Progress!

This week has been filled with amazing things and truly depressing ones as well. Sometimes when you are a writer, things don't always go according to plan. I finished my 300 page book and handed it over to my editor. They read it, and immediately sliced it in half. The first half, amazing. The second half... sucked. I was to rewrite part 2. WOW. 

Well, this week I was reunited with my childhood best friend. He reminded me of things that happened when we were kids, made me laugh. Everything has been amazing. 

The depressing thing that happened this week was that I found out my book isn't quite finished. The amazing thing that happened this week, is that I know where the story goes. 

Really excited. 25 newly typed pages is what I have to show for this week. AWESOME!

Fighting the Creative Killer

I have talked in a previous post about the annoying little thing called, writer's block. It is the most annoying aspect of writing a book. It comes and goes, causes self doubt, and throws the story for a loop. What is most frustrating about writer's block is looking at the screen and seeing that your story is going nowhere; that no matter how much you will it to happen... it isn't going to happen.

This week was a difficult one. I usually try to produce something everyday. Does it always happen? No. Life occurs and sometimes I don't even get to open my laptop. This wasn't the case this week. I made a conscious effort this week to sit down everyday and hammer out something. Day 1 went well, day 2 and 3 okay,  but day 4 sucked TERRIBLY. I couldn't do anything. I sat there thinking, "Is this where I want my story to go?"

Usually when I write, I don't force the story. It's like I am seeing this movie in my head and I write down everything I can; from the color of the leaves on the tree to the flush that is creeping up my heroine's neck. I try to detail everything that I can. If I can't, I try to recreate it somehow. For instance I had to explain the smell of a perfume. I went to a department store, and smelled it (and promptly got a headache--I am terribly allergic to most perfumes).

Nothing was coming to me on Day 4. I sat there staring at my screen willing my fingers to flex enough for me to produce 1 page. Usually events of the day trigger my writer's block. Earlier in the day, I started to doubt aspects of my story... and vocalized them. That was a BIG mistake. Usually it is good to talk through what you are feeling... it wasn't a good decision in this case. When I write I dive. I free-fall into the story and I don't look back. It isn't me creating the actions of the characters, the love interests, the clothing choices, or sayings--it's the character. I wish I could explain it better. It's like these people are alive in my head and it is my job to just... be the instrument.

Day 4 was the most frustrating day in my writing process. It will never happen again. Will writer's block occur? Probably. Will I vocalize my doubt? Never. I'm going to dive, free-fall, until the end.

Page progress this week 12.

I can't think of a good title...

So this little blurp is about the inability to turn on the creativity. It's about the inability to get anywhere with my book. Does anyone know what it feels like to edit out 100 pages from a book that you at once thought was going smashingly well? Well, if you don't, I will tell you it sucks! 

Last week I was rereading my yet to be titled book. It was the 100 millionth time doing so. I got to the same chapter I always do and thought, "Here comes the suck." I have been fighting removing those beautiful pages for over 2 months. Let me tell you. You may wonder why it has taken me this long... it's because a good well written page can take FOREVER to write. I may have very creative days where I hammer 20 pages out... but to be honest, I am lucky if I get 4 or 5. 

Start the sad music, enter the violins... I did it. I removed over 100 pages from my almost done book. It was sad... I cried. I did place it in a separate file hoping I could rework them and fit them in in some sort of way. Chances are I won't.

Current status of book... now 136 pages typed pages... unfinished... sad. =(