That's the beauty of editing and rewriting with ritual.
I DID pop over to Google to find that lovely image of David Tennant's lovely face telling me I should write and I found ALL OF THESE! You've got everything from Loki, to two Doctors, to my boys from Supernatural, to my favorite today...the bloody Queen of England.
So, off I go...smiling.
I'll check in later on page count. Wish me luck! #WritersLife#MaggieAndChristian
A good deal of editing, and writing for that matter, seems to be reminding myself of what it is NOT time for. It is not time to fiddle with plot. That comes after I've written out all of the scenes in a list, and after I do some pre-writing. (This is true because I have chosen to follow The Weekend Novelist Rewrites The Novel and if there's one edict we follow in this house it is "trust your chosen paid professionals.") Telling myself this is a relief because I don't actually know yet how to fix what needs improving and if I were to allow myself to dwell on that I'd derail the whole process. |
Huge progress today thanks to having edited a scene three weeks ago for submission so I was able to just cut and paste that bad boy in, which brings me to page 54! Huzzah! Which brings me to the question of when is it enough? Not the whole big ginormous project, but for the day? When you begin to be ineffectual? When your timer says? Seriously, how do YOU judge? |
At the second round of ineffectual, mind-wandering haze I was going to stop but assessed first and found that if I could rally for two more pages, I could cut and paste and cry "Huzzah!"
And I did. And I'm glad. Half a day tomorrow before going to look at colleges with Miss M but for today, my candle is out and I am feeling satisfied. #WritersLife #MaggieAndChristian
Before I go, one last thing (because I'm big on transparency because we all benefit from a fuller story!) Before you go thinking that this whole rewriting process has just been smooth sailing and dedication (with the implication that you're a failure and a lousy person because of all the starts and stops and the inability to just get it done already) I give you this. It's the bottle of wine I opened when I started the rewrite process...back in MAY! I had to dump it last night - it was a sweet wine that had gone over. |
Even with (8+ years of) starts and stops, you can get there. Just look at me and my sad bottle of wine and high hopes. Keep at it, and it'll come.
Now I really should be writing!! (Where's that picture of Nathan Fillian when I need it??) #WritersLife #Transparency #MaggieAndChristian
I could have gotten in an hour, maybe even two if I had pushed this morning but it was a rough night and I'm not the kind of person who does well with a lack of sleep.
So I chose compassion.
There are some that will tell you you'll never make your dreams a reality if you don't push yourself. You won't hear that crap from me.
Not because I'm against putting in the effort but because I believe that there's a time and a place for that, and practicing discernment to know when going easy is the better way is a skill that takes experience.
No rewriting today and it's ok. Because I choose compassion. #WritersLife#MaggieAndChristian
PS I didn't pack up for the weekend yet. HOPE - it springs eternal. I MIGHT be able to sneak in some time tomorrow!