. I want to see it through to the end. I want to submit it to agents and publishers and I want to hold it in my hands someday and know that I accomplished something. But I just can't seem to get past the thoughts of how flawed everything is.
Does anyone else have this issue? What have you done to work through it?
Comments
I know this comment is fairly useless, but I wanted you to know that I absolutely know what you are going through!
Maybe give it a couple days to stew over the edits and dive in. I like printing out chunks of the book and making notes.
Also, I say you need to make notes about those shiny new ideas, because you don't want to forget them:)
Good luck! You can do it!
give it to a beta or cp! then you can come back to it with more ambition to see thru another's eyes! we are always harder on ourselves =)
But, there does come a time when I need to step away for at least a couple weeks, then dive back in. Fresh eyes you know.
Don't get discouraged, we all have to go through it. And you'll get your swagger back :)
Good luck and I hope that you'll get out of the editing funk soon!
I want you to look at the words in your MS, feel how you tingle with excitement as you read one line after the other, then strap on a helmet and shield so you can finish up any edits, put your query package together and stand strong for the rejections, partial and full requests that are to come. In the end, belief in your work is essential.
Easy for them to say, huh?!
Enjoy your words - and good luck - I know where you're at
Lx
I loved it and I think it will help you feel better.
Best of luck.
I’ve been slow in making my rounds, but I’m saying howdy from the YA campaign group.
(And I'm in your #3 campaign group)
Good luck!
....But then it resurfaces again before I get to the end, especially when I'm working on the mundane parts, then I think I might wring its neck before I get to the end...
Holly Lisle is supposed to have an excellent and tough revision/editing on-line course that gets rave reviews. Best of luck, you can do it.
I cope by giving myself freedom to slack off. Writing the novel is the hard part. Editing is the work. No one likes work. But, I fall in love with my characters, with my plot. So, I take it in sections, "I'll edit one chapter today," "I'll edit five pages today."
Small achievable goals. That way you have time for your other ideas, too. And, best yet? You don't feel like a schmuck for ignoring your new baby :)
Oh by the way, I nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger Award. Just thought you might like to know.