It's the Insecure Writer's Support Group day! If you want to sign up for this once monthly support group, go HERE. Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh and his minions for the endless and ongoing support. Speaking of which, I'll be a minion next month! I'm looking forward to blog-hopping around and meeting new people.
Here I go with my new/old insecurity. When I wrote my first book, I had this problem where I couldn't put the words down to tell my story. I knew the story in my head, but nothing I wrote sounded quite right. Not like in the books I've read, where the words flow seamlessly and the story comes out and you don't even remember you're reading. Nothing sounded good enough. It certainly wasn't perfect, and probably not even close to good. Tapping out words onto the screen became a bit of a phobia. I basically wasted the first year I tried to write for the fear of it not being good enough.
And so now, with two novels and three novellas featuring the same characters under my belt, I'm finding the same phobia occurring with writing my new series. I'm afraid to put words down in case they're not good enough. I want my new series to be good. Makes it really hard to write a novel if I can't put the words down!
I know the adages, that perfection comes with editing, and I should give myself permission to be less than perfect. It's just believing it that's the problem! I know it's totally kooky. *sigh*
How's your writing life?
Current insecurities?
Hi Gwen!
ReplyDeleteYou're afraid to put words down in case they're not good enough? I've read Giving Up The Ghost, and the story flowed beautifully...
I don't know why, but I'm ALWAYS surprised when authors who have released multiple books, have the fear of putting words down.
But I'm sure you'll be just fine once you start. You've done it before. It's not the first time and won't be the last!
Writer In Transit
January IWSG co-hostess.
Thanks Michelle. I know I'll eventually get it down. I've got it surrounded, but I just have to move in on it. LOL.
DeleteGood luck getting the words out. I struggle with first drafts too. Right now I'm not writing at all. Too much going on with my job search. Hopefully soon I can get back to it.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your job search, Natalie. Hope you find something soon so you can settle back in to your writing.
DeleteGwen, your other books are great. This one will also be great. It is scary stepping into new characters and a new world, but it's fun as well. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteIt is fun. I know I'll get it eventually, but why is it taking so long? LOL.
DeleteYou are comparing totally edited, revised prose with your first draft. I will speak for your words: NOT FAIR! Hemingway said the first draft is always shit. And if Hemingway felt that about his work, you are in very good company!! As you write, you will warm to your story. It helps to back-track every time you sit down to write, you will spot bits you can improve, and in doing so, you will get warmed up for the new words! You are a great writer, Gwen. I have faith in you. Go on. Take the day!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I'm in Hemingway's company! Thanks Roland. I feel all important now :D
DeleteIt sounds like you know you shouldn't worry about the first draft but do any way. No one can tell you have to feel about your writing but it looks like you overcame it with your first series so I'm sure you'll find a way to do it again.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's it, Susan. I know I'll find a way to do it. Just wish it didn't take so long.
DeleteI know what you mean--I have a new story idea that I refuse to start writing because I'd rather just keep picturing it in my head (it might also be because I haven't named the characters yet...). Sometimes the words aren't perfect the first time. But you just keep writing until they are.
ReplyDeleteSarah, it's really good in my head!
DeleteThe great thing about computers is it's easy to change those words. It was much harder on a typewriter... which is how I once wrote. It was drivel... but it brought me here. :) You must get the words out, because I want to read the new story.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I course I learned how to type on a typewriter in high school, then even in the business world we used typewriters for everything. Then when the auto-correction typewriters came out we were in hog heaven. You could delete a whole line, LOL! I'm so thankful for computers :)
DeleteOh oh...there is that word again-perfection. My mom was a perfectionist and it is a blessing and a curse. When she created her beautiful Faberge Eggs, they were exquisite. She was a true artist but was she happy? Nope she always saw some flaw and always kicked herself when all i saw was sheer poetry in her art. I love to create but I am not a perfectionist. I want it done well but I will not do the things my mom did because i am not a perfectionist. This is why I will never have her high creative ways-that is the bonus but I also will not have the laments (the curse). You do great works-everyone here thinks so, don't let that pesky perfectionism clog your mind. Enjoy your gift as it really is a gift
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I'm an imperfect perfectionist, LOL. Drives me mad. Thanks for the encouragement :)
DeleteNone of would be able to put down a single word if we expected the end result would be perfect. Keep striving for the best in you, and you'll not only write that story, you'll write a darned good one that others will enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI know, Lee! I'm going to keep moving forward and trust that it will all turn out okay in the end.
DeleteI'm doing well this month.
ReplyDeleteI say be phobic and write with a pen an paper for a bit and see where it goes. It will end, eventually. :-)
Here's my link if you'd like to drop by :-)
Anna from Shout with Emaginette
You just put the words down on this screen of the exact problem I had this a.m. with my WIP. My first draft is done, working on the second go round. When I read the ending this a.m., it was so flat I almost gasped at how dumb it was. I can only imagine what my reader would think! Yeah, after thousands of words and the ending stinks. grrrrrrrrrrrr...back to the drawing or writing board for that. Maybe a great flash of lightning will strike us both to shock us into getting those words down right!! Best wishes...
ReplyDeleteI've had the exact same fear since I started writing. Everything I pick up (even the books I didn't enjoy) seemed to have been written seamlessly at least. What I imagined in my head never translated onto the page. Then I realised that nothing would ever be as good as the masterpiece I had imaged in my mind and I eventually discovered NaNoWriMo which forced me to leave all those worries behind. Even the best writers had crappy first drafts the key is to just get it out of your head where it's not doing you any good! Best of luck with the new series. I'm sure you'll do well.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Gwen, we can always trick your phobia into an empty room, lock it there and leave it totally alone. Perhaps we should have your phobia and my stickler of an Inner Critic go out on a date, set them up for a trip back in time to take a voyage on the Titanic. Think it'll work? Maybe?
ReplyDeleteI'm totally there with you. Last year was hard for me, and now I'm trying to regain my confidence as a writer and struggling just to put the words down. I want to do it. I have an idea--an idea I'm really excited about for a new book--but I can't quite seem to start the darn thing. Sending you good vibes for your new series!
ReplyDeleteNinja Girl
You'll get there Gwen. You already knnow you can because you have the successful history :)
ReplyDeleteIt can be disappointing if what comes out doesn't quite match up to what we envisaged. But hopefully each round of editing brings us closer to that ideal. Good luck with your new series!
ReplyDeleteI'm writing my first book outside my trilogy now since 18 Thoughts releases this month, and I can relate. I want to make sure it's better than my first 3 books, b/c I should be getting better with each book. But that pressure is definitely felt when I'm trying to put words on paper. I'm sure they'll flow eventually *fingers crossed* <3
ReplyDeleteI know how that feels! I wrote a good half of my new paranormal historical last summer. But then with two books coming out in the fall, I had no time! Now I am finally able to work on the last half of the book, but it is slow going because I took too long a break. Scary, but my writing chops are slowly warming up. And my writing group has been really helpful in that effort.
ReplyDelete*big sigh* Yes! Drafts are SO hard, aren't they? Especially when you're coming off a thoroughly-revised book and then have to start all over again with unrevised words. Good luck and happy writing! You can do it!
ReplyDeleteYou will find the right words, and they will flow. If you're anything like me, the flowing words will detour and start their own path. Good Luck and Much Success in 2015!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm writing the first draft, I really try not to worry about how "good" it is. I just have to get the story out of my head and on paper (screen/file). If I don't get it out, then I can't make it as good as I want it to be. It's almost a physical thing, to tell myself to shut up and let the story out no matter how crazy or "bad" the writing is. Let it out and rejoice! You did it before, you can do it again! Happy New Year!
ReplyDelete