Be prepared, this is kind of a vent session on my writing. I’ve been struggling since November with my inner editor. I participated in NaNoWriMo and wrote 50,000 words in a month. (Yay!) It is my first finished manuscript. Typically I get about 10,000 words in, reread it, and scrap it. This time I wrote all the way through refusing to reread what I wrote until I finished. I’m in the first edit of the manuscript and still working out the kinks. But I’ve gone back to writing the beginnings of novels and stopping short just a few chapters in. (That or short stories, a whole different animal considering I can finish them and have tons stored on my computer.)
Problem #1 – I can’t finish a manuscript.
Now we come to my second problem. I am dying to write a fantasy or science fiction young adult novel. Every time I attempt it, it comes out childish. I could consider the possibility of writing a middle-grade book instead and then this wouldn’t be a problem, but for some reason I can’t. So now I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to come up with the right idea. I’m sure I’m a bit out of it in my preoccupation with book ideas because my husband keeps waving his hand in front of my face.
Problem #2 – Waiting for the right idea has taken weeks.
Today I had a break through. I was rereading Eclipse to get ready for the movie, and a line Bella said caused an idea to just pop in my head. I’ve never had that experience; it was exhilarating. All afternoon I’ve let this idea sit in the back of my mind. I’m not really touching it yet, just considering it. I don’t want to scare it away. And I don’t want to ruin it by writing 10,000 words and getting stuck. For now I’m leaving it alone. Anybody have any advice for me? I’ll let you know how it goes.
i wish i could help, but i’ve never written a manuscript before, though i wish i could. my boyfriend has written the first book in his sci-fi series (goggledhero.com) and is basing a comic on it because he doesn’t know how to find a good editor (do you have any advice for him?)
anyway, i just wanted to say that i admire you! i admire anyone that can actually write a story, anything more than a paragraph like in high school 😛
i am so intrigued by what bella said that made you have a breakthrough! of course you won’t say anything yet, but i can’t wait to find out what it is and what you’re thinking!
best of luck! sorry i couldn’t help 🙂
It certainly sounds like a real maturity has come out of all this time of being lost. You go girl!!!!
mom
It sure sounds like a real maturity has come out of all this time of being lost!!!!You go girl.
mom
You have hit it right on with this post– the need to finish! That’s the hardest thing is to allow ourselves to suck big time to get through the horrible writing so we can go back in and fix things. I’d suggest writing down your ideas as they come, but keep working on your completed novel to get it as good as it can be.
Sorry, no advise. I am curious to know the line. All my best. I’m rooting for you. 🙂