I have finally arrived in the blog-o-sphere! Today I got my first ‘tits-n-ass’ spam! Up until now I’d only deleted Ugg boot sales and stuff in Spanish and Scandinavian script.
It’s a good day! 🙂
I am a Featured Author at Pagan Writers Community, if you’d like to scoot over there and have a read. It’s a bit more about the Shaman-y side of Widdershins, and how I translate that into my writing.
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Did’ja ever have a great idea? Ever spend sleepless nights as it swirled around in your consciousness, throwing out sparks like an exploding fireworks factory? Or spend hours/days researching, creating flowcharts, models, sketches, only to have it blow up in your face when it … Just. Won’t. Work?
How do you know when to push through the walls, or when to stop, hit the delete button, and climb back down the mountain without reaching the summit?
There’s no easy answer, that’s for sure. But I know this, you’ve got to trust your instincts.
I’ve reached about 30,000 words of the first draft of Book 2 of my ‘Gallery’ series, and after trying all sorts of fixes, I can now acknowledge that it … Just. Won’t. Work.
Bugger!!!
There are some scenes that are reusable, some lyrically waxed prose that is too eloquent to throw out. (truth is, I’m not ready to trash my babies yet) The synopsis, the skeleton, is good. It’s just that I was trying to hang the wrong kind of flesh on it.
I’m going to use the next couple of days to think deep thoughts about where to go next and then, after Candlemas, (or Imbolc – sometimes spelled ‘Imbolg’) jump in the deep end, again.
In the meantime I shall soothe my slightly bruised writerly ego with the immortal words of ‘The Gambler’
I want a hat like Kenny’s … just sayin’.
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“I love blackjack. But I’m not addicted to gambling. I’m addicted to sitting in a semi circle” Mitch Hedberg – Comedian (1968-2005)
Mitch Hedberg–SO hilarious. “If you have legs and are flammable you are never blocking a fire exit.”
I was reading a good writing book last year by a creative writing prof (from U of Vic or something) who really believes that second drafts should be complete rewrites of the first draft–as opposed to tinkering. He said the students/authors he knew who did this were the ones who were more likely to get published or win awards. So… yay that you have to start over! lol
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That colours it a little differently doesn’t it! 🙂
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Novels are like paintings, specifically watercolors. Every stroke you put down you have to go with. Of course you can rewrite, but the original strokes are still there in the texture of the thing. – Joan Didion
Books aren’t written – they’re rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn’t quite done it.- Michael Crichton
Clearly, you’re in good company. It will be even better when you’ve rewritten it.
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Every time I move through an event like this I know that I’ll be a better writer for it … that’s what keeps me going. That and the prospect of being fabulously rich and famous one day!
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Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even though 30 000 words is a lot(!) to discard, it might lead you on to something better.
There are so many stories I have that are currently left unfinished because they just weren’t doing it for me. Even though they won’t see the light of day, I look at them as ‘practice exercises’.
It won’t all be in vain, the more you write the better you become. 🙂
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I can be hard on my Self along with the best of them, but thankfully it never last more than a a few hours … thanks for your kind words and support.
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I’m sorry you have to backtrack, but at least the skeleton is strong. Sometimes we have to go down a deadend to find the right road. Good luck on round 2 🙂
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Yep … I’m gonna smack it around a little to show it who’s boss, then get it back on track!
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That’s rough. At least the bones are still good. And at least you figured it out now rather than when you’d forced the whole thing and stepped back only to see a mess. Good luck with it.
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Thanks 🙂 … I reckon you can’t go wrong with good bones!
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OH! that’s too bad. Can’t you use it somewhere? Submit it in some other venue? A short story perhaps. ??
Just thinking. *Yeah, it hurts* she says.
Clar
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There is some imagery and scenery that I will keep, but most of it is not where the story needs to go. Thanks for your thoughts.
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