Nicola Marsh has an excellent post today on the merits of allowing your work to 'stew' so you can return to it with fresh eyes before submitting. http://www.nicolamarsh.blogspot.com/
I find this a very hard thing to do, but my current WIP needs it.
I can already see gaps in the hero's internal conflict and one section needs work on pacing - it seems flat. The opening chapters need more angst. Everyone is too 'nice' to eachother.
So the whole file, notes, print-outs, post-it stickers, everything, is now inside the box file.
Sitting there.
On my desk.
Taunting me.
Calling me a wimp for not soldiering on.
I shall now punish it by storing on the top shelf of the bookcase for a week before going back to it.
This work needs to be submitted. I need to feel it is the best work I can create.
In the meantime...there are one or two other things to do around the place this week.
Excuse me while I look for a roasting tin large enough for a brace of wild rabbits.
Whilst stirring the home-made tangerine marmalade.
And sorting out the contents of the freezer which seems to have a lot of smoked fish. And preparing a shopping list for tomorrow's supermarket dash.
And glancing longingly at the TBR pile. A week may not be long enough.
What's playing on my YouTube right now? Silje. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mEW2aEazNCQ&feature=PlayList&p=9E78A195607312A8&index=1
5 comments:
What a brilliant post, as usual. I know how you feel and would love to find a shelf high enough to hide my wip on. Damn thing is driving me mad.
Thank you so much for posting that YouTube link. Lovely voice, lovely song - and the perfect mood music for writing, right now :o)
Merry Christmas. Good on you for letter your work stew. And hope Mr Ray-Anne is better so you can really enjoy the festivities.
(Good luck with the supermarket dash. I chickened out and had mine delivered. No queues, no bored kids irritating each other, no hassle.
Oh - and you're a bad influence. o:) - I ended up buying two albums this morning. (I like Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell - and I can heard both in some of her other tracks YouTube. Gorgeous.)
You are most welcome Kate - she does have a lovely voice, and it is a great track, so I feel no guilt at all. Hope you enjoy the albums. I am surprised she is not better known in the UK.
Of course, letting the work stew does create the risk that when I come back to the WIP I will think it is the worst thing that I have ever created, and fit only for hte bin, but I suppose I would rather find that out than the editor.
Now. Dental hygienist then shopping. Lovely.
Ray-Anne,
congrats on resisting the temptation...I know exactly how you feel!!!
Let it sit. It's tough, I know. Just think how excited you'll be when you get to start the lovely editing process :)
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