I've mentioned on more than one blog that ideas come to me at lightning speed and I have way more now than I will ever use in my entire lifetime. Every once in a while, I love to go back to my idea books and files and reread these, sometimes very long and detailed, prose outlines to see what I've got, or what I can haul in to work on next. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised by the ideas and can visualize them fully realized and produced. Other times, I'm looking for an idea to expand for a special project and just so happened to have one plotted out and it's only a matter of rewriting and fleshing out to get it to the point I can submit it....and then there are those other times....
I'm talking about when you pick up a book you've written that is already in print or ebook and you reread it and surprise yourself by how good a writer you really are. For me, this happens when I'm having the biggest doubts about my craft and ablilty. To thumb through pages that I've produced and worlds I've created and think I might be regressing is so depressing I want to hide my head under my pillows and not surface for a week.
Does anyone else feel this way?
Have you ever opened a book you wrote say a year or two ago and thought..."Wow, I was really on my game then. What the hell happened?" - Yeah, I'm at that place now. Though I think the books I write now have the occasional gem in them, I'm not convinced I've been on my game for the past 6 months or so—which I guess in the long run is good, since I haven't written and submitted anything within that time period. All the submissions I've made recently have been books I wrote about two years ago and for one reason or another, I sat on.
So, what's the problem? Why don't I seem to have the groove lately. Why are my characters only one-dimensional instead of the deep, fully faceted people I used to write?
I have no answer for this. Is my creative instincts going on the blink? God forbid.
Or have I simply run out of words? And if so, what do I do with all these ideas if I have no words left to flesh them out?
*Insert frantic panic inducing music here*
I'll tell you, it doesn't help that I came home this morning after working three 12-hour shifts in a row, and was so exhausted I slept from 9am-6pm. Yeah, like I got a lot of work done in my sleep. (But then I dreamed about David Boreanaz from Angel and Bones fame - so not all bad!) - however, I just wasn't as productive as I'd hope for today.
But enough bitching. I'm going to take a shower, put on my new velour lounging outfit and start putting down some words. But before I go, I want to leave you with this. Sometimes, rereading your best material - even if you feel you've regressed - can be some of the most inspiring things you can ever pick up. Inside those pages you'll find you can and have succeeded. That you do have the capacity to create entire worlds, and interesting plots and characters who seem like real people to you and your readers.
Rediscover you writing as often as possible. It helps you keep going.
-Kate
About Us
We are the authors Sierra Wolfe, Tierney O'Malley, Wendy Ely, Alisha Paige, Mark Alders, Kate Davison, and Gracen Miller. Welcome to our blog. We hope to entertain and inform you. This is where we will share our writing journeys and life experiences, and maybe, share a bit of wisdom we pick up along the way. We hope you enjoy it!
About Gracen
Gracen is a hopeless daydreamer masquerading as a "normal" person in southern society. When not writing, she's a full-time basketball/football/guitar mom for her two sons and a devoted wife to her real-life hero-husband. She's addicted to writing, paranormal romance novels and movies, Alabama football and coffee…addictions are not necessarily in order of priority. She is convinced coffee is nectar from the gods and blending coffee and writing together generates the perfect creative merger. Many of her creative worlds are spawned from coffee highs. To learn more about Gracen or to leave her a comment, visit her website at www.gracenmiller.com.
Gracen's Books
About Kate
I like to read and write just about anything. But I am a sucker for a Happily-Ever-After. I need to know characters ride off into the sunset and all is right in their world. That's why I chose romance instead of another category. HEA's aren't always promised in other genres, though I do read them too.
Most of the time you'll find me at the keyboard, moving between the 5 projects I tackle at a time.
Most of the time you'll find me at the keyboard, moving between the 5 projects I tackle at a time.
About Alisha
I write paranormal, magic realism, fantasy, erotic and vintage romance. I live in a haunted house built in the 50s and love to drink red wine and eat dark chocolate while sitting in the swing out back. I love to watch my children play in the sandbox while my dogs wrestle on the grass. Does life get any better? It's the simple things in life I cherish.
Alisha's Books
About Wendy
Writing is an adventure I started at a young age but never took it serious until last year. My focus is on contemporary romance and have two books coming out later this year. Besides writing, I run a childcare, attend college, and am a single mom. Life isn't boring for me!
Wendy's Books
Our Friends
- Aimee St. Claire
- Amy Redwood
- Cate Masters
- Chicks-n-Scratching
- Debra Kayn
- Haven Rich
- http://tammiejin.blogspot.com
- Jen Bluekissed
- Keta Diablo
- Lainey Bancroft
- Lucy Woodhull
- Lynne DuMae
- Moonlight, Lace, & Mayhem
- Regina Carlysle
- Romantic Inks
- Sela Carsen
- Tales From the Crit
- Tammie Jin
- The Naughty Girls Next Door
- Three Wicked Writers
Followers
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
WTR Authors Giveaway
None presently
Our Sites
About Tierney
Hi! My name is Tierney O'Malley, contemporary and paranormal romance author from the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My publishers are Cobblestone Press, Museitup Publishing, eXtasy Books, and Silver Publishing. I'm excited to join this blog and hope to share you fun and meaningful posts. :D Click here or go to my website http://tierneyomalley.com to learn more about my books or contact me. I would love to hear from you.
About Mark
My name is Mark Alders. I live in a house. This house has a street in front of it which is a good thing because if it didn't I wouldn't be able to drive down to the shop and purchase the chocolate I need on a daily basis *giggle* Seriously, I am a mild mannered post office worker by day and an erotic romance writer (mainly male/male) at night. Not much else to say other than, like everyone else, I have bills to pay, a mortgage and family that I love and drive me crazy all at the same time. Oh, and I have a dog, too! See? Average Joe...execpet when I get down and write...then I let my imagination go to places I never knew existed and my characters invade my mind.
About Sierra
I have an Associates Degree in Nursing and work as a traveling nurse. Although, I miss my family and friends back in Missouri, I enjoy meeting new people and love to travel. Of course, I wouldn’t go anywhere without my wonderful daughter and two rotten dogs. Writing has always been a part of my life, but for many years, I thought it was only a hobby. Finally learning that I couldn’t live without writing my beloved stories, I decided to see where it would take me. Who knows where my next adventure will be? Either in nursing or writing, I will continue to look for new and fun places to explore.
Our Favorite Places
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(246)
-
▼
November
(23)
- SEX! SEX! SEX!
- GLBT Trap?
- Interview with Jess C Scott!
- Happy Thanksgiving! A Free Romantic Short for Turk...
- No Time for Much
- What are you thankful for????
- Ugly but Interesting
- Rebecca Rose Interview and a peek at Divine Turmoil!
- Personality Differences
- Looking Back and Edging Forward
- I am raising the bar!
- Erotic Thoughts
- Nanowrimo? Huh?
- Nocturnally Vexed...In Print Dec. 2nd!
- Hooray! Another good review!
- Wonderful World of the Web
- Rediscovering Your Writing
- Muse Whammy
- New Cover et al :D
- A Best Seller!
- New Book Trailer and Nanowrimo update
- Halloween Contest Story Results and Halloween Fun!
- Music and Plot Ideas
-
▼
November
(23)
1 comments:
I've never actually done this. Perhaps one day I will pick up a book (when I get into print) and read some of my own words.
*hugs*
Mark
Post a Comment