Then the doubts and self-castigation begin and you start listening to the lies the enemy has been lurking nearby, just waiting for a chance to throw at you:
Your writing really stinks.
You’ll never be good enough.
You should never have started the project to begin with.
This effort isn’t nearly as good as your last one.
What were you thinking?
Give it up. Go crochet doilies or something.
Any of those sound familiar?
I confess. Guilty as charged. I’m at that point right now, one-third of the way through my current work. Oh, I still love the concept of this series. The first two volumes have been well received. And I had fun writing them.
But…
Why am I having so much trouble with Volume 3? I’m procrastinating way too much, reluctant to move forward, and I must. I’m under contract to write this series. Though I’m under no set deadline, I am obligated to submit each volume in a timely manner, and I know I’m pushing it.
When I looked last night at what I’ve written so far, well, I’m not happy with it. It’s…okay. Just…not good, know what I mean?
So I’m curious what the rest of you writers out there do when this happens to you? How do you work through it? Please share in the comment section below.
Or, better yet, write an article to share her for other enquiring minds.
Why? Because this is the inaugural post of what I hope will become a weekly feature here on Whispers in Purple. I’m calling it WRITING TALK TUESDAY, and will be featured once a week on…Tuesday’s! Clever, huh?
So consider this my INVITATION to contribute something…anything…as long as it’s writing-related, to share with others. If you’re interested in this, mention it in your comment; use the CONTACT tab at the top of this page, or email me at peg@peggyblannphifer.com
Hope to hear from you soon!
Author Peggy Blann Phifer, a retired executive assistant after twenty-one years in the Electrical Wholesale Industry, lives in the ‘boonies’ of NW Wisconsin. A late bloomer as far as writing is concerned, Peg’s first published work was a prayer that appeared in 2000 in a Guideposts Book compilation called Prayers for Every Need. Her debut novel, To See the Sun, a contemporary romantic suspense, released in January 2012. A novella, Somehow, Christmas Will Come, contemporary women’s fiction, released in November 2014, re-released in late 2015. Her work has also appeared in numerous anthologies and she is currently writing a series of her own called Sweetwater River. Peg is represented by Jim Hart, of Hartline Literary Agency.
Where to find Peg:
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I go through this with every book I write, Peggy, so you're not alone. About halfway through the second re-write I'm to the point you describe in your blog; not sure why I wrote it, it's the worst book I've ever written, I'm never going to finish it. . . the list goes on and on. About that time I take a few days away from it and by the time I return to work on it, I feel much better about the project. I also pray about it and remind myself how well my other books were received by my readers. If they were good, what makes me think this one won't be too--when I'm finally finished with it.
ReplyDeleteMostly though I turn the project over to God and let Him work through me. That's what I'm supposed to be doing anyway. There's no way I could write it by myself!
Great blog, Peggy! Hugs!
Greetings, Ruth, good to see you here. Yeah, I was pretty sure I wasn't alone in this. In fact, I've seen the same comments from BIG NAME multi-published and best selling authors. It seems to come with the territory, endemic to this crazy writing gig, right? This post today just seemed an appropriate one to kick of this new weekly feature :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for dropping in. I appreciate it.
Blessings.