I finish a round of edits and say to myself "I'm finished" and think the book is the best I can make it.
Fast forward a week.
I spend days reading your blogs with all your writing knowledge and advice. I get drafts back from my critique partners and hold my breath as I read their comments.
I hang my head knowing deep down that there's still more I can do.
I spend a couple of days wallowing in self pity. I have no idea how to make my book better. Not an hour goes by where I don't think that I should probably quit because I'll never be good enough. I should just shut down my blog and never write another word.
A few more days pass and the despair starts to lift and I think. "Well, I guess I'll take one more shot at making it better."
I take a chapter and copy it into another document and start to take it apart. After a few hours, I have my computer read it back to me. "Yes, that's definitely better," I say to no one in particular, because it's late at night and my husband is asleep on the couch.
Then I finally go to bed thinking, "What do you know, I guess I could make it better after all."
Now I just have 22 chapters left to go.
PS: Just so you know I blame all of you for keeping me the revision stage. If it wasn't for your great blogs, exuding all kinds of wisdom, I'd been querying right now. Albeit with an inferior product, but still.
16 comments:
I'm so happy for you that you found you way clear of the clouds and are back in the saddle. (Holy cliche batman!) I'm really impressed!
Believe me Patti you don't want to query with an inferior product. It only leads to rejection, and if you can't handle revisions, rejections are 1000 times worse.
Take your time, breathe, do the best you can. Revisions are horrible but necessary. It'll all get better, don't worry. Then you'll be able to query with the best book possible.
I feel your pain. Mine is never "done."
I'm right there with you, sister. You can do it. You just have to keep at it. It's a process. Revision, revision, revision. It's an endless loop so far for me. One day. Maybe one day. I'll get there.
I hear that!
I think there's always something I could do to make my better. Sometimes I just don't know what it is. :0) I feel your pain.
Have a great weekend!
Just think, it's better now than later! I've done 3 MAJOR rewrites on my book since I first started querying a year ago. Every one has made it way better. I think there is room for improvement on just about every book ever written. They key is finding people who can point us in the right direction.
I echo Natalie's comment. Could not have said it better. Good luck with your next revision!!
I'm hoping to be "done" after I get back the last of my critiques. We're all here with you.
I'm stating my revisions now and you gave me a good idea--copying chapter by chapter into a separate document and playing with it like that. I think it might make it less daunting. Thank you!
Oh, Patti, I so feel you on this. I'm in the same spot.
But we can do it! We must.
I think we all feel this way. That's why we're all here for each other, muddling through. Blogs are for bouying each other so that we can tolerate to revise another day. :o)
Good luck with the rest of it!
I got here through Hillary Wagner's blog and am really glad I did. I will be coming back to read past and present posts.
Support is always so important during the entire writing process. I look forward to hearing about your progress.
Oh my gosh...this is EXACTLY what Lisa and I do.
All but a few amazing people (like the ones who stay skinny without trying) can submit without critique.
I just got hit hard by sending something I thought was done, but wasn't done. After all of this time, I should've known better because I always need other eyes on my work. I can't do it alone.
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