The problem with rewriting
Okay, I have figured out why I have shut down every time I try to open my OF manuscript and begin revising.
The voices in my head (yeah, yeah, shut up) have a conversation that goes something like this:
"This is fine as it is. If it needs revision, it's just tweaks here and there. The critters who said it needs major rewrites don't know what they're talking about."
"You're the Bad Author in my head who is afflicted with Golden Word Syndrome. Someone tells you you suck and instead of taking it seriously, you say, 'Nuh-uh!!!' Just like all those other special snowflakes you make fun of."
"Okay, so let's start rewriting. I could (owwww!) just delete this whole chapter and do something else here. Or maybe we should start the book at Part Two and cut the entirety of Part One."
"Part One may be mostly set-up, but there are important pieces there that establish things that otherwise will come out of left field later in the book."
"Figure out a way to put them elsewhere."
"Also, a lot of critters said they really liked this part."
"So cut the unnecessary parts and leave the good parts."
"But what if I am actually cutting parts that are good and listening to the wrong opinions about the parts that need cutting? I could be making it worse by listening to too many opinions! And if I rewrite the whole thing, I'll have to just go through the same cycle again - how do I know I won't get the same contradictory feedback? I am just pushing words around and making no progress, dammit!"
"So start submitting."
"But... but... some of the critiques made sense!"
"So revise first."
"YOU ARE NOT HELPFUL!"
"Why are you writing LJ posts about writing instead of writing?"
"Fuck you."
The voices in my head (yeah, yeah, shut up) have a conversation that goes something like this:
"This is fine as it is. If it needs revision, it's just tweaks here and there. The critters who said it needs major rewrites don't know what they're talking about."
"You're the Bad Author in my head who is afflicted with Golden Word Syndrome. Someone tells you you suck and instead of taking it seriously, you say, 'Nuh-uh!!!' Just like all those other special snowflakes you make fun of."
"Okay, so let's start rewriting. I could (owwww!) just delete this whole chapter and do something else here. Or maybe we should start the book at Part Two and cut the entirety of Part One."
"Part One may be mostly set-up, but there are important pieces there that establish things that otherwise will come out of left field later in the book."
"Figure out a way to put them elsewhere."
"Also, a lot of critters said they really liked this part."
"So cut the unnecessary parts and leave the good parts."
"But what if I am actually cutting parts that are good and listening to the wrong opinions about the parts that need cutting? I could be making it worse by listening to too many opinions! And if I rewrite the whole thing, I'll have to just go through the same cycle again - how do I know I won't get the same contradictory feedback? I am just pushing words around and making no progress, dammit!"
"So start submitting."
"But... but... some of the critiques made sense!"
"So revise first."
"YOU ARE NOT HELPFUL!"
"Why are you writing LJ posts about writing instead of writing?"
"Fuck you."