Once again I'm an assignment behind. It's a trend I've noticed more than once now. It's a good thing these aren't graded because I'd be failing all over the place and that worries me. The problem is that my writing process is lengthy as all hell. Or maybe more specifically my revision process. My first drafts... you know, I'm not even really sure they can be considered first drafts, are chaotic, terribly unpolished things. I go over them and go over them, probably an extra 2-3 times before I'd even consider them to be show-able as something unfinished, let alone something finished and polished. And that going over them usually takes a day in between each pass so stuff can percolate in the back of my head. Add to that the fact that I get seem to get words out on the page everyday... It's more than a little frustrating and makes me worry whether this will change. I would eventually like to make writing a full time career. Obviously down the road. But this process I go through, it seems like it would negate that dream. Most published authors seem to take about a year to get a book out and off. Maybe I'm wrong on that one, but when you read the answers of authors to this question, that seems to be the general timeline/consensus. I have no confidence in myself that I could do that.
I even hate writing Blog posts and posting them in the moment. I want/need time to go over them. Let them sit and come back to them fresh so I can reword better, make it more coherent, hopefully more engaging and smarter sounding. But I usually don’t do that for posts and end up going back and hating what I’ve posted. Because the idea of always being a day or more behind on even Blog posts kind of drives me a little nuts.
Will I be able to shorten this whole process down at all? How? Does it just come with experience and confidence? Will I just learn eventually how to put more of what I want to say down on that initial jotting down of ideas? I wrote a lot more, going into more details on my writing process. Not sure that’s really going to be interesting to people and was kind of getting a bit away from the point of this so I’m not going to post it.
8 comments:
Okay, I'm probably least able to give you advice, but I'll try. Everyone has a different writing technique, and of your work that I have read on 2YN, you are a brilliant writer! Like seriously I envy your talent. Try not to let everything feel as though its pushing down on you, its all cool, thats the way that you opperate and if it works for you then it is great! Its awesome that you are able to get words down on the page everyday, I struggle to do that, I don't always write everyday, even though I really want to. Also your probably closer to finishing anything then me, lol, I get so wound up into the plot of a story I forget the why, and then I dive straight in and can't figure out why my characters are flat and I end up throwing away the story and not finishing it at all. 2Yn has taught me that going slower is good, I have stuck to the structure of the course and am coming up with some of the best ideas ever.
Don't stress! Everything will work out, you are a great writer and people will wait to read your work!
Ditto all of what Blackfire said. And first drafts are hell.
We all work at different paces, try not to let it stress you out. (Easier said than done, I'm aware). Taking it at a slower rate actually seems to be a good thing. It allows your ideas to become more formulated. I used to jump headfirst into the assignments and now I normally give myself a day or two (or five :P) to really think about what all I have to say/do, etc.
First drafts are hell. I thought that I would hate editing even more than a first draft, but after I finally completed a few short stories (something actually completed!) and started editing, I found out that I really love the editing process. I like the creation of the story too. Its just the first draft that I really really hate.
Ok the two of you are too cool for words. You guys are awesome. Seriously awesome.
@ Blackfire I'm trying, I just worry that it's too slow. I am by no means able to sit down and write every day. My god I wish! Mine seem to come in chunks. heh I'm not sure about that, I was always under the impression you'd finished or at least come closer than I had. This story is the most I've written on any one thing ever. I've got a (for me huge) fair amount done so far, but I'm nowhere near close to done.
You are definitely coming up with some good stuff. Both of you! I want to read more of your stories. :)
Thank you so much for the kind words and praise. I'm trying, the internal editor is a fierce opponent and she is ruthless.
@ Soleil Again thank you so much. Your guys' interest and enthusiasm has kept me writing more times than you know. It's so nice to know that there are people (strangers even gasp!) that like my work. It's a big motivator on days when nothing's working.
You're both right on the taking it slow, I don't evne disagree, it's just that annoying, nagging voice in the back of my head that tells me I need to step it up if I'm ever going to be able to call this my career.
I have a sneaky suspicion I'll dislike intensely revising for final drafts. There's a lot I love about the initial pre and first draft stage. I love the rush of ideas and the frantic "get it all down now" of that. I tend to write bare bones scenes and go back later to fill them in. I do this several times. Ah hell I'll just make an actual post of how the process seems to go for me right now. :)
The dreaded internal editor, I don't think that any writer is without one, they lurk in the back of your mind. And are extremely annoyingly hard to ignore!
Lasers do not work on them and make your brain smell terribly. Just FYI.
Oh, thanks for letting me know, that was the next thing that I was going to try Lol. I don't want a smelly brain.
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