The writing's on the wall. It's seven hundred stories tall.

[lithiumlaughter]

GIFT

You tell me that silence
is nearer peace than poems
but if for my gift
I brought you silence
  (for I know silence)
you would say
     This is not silence
this is another poem
and you would hand it back to me.

-Leonard Cohen

I get the feeling that today is a writing day. Specifically of the original variety, which will prove interesting in and of

Comments

[lithiumlaughter]

t's funny. You always figure you're the only one facing these issues (we're all -- or at least I am -- a little self-centered that way), and then something/someone comes along to remind you that there are certain things that are rather universal. It's comforting to know that. Sabotaging is a very good word for the whole thing. We sabotage ourselves into a fear-based stasis. That's currently where I'm at, and that is what I need to force myself to work through.

I'd never thought of this kind of thinking as being laced with any sort of poison. That's an interesting way to look at it. Perhaps the analogy is apt; getting the words out is the equivalent of sucking the venom out of the wound. Now that I've excised it, perhaps I can move forward with a little more confidence.

Hmm. The trick is finding someone with an outside eye who won't mind tearing your work to bits in a loving way. I think I know someone in my life who wouldn't mind. Still, fear-based stasis. I don't want to put something I care about so much out there to see absolutely destroyed. I can start taking steps in that direction, I hope. Can I ask how you dealt with seeing your work dissected? I've had people beta fic for me, and that's been incredibly enlightening, and much less stressful. Is it a similar thing with original fiction? How do you deal with it when you're faced with characters and stories of your own making being examined as opposed to characters you've borrowed?

You flatter me with your compliments, my dear. You truly do.

We can indeed do all things through Him. Even writing.

*hugs back* Thanks. I kind of needed this.

[scribble_myname]

It kind of depends on how good your beta is. It's a very similar process. The only real difference between good fanfic and good original fic is the amount of worldbuilding and set up that's required. So a real tough beta would be equivalent to an original fic beta reader.

Now, I'll be honest. I have a thick skin. It's hard to train yourself into it at first, but practice makes perfect. I KNOW my beta is going to be hard on my stuff because 1) I asked them to and 2) they want the absolute best for my story just like I do.

One of the things I learned with getting editorial when I first started working with Sunlight Books: I would rather have my editor find stuff that makes me want to curl up and have the floor swallow me than my reader. I kind of divorce my feelings while I read an edit. Sometimes I don't agree with the edits, but I take every single one and weigh it before applying it or rejecting it.

It can be hard, but if you brace yourself, get comfy, and remember that this is the good kind of hurt, like taking off a band-aid or disinfecting a scrape, it helps.

[lithiumlaughter]

Mmm. Interesting. You're bang on with the worldbuilding, and have put it far better than I could. Of course, this leaves the trick of finding myself a good beta/editor. And first I actually have to fix up and finish some of my original stuff...THEN I can look in to that sort of thing.

I find I have a thick skin when it comes to having the technical aspects of my writing dissected: punctuation, sentence structure, dialogue, and the like. That I can stand to see ripped to shreds and be totally okay. THAT is the area I appreciate being advised on. It's the characters themselves that I'm always worried about, fic or original. That's where I tend to take it personally, and clearly where I need to work on ripping my bandaids.

Thanks so much for this, my dear. I really appreciate your thoughts and advice.