Couldn't get the motivation, the feel, you know?
So i decided to read a few books in the genre to get the feel for it again...Some brilliant category romances by my new favourite author Nicola Marsh...but then i don't think should have picked a favourite!
Her writing is fantastic - see previous post for my gushing :)
It made me feel really bad about my own WIP. It is too slow paced, my characters are boring, the premise isn't good enough...you know the drill. Doubt sets in!
So i did a naughty thing.
I opened my document and instead of writing i read from the beginning, with the pure intention of hitting the delete key!
Imagine my shock, and delight, when i discovered that it isn't as slow as i thought, the characters aren't as boring.
It is raw. But it's a first draft. It's my first stab at category romance and the books i've just read by my new fav author is something like her 20th published work! Geez.
End of chapter one, i was re-inspired and hit the keys to get the end of the document and continued where i'd left off.
1000 words later and i'm slowly but surely getting there! ... Well in between demands from my little princess asking for dolls clothes that is!
Have you had doubts in your writing, but then been surprised when you've re-read it?
way to produce. 1k words is wonderful progress. That is the rate a pro does four time per week, but they are full time at it.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, good going. ;-}
I have :). It's always nice not to be horrified lol. Slow and steady wins the race :)
ReplyDeleteHaha - yes, definitely :) Even stuff that I thought was absolutely rubbish, is at the very least less rubbish (and fixable) when I re-read a few days later.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteOooh, lesson there then!
Don't read a fav pubbed author's latest works, read their first ever pubbled novel!
Re doubts: every writer has doubts about their writing, don't they? If not, they must be incredibly arrogant and full of self-importance! Seen a lot of that in recent times on a few blogs, and even when pubbbed for some authors what was once a smooth sailing can suddenly turn choppy due to reader power: fickleminded fans!
Some publishers will plug long-time authors with promotional deals bu if they fall flat, that authors writing career with said publisher is suddenly hanging by a thin thread as new and exciting authors steal the limelight! Publishers are in it for the money (profit)an author who costs more to produce than the return on sales has a dim future. It's tough staying at the top of the game, one can see that from the effort pubbed writers have to now put into their Internet profiles!
As HM&B keep saying: they're looking for new voices and new twists on old themes, and established writers are looking to create new voices and twists on old themes for themselves: the latter the toughest thing to achieve.
So keep writing, yours could be the next "new voice" on the HM&B block.
best
F
Yep :) I doubt mine frequently ;p So i take a big breath and walk away for 10-15min then come back and re-read the chapter. I'm always relived to see it doesn’t suck *grin*
ReplyDeletethanks guys.
ReplyDeleteFrancine you are so right, so don't read a fav when you are looking for inspiration ;)
But she is so fab!!
Nic, it's great isn't it!
SH it was such a good day, so sad i haven't been able to reproduce it yet, but after i get back from the snow i am going to try :)
Fixable is great Leah - and hi!
Definately Lacey!
I've had that experience as well! Isn't it cool? Sometimes you need a break to be able to see it. I'll often go back and read if I need to pick up the 'feel' of a story.
ReplyDeleteKerrin,
ReplyDeleteI am beyond stoked to be your new fave author!!!
As for doubts, they never go away.
Every writer is plagued by them, whether it's your first or 50th book.
So hang in there and go nail your first draft :)