Revising
I started revising TAINTED FROST a few weeks ago. It's so exciting! I can't believe how much I love revising. I always thought I would hate it because before I started writing novel-length fiction, revising seemed like a chore. Wouldn't it be great to write a perfect first draft that didn't need any more work? I mean, I guess that would be pretty great, but revising is just as fun because it really stirs the imagination. I've been coming up with so many new ideas, getting to know new things about my characters, and polishing my craft. Writing is hard, but, at the same time, it's exhilarating and fun, fun, fun. Every time I write another sentence or come up with a new detail, I get a little thrill. I hope it's always like this.
So far, I've come up with a new first chapter and reworked the first chapter from my second draft into the second chapter. I'm happy with the progress I've made (even though I'm sure I'll begin doubting myself soon enough like I always do), and I'm excited to see what comes next. It seems like a new idea pops into my head almost every day.
I also had my manuscript bound by Lulu.com, and it looks so cool--just like a real book! Now I hope that I can read the whole thing without cringing at every sentence and then chucking the thing against the wall. It's always hard to go back and read my writing, because by the time I do, all I see are flaws. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I mean, at some point I'm going to have to stop nitpicking and just release it out into the world by giving it to critique partners or beta-readers so that they can judge for me. I'm definitely a perfectionist, but, honestly, most of the time perfectionism seems like a hindrance. It holds you back so that you're never happy with anything that you do. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be done with this book. For now, I'm just glad that I haven't gotten bored with it. There's definitely something about this story that speaks to me. It's the first story I've started that I've also followed through to completion. Twice. Hopefully, the third time's the charm.
So far, I've come up with a new first chapter and reworked the first chapter from my second draft into the second chapter. I'm happy with the progress I've made (even though I'm sure I'll begin doubting myself soon enough like I always do), and I'm excited to see what comes next. It seems like a new idea pops into my head almost every day.
I also had my manuscript bound by Lulu.com, and it looks so cool--just like a real book! Now I hope that I can read the whole thing without cringing at every sentence and then chucking the thing against the wall. It's always hard to go back and read my writing, because by the time I do, all I see are flaws. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I mean, at some point I'm going to have to stop nitpicking and just release it out into the world by giving it to critique partners or beta-readers so that they can judge for me. I'm definitely a perfectionist, but, honestly, most of the time perfectionism seems like a hindrance. It holds you back so that you're never happy with anything that you do. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be done with this book. For now, I'm just glad that I haven't gotten bored with it. There's definitely something about this story that speaks to me. It's the first story I've started that I've also followed through to completion. Twice. Hopefully, the third time's the charm.