"Insecure Writer's Support Group" is a monthly meme host by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers held on the first Wednesday of every month.
This month for IWSG, I want to blog about perseverance because that's been the biggest issue for my writing, lately. I start a project, write for a little while, maybe completing about 1/4 of the entire draft, and then give up. My reasons for giving up usually vary, but always stem from the fact that the story wasn't working.
I'm finally NOW writing the first draft of a novella that I'm 3/4 of the way finished with, meaning I haven't dropped it yet. That is big for me! I actually have a real, viable story that isn't full of holes and tears that leak like an old above-the-ground swimming pool. I'm on the right track to finishing it so I can get on with editing, revising and having it critiqued. Yay!
But, that still doesn't solve the problems with my old drafts that gave me trouble before. What about them? I think I still have every intention of fixing them one of these days because the characters and worlds I've created still stay with me, year after year. They are worth going back to and repairing one day when I'm able to understand how they can be fixed. I think I was trying to write those stories before I was ready to. I've needed to develop as a storyteller, which is, as I've come to learn, one of the hardest jobs in the world to do well.
But, I want to do this well. This is something that means so much to me, even though I can't understand why. That's why I work so hard to figure out how to tell a great story, one that works. And, my older work can either serve as a measuring stick for how far I've come, or give me a chance to practice my story-tinkering skills.
Read this blog post by Veronica Sicoe, sci-fi writer. It's all about perseverance and not giving up on the difficulty that is writing a good novel. I thought it was particularly brilliant and inspiring.
What say you? Do you have any intention of fixing up your old manuscripts, or are they your barometers for your progress as a writer?
Perseverance. What an apt topic this month. I think you and I are having the same problems with our books. I jump from one to the other all the time. I start off really strong and can finish a novel but then I lose my steam when it comes to editing. The whole process is so tedious. I've shelved one MS so far and it seems like I'm going to do the same to my current one! I'll have to check out Veronica Sicoe's blog post for inspiration.
ReplyDelete@Lan: I think my problem is more not being able to finish my manuscripts. I love editing them, so I don't find that process tedious. But, still being perseverant is important for getting anything done.
DeleteKudos to you for getting so far along on your latest novella! Perseverance is a tough thing for me too, I've been on the verge of giving up on my WIP and want to push my way through it. Thanks for sharing the link to Veronica's post!
ReplyDeleteJust stopped by from the IWSG, it's great to meet you!
@Julie: Nice to meet you, too! Thanks for visiting. It's good to know I'm not alone in how hard it is to stick it out and finish my manuscripts.
DeleteI love the title of your blog!
ReplyDeleteIt is really important to finish the first draft of a story, no matter how flawed it might feel during the writing. Once the whole story exists in some form, it is now possible to look at it in its entirety and figure out how to really make it shine.
Congrats on your progress! It takes a lot of perseverance to get this far, and it looks like you've got a winner! Don't give up on those other stories though. As your confidence improves, you might find they have endings too. :)
@Kirsten: Thanks! I think for people who write differently than me, finishing the 1st draft no matter what is important. But, I'm the kind of writer who edits as she writes and that strategy doesn't work for me. I'm one who needs to have the story right before it's finished. I'm weird that way! But, I learn how to be a better storyteller this way.
DeleteThanks so much for sharing your advice, though. ;)
Yeah, perseverance is so important! I revised my last novel for so many months I stated to hate my wonderful characters and the story - but I powered through, and it really improved.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it would be easier if you wrote an outline before you started your next novel/novella. If there were fewer plot holes, you'd have an easier time finishing.
Congrats for being 3/4 through this new one. Yay! :-)
@Lexa: Glad to hear your story about your last novel and how it improved. I always do have an outline for each story I write, a pretty intricate one. I would run into problems with the story and characters not making sense, and things like that. I think my novella is on the right track, though!
DeleteThanks for your encouragement. ;)
Sometimes it's hard to tell if a manuscript can be fixed or if it should just be tossed and I should start over. My first book I wrote at 13 and it is definitely NOT salvageable! haha. But the first draft of the one I'm working on now is a mess and I still think it is worth a rewrite. Great topic!
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
@Allison: LOL! I'm pretty sure if I wrote a novel at age 13, it'd be unreadable! Yeah, it can be hard to decide on what old MS's should be tossed or just rewritten. I guess it boils down to how you feel about them, currently.
DeleteThanks for visiting!
I have so many shleved manuscripts . . . most of them finished, but none of them good enough, you know? I used to think I would go back someday and fix them, polish them up, publish them. Now I know I never will. For me, they were all part of my learning process. Sort of like homework. I had to write crap to learn how to write stuff that's not crap. There are some concepts / charaters that may eventually work their way into future WIPs, but in general, my shelved manuscripts will remain shleved. :)
ReplyDelete@Camille: Yeah, I know what you mean. Some old stuff just needs to be left in the past and I'm doing that with some of mine. I do like to recycle characters and world building, however, so I will likely do that with future projects.
DeletePerseverance is key.
ReplyDeleteI think it often depends on the story. Some I think can be fixed fairly easily. Others I can see a major rewrite is in order. I do find it easier to outline, so I can see some possible problems ahead of time. And I'm a big supporter of just writing that first draft and worry about fixing it into something publishable (or even readable) at a later date.
@Cherie: Yeah, some stories can't really be saved, but others can. I give up when I can see that I'm getting some very fundamental things wrong and the story or characters need major revising. I might give up just because a better story came along, too.
DeleteThanks for your comment! :)
I wholly identify with feeling that you weren't ready. I think I thought I was ready for a long time before I actually was. I'm in the same spot as you, feeling that I'm finally maturing as a storyteller. Perseverance is a major thing, and so necessary. I can't wait to hear more about your novella :)
ReplyDelete@Drea: Thank you so much! I spent a lot of time thinking I was ready when I wasn't, too. I'm better now than I was before, and figure I probably still have a long ways to go, but I'm on the right track. Thanks for your comment! :D
DeleteI have a bunch of unfinished stories out there. Mostly it's a good start and then it fizzles out and falls flat on it's face. But, it's all part of improving as a writer.
ReplyDelete@Rose: I agree. You have to start writing stories, no matter how bad they are at first, because that will lead to improvement over time. Eventually, any writer should start to get good at it with practice.
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