or, as I also call it, cat-licking a story to death. So I got a fantasy series with the working title of Sarah. And of course there's three in the series because, well, I couldn't come up with a fourth and couldn't end it after the second. The things are, essentially, already written. But I can't seem to let it go. It is never good enough (although everyone tells me it is indeed very good enough). It was the first novel I finished (and it came in at just under 200K, hence the three parts) and I'm really attached to it. Like, what if it doesn't sell? What if it is, gasped, criticized? My Precious Feelings and all that. When I was ready to submit something, I picked a generic romance novel I was not attached to. And I submitted it, thinking it would hurt less when it is rejected. Well, it wasn't rejected and actually won an award. And suddenly I was writing for THEM and not for ME. I came out of that finally but I can't seem to let Sarah go and release her to the masses. Any advice? Surely I am not the only one with this. Please say I am not. I've got other irons in the not-so-proverbial fire right now but I keep thinking about Sarah. She whispers to me from the PC folder in which she is placed.
"cat-licking a story to death" - think I might use that one lol! Anyway, I hear you. I know I sometimes am guilty of the same thing. There have been a few points I have stopped myself and been like, "Whoa, no. If I continue, I'm going to have a completely different story!" So I set it down for a few weeks or months and then revisit when my mind is fresh. It seems like when I'm more stressed, I nitpick more. Definitely consider an editor. I know they're expensive, it's not exactly an option for me (if I want to wait another few years, that is) - I can't see any way I could ever afford it. I remember going onto other websites that offer tips on critique. Just web search on certain issues you may have - character development, dialogue, etc. and there are a lot of useful articles out there to help you pinpoint what is gonna fall short and how to switch it up to be better. I suppose the book not selling is the reality we all face. Sometimes a book only sells a few copies. I haven't yet published something, but heard that marketing is a big thing if you wanna sell books. Again, web searching for different ways to market your book will pop with a lot of good ideas. I don't deal with criticism too well.I hear you there. I'm not likely to lash out, just deeply internalize until I burst. Yeah, not so great. Some authors do not read your critiques. I've thought about going this route when I publish something, but at the same time I'd be tempted lol. I think not looking because sometimes readers don't always understand how much work goes into that book is sound advice. Sometimes writers get caught up in writing for their fandom or whoever has them on demand and from what I hear, it can be stressful and become a crazy tangle. If you want to write for you, write for you - step away and work on something you love OR stick with Sarah, but do an awesome side project for you! I don't think it's uncommon for writers to have multiple different stories going at a time. For me, I have 3 or 4. If I hit a writers block, I just switch to the other for a while and when I get the inspiration again, I go back to my main story. Best wishes to you!
Yeah, I don't read reviews as a habit. I go through them once or twice a year at most. The most frustrating one was some idiot rated my SF with a one star because he "doesn't like science fiction". Seriously, dude? Seriously. I think I'm going to do what you suggest. Send it off to an editor who is also a beta reader. Get her opinion on it. If I can get it out of my head that it isn't good enough, then perhaps I can move forward with it. I write for myself now, and toss it out there to be accepted or not. Sounds easy, right? Ha.
Have you given yourself enough distance on it (since you last edited and/or wrote it) so that you can read it as if somebody else had written it? I've found that's the key, really. Once you can look at it like you'd look at any other book out there, you can quickly make the changes and tweaks it needs to approach perfection. The trick is to forget what you were thinking when you wrote it. Forget what you were trying to say. Just look at what you actually said. But that, I'm afraid, takes distance. Sometimes a lot of distance! But it's better than giving up altogether, or rushing the thing. Or tinkering (cat-licking!) it to death.
Have you tried writing websites? A lot of people can edit books for free. It's not always professional, but it helps to have a fresh insight into the story. Also, I would personally advise you never to give up on the story, even if you don't think it'll sell. The world's too focused these days on what's 'popular' and what will make money, and it's the reason why we have so many cliches floating around the place (sorry, I won't go off on a rant!). But if you really love the story and can't seem to let it go, just stick with it. There's a good chance that other people will love it too, maybe even as much as you do. As for the 'keep polishing it' thing, I had the same issue with my most recent historical fiction story. I've written sixteen drafts of it over two years and it just wouldn't... click, I guess. So I took a break and wrote something else, then came back to it and voila! I could write much more easily and see its faults. It's still not at all professional, but I hope it's at least a little bit better than it was before the break XD
I started Sarah in mid to late 2003. I've let her be for as long as a year several times. Bless her heart.
Yes, a prime example here of "readers that don't get it." I have heard of reviews like that one on the forum and it doesn't make any sense when readers do that. I'm glad you have found some ideas to help out with what direction you're taking in writing. Sounds like those things should help you out! It may even be better than you think it is!
I will never understand why people do that. It's a prejudice. We're not going to give a good rating or review on something if we don't like the genre. You're not alone. This is actually one of the reasons I left the previous community I was with. A number of them believe they have to give reviews regardless of whether or not they like the genre or subject. And they end up giving criticism not constructive criticism, which is what we're supposed to give. I think this is wrong. There is a loss of enjoyment, of pleasure when we are coerced, pushed or forced, into doing something we know we won't enjoy. This comes out in our reaction. I don't like poetry, so I don't review much less read it. Some days, over there, all that's been shared is poetry. They might as well change it to a poetry site. I refuse to read any of it. The one exception I can understand is when there's only a handful of people in the writer's group. One friend of mine is in a in-person group with less than 10 people. So, there's a given acceptance here. On an online community of a few dozen to over or several hundred or thousands this should not be an issue. So, I'm with PaulaO on this . Seriously dude, he just waisted time.
Cat-licking a story to death. I really like that! Took me ten years to write my first "big" book, which should have been two or three books if I had been commercially wiser. At some point I thought it would never get done, but I kept at it, revising, putting it away, revising, putting it away some more. Having beta readers. Many beta readers. Revising some more. At one point, believe it or not, I thought it was ready. Not perfect, but perfect enough and ready. I published it. So yes, it can happen. You have to be patient until you are really pleased with the outcome.
