Feeling a little discouraged

[raven_estrella]

I'm on Christmas break right now, which means I won't have class for another week. I'm trying to make the best use of all the spare time. So I've started working on my novel, which I haven't had time for in a few months. I'm close to finishing it and would like to get it done before too long.

The only trouble is this: After having set it aside for

Comments

[fandoria]

You're not the only writer to feel this way. When I was writing the first (completed) draft of my novel, I thought it was great. I read through it, revising as I went, after I finished and realized there were plots holes galore and other massive issues. But I'd spent so much time on it that I didn't want to abandon it. I knew it wasn't any good the way it was though. I ended up thinking of new ways to fix it. Except, these fixes required a total, start from scratch, rewrite of the entire book. Crazy, I know. Even more crazy? I was insane enough to tackle the rewrite. But now I'm nearing 75% done and I do not for one second regret my decision. I've been able to save my story and it's so much better than I ever thought it could be.

So what's my point? I guess it's that you shouldn't let this feeling discourage you to the point of giving up. Take a few days or weeks, however long you need, to really think about it. Think about what you need to do to make it better and whether or not it's worth it to you to make that happen. If you decide to make those changes, whatever they may be, I guarantee that while you may occasionally sit back and wonder what on earth you were thinking, you won't regret it once you start seeing all the improvements. Also, instead of feeling discouraged, just think of this as a sign of how much you've grown as a writer.

[raven_estrella]

Thanks for the advice; it's much appreciated. It really helps to know that other writers have gone through this. My book will probably require a full, or near-full, rewrite, but it would be worth my while to tackle it. Kudos to you for not giving up! I think it's the writers who don't give in to discouragement that end up being successfully published. It's going to take me awhile to be able to write, but I'm going to try my best. You're right to say that I should look at this as proof that I've grown as a writer, which is good rather than bad news. Good luck with your writing! It sounds like it's really good!