So, no querying for me any time soon.
I was re-reading the book to look for the things I want to cut. There are some things that are bothering me with the book. I've hinted at them before.
Now I'm seeing problems everywhere. When did my story adopt so many inconsistencies and problems? I did not give it permission to start fostering troublemaker children. Not cool.
So, I'm abandoning any notion of querying When the Star Fell, at least in the next couple of months. Maybe come September. 2 years after starting that initial world-building. Seriously? 2 years. I started it the fall immediately after I graduated with my master's.
The last 2 years have taken me so many different directions and yet I'm now coming full-circle back to where I was that summer when I was working on Oracles Promise and had so many hopes for the year to follow that graduation. Those hopes have long-since died in so many ways.
But the dream and hope of seeing my book on a shelf is still alive, even if it's being deferred yet again.
How are your WiPs going?
So wise of you to wait if you feel the novel isn't ready! Keep working away. I'm still revising my last WiP...when I can get to it. It's blogging day today, however. Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteDon't give up. I've been working on my manuscript for 7-8 years and I still have a revision on voice. But I'm not giving up and you shouldn't either. One of the good things about revising a lot is that the ones you need to do are quicker and less overwhelming. At least they are for me.
ReplyDeleteMy main advice would be don't overthink it, and get a second opinion, or a third opinion. Before you start going crazy on revisions and cutting, let someone else take a look, someone who hasn't seen it before. Because, truly, it will never be perfect in your eyes. Even when you decide it is good enough to query, good enough to print, you will pick it up in the bookstore and say, "I really should've done this, or that, or this could've been better."
ReplyDeleteWhere you see problems someone else might see a quirky side to the story. A sentence you think is weird may be a unique voice shining through. I guess my point is that you can't accurately judge your own work. You need more sets of eyes.
I've been with my first story for about two years now. I wrote a version, a long one, line edited and revised, and then I trashed it. I'm almost 20,000 words into the rewrite now. And I'm falling in love with it all over again. So I feel your pain with this. Sometimes you just get so tired of the story and the characters you could scream! But it's going to be worth all of the pain and shattered dreams when that final dream comes true!
~Tara
Sorry to hear that Stephanie! I'm sure you'll be able to get it into shape and start querying it eventually. It's funny how every time we writers read our work we find something else that needs fixing. I guess at some point we just need to step back and say 'No more!' Otherwise I think I'd revise forever.
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, I hear ya! I keep telling myself I'm going to query soon...well, it's like 4 months later and I'm no closer, LOL!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with revisions! :D
Take heart. I believe it was Plato that said after you write something put it away for 9 years before you publish it. When the student is ready the teacher will come. It took me 20 some years to get my first book to where I wanted it to be so this is not the first time this is happening it is just the first time it is happening to you : )
ReplyDeleteYou are NOT right back where you started two years ago. I guarantee, you are a stronger more experienced writer who's going to kick the pants out of those problem children. You can do this!
ReplyDeleteCarol, Good luck with the revisions! Yucky but necessary process.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, this is very true. And I hear you on the whole many years work thing. My second novel took 8 just to get the first draft finished. Good luck with your revisions!
Tara, I'm not talking minor details. I'm talking an entire section of story. And it's a section that conflicts with my own personal beliefs that I wrote because it felt at the time like it was necessary, but now I'm not so sure. I'm trying to get a second opinion but it's taking some time. Thanks for coming by! And good luck with the current WiP!
Sari, I hear you on the revising forever thing. It's why one book took 8 years for me to get to "The End" on it. Sigh. Good luck with school and the WiP!
Laura, LOL. You've had very good reasons for not revising or querying. Once life settles down a bit you'll get there, I'm sure.
James, thanks.
Ali, LOL. In my writing I'm not where I was two years ago. But in so much else I am. Thanks for the encouragement and support.