Rebirth

[scififanatic]

After attempting to sleep through the night, I woke up from a dream and faced a nightmare.

I've accepted that I must trash this novel I've been writing for the last six months. It was an unfinished project so mourning its loss came with mixed emotions. Grief was quickly replaced by relief. Disappointment took a backseat to excitement.

Ray Bradbury said, "There is only one type of story in the world--your story." The story I dumped reached a point where it no longer felt like my story because it no longer felt fun to write. While I know that every day isn't an easy writing day, it is usually fun. I think all writers know what I'm talking about because there's an electric buzz running through your fingers when things are just working.

In talking with some friends about Stephenie Meyer's current news, mariveereminded us that when Meyer first wrote Twilight, she was writing late at night and all for enjoyment. Meyer shared the story as it developed with her sister and didn't stop, I guess, because she was having a ball. Fun! That's what I have to get back to because if I won't tolerate the absence of fun in my professional life (hence why I quit the library gig), then I definitely won't put up with its absence in my creative life.

I'm looking forward to writing more short stories, poems, and yes even completing more novels...all in the name of fun!

Comments

[terrafanti.livejournal.com]

Do I understand correctly? Is Jada going to the bin? I hope I'm wrong, but in the event I'm not, why not keep it for another time while you work on something else?

Just a thought...

[scififanatic.livejournal.com]

I think my problem is the story got out of hand and I included way too many plot ideas that, as you said in one of your posts, can be saved for future stories. This Jada will not be the same when I decide to get back to her story. The whole novel will have undergone a transformation and all for the better I hope.

[fiction-theory.livejournal.com]

I've accepted that I must trash this novel I've been writing for the last six months.

I've faced similar issues in my own writing. I think every writer reaches a point where she's got to look at what she's doing (if it's not working) and ask whether continuing to pound her head against the wall will be worth it.

Sometimes, the issue is that it's a novel you're not ready to write yet, either because you're not there personally, professionally, or just because some little piece of inspiration that will mend things hasn't come along yet.

And you can always pick this project up again if you feel like you've got a new handle on it.

Working on new stuff can sometimes be the best decision you'll make, and you're right. There should be an element of enjoying you're work, because if you're miserable, then your readers will almost certainly be miserable, too.

[scififanatic.livejournal.com]

It's so true, what you said about not being ready to write it yet! I wrote an outline for this novel 2 years ago. Then I wrote a few chapters and decided to stop. This year, I wrote more than 100 pages and realized I had to stop again. Each time, I get a little farther so I'm hoping the third's the charm!

For now, I've got a short story bouncing playfully in my head and I'm excited to have something new.

[marivee.livejournal.com]

Yes, you can definitely pick it up again later. Maybe you can your revisit your first novel as well . . . I sometimes feel that way about my Nora . . . sometimes you just have to step away for a while and do other things.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

[scififanatic.livejournal.com]

Maybe...we'll see. Hope you had a great weekend too--and I know you'll have an even better writing day Tuesday!

[edithspage.livejournal.com]

What is this? You're trashing Jada's story? Why? OMG, I'm calling you.