Wednesday, November 10, 2010

It's too early to be disappointed!

Last week I was running in shorts and a t-shirt.

This week, I just want to stay curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book. It's cold! Autumn is definitely here.

Aren't these cupcakes with trees and brightly covered leaves cute?



Although I have a lot of books that I've bought recently as well as ones I reserved that have come in from the library (why do they always have to come in at the same time?), I don't have time to cuddle up and read. I need to keep moving forward on the WIP! I hit 28,000 yesterday. Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep...

The WIP is straight contemporary. And not in verse. I feel like it has the potential to be really good and I want SO BADLY for it to be really, really good! Do you ever struggle with that in a first draft? Wanting so desperately for it to be good and disappointed with every word that it's not as good as you want it to be?

I revise as I go - I have to. It's what works best for me. But even doing that, this time, I feel like it's falling flat and disappointment is there at every turn.

I know, revision is my friend, and it's too soon to feel disappointed! That's what I keep telling myself, anyway. That and - just keep writing! :)

Have a great day!

8 comments:

  1. Likewise!

    Cold here, too. Monday was 74. I don't think we got out of the 40s yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I felt that way with my current MS. Hardest thing I've ever written (and I have the tossed out drafts to prove it) but I just knew it could be good if I just kept trying.

    You will make it awesome Lisa. I have no doubt. And if you ever need anything you know where to find me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great new site, Lisa. Cold in SoCal, too, believe it or not. Okay, it's in the 50s, but that's cold to me now. 40s in the morning. I just hit 28,000 words, too! Coinkidink! Congrats and keep going. Also, my running has tanked a little lately. Need to get back at it. You're not alone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love knowing that you revise while you write...I can't NOT do that.

    Good luck on your new WIP!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Caroline - stay warm!! :)

    Shannon - you may be sorry if one day I take you up on that offer, Shannon. I'm guessing you give a dang good critique!

    Tracy - I'm up to 29,100 today. Hope you are writing too!!

    Kris - Yay for revising as we go! Whatever works, I say! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I totally get this. The more I write my current project--and the closer I get to finishing--I can see the potential it has. . . and every cliched look or sigh and wrong word choice is driving me insane. I am editing as I go, too, and fully plan on kicking some revision butt starting next week when I (hopefully) finish it, but . . . yeah . . . just keep writing, writing, writing, just keep writing (love Nemo!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah, Lisa it's like you're in our head! There's nothing like finishing up copy edits on one manuscript and then going back to your WIP and thinking, holy crap does this SUCK. Sometimes I miss the way we wrote before we really knew how to edit. Ignorance was bliss!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm the same way- I revise as I write and I'm really slow. And then I read these AWESOME books and get a little more discouraged- like I can't possibly be as good as that. My writing feels like a mess compared to some. And then all these agents keep saying your ideas need to be unique, and YA is so competitive right now and it brings me down! But then we have this great community that brings us up and helps us when we're down. So, don't worry- I am sure your first draft is MUCH better than you are thinking right now. I envisioned Dori from Finding Nemo going "Just keep writing, Just keep writing!"

    ReplyDelete