Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I've stressed myself passed the point of writing that darned novel

Since my sweet kiddos were in camp last week and are at camp/camping this week, I set myself a goal:

Finish writing the novel.

It's written, so it's just editing. And rewriting. Lots and lots of editing and rewriting. Because, you know, a writer is never, ever satisfied with her work.

I decided that my first chapter must be burned. It's horrible. It makes me want to gag. I can't even bear to read it I dislike it so much.

Alrighty then. Time to write a new Chapter One.

Except I'm stuck. In a very deep lake of molasses. I can barely write and when I do inch forward a bit, any progress is immediately sucked away into the thick pull of the molasses.

I'm starting to stress myself out about this and that is the anti-point of having four days all to yourself. I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying myself, not finding every possible excuse to avoid the novel.

So here are my options as I see them...

1. Push through it and write horrible, hideous prose in hopes that as I write, the words walk into a sea of color and light and beauty.
2. Let myself off the hook. Feel guilty. Not get this novel done before November rolls around with the promise of another National Novel Writer's Month (NaNo) and another 50,000 word novel. (Wait till you hear my idea for the next novel. I'm totally psyched about it! I want to finish Finding Truth so that I can start working on the adventures of a... well, I can't tell you yet, but just you wait. You're gonna love it!)

Option one looks like the winner to me. If I can just get into the NaNo mindset and not edit as I write. Say a prayer for me. After all, this is Christian fiction. I think prayer might be the best way to get through the molasses swamp.

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