Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Musings about my "break" from writing


Before the holidays I had given the first couple of chapters to my critique partners, received excellent feedback, revised. Repeated the whole process. Revised again. You know how that goes. I think I got the first ten or fifteen pages very close to right, which is a great feeling. (I'll know soon if my CP agree.) But after the last set of changes I had to take a break from that novel. I had read the beginning so many times, cut pages, moved scenes, got rid of everything that annoyed my CP (yeah,  I'm sorry to say there were a few things that just didn't work and I love my CP for helping me to see why) that I was afraid I wasn't looking at it objectively anymore. I knew I needed time to forget the story.

Normally, I'd jump to another project, but at this time I have two novels out on submission and my current WIP. This left me with the dilemma of what to do with my writing time. I kept telling myself I should catch up on my ever growing TBR list, but I like to read at night and I had plenty of time off during the holidays to write. I also have a few novel sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to come back to them. I decided to read through a YA novel I'd first written in 2007. I don't think I intentionally shelved this one. I still love the premise and the characters. The last time I put this one aside was because I had sold a novel. I must have known I'd be away from it for awhile, because I had noted exactly what I had been changing and where I'd left off at the top of the Word doc.

What started out as an I'll just read through this novel for fun turned into me rewriting more than half the chapters. I even set myself a deadline for when I had to be done tinkering with it (because I really wanted to get back to my other project). I'm happy to say I made it. I should have known I'd end up making major revisions. I have a MG story in a similar situation as this YA novel, and the last time I read through it for fun I added 10,000 words. I may never subs these novels. They may end up being the side projects that keep me going when I'm on "break", because I obviously don't do breaks like normal people.

Do you have novels waiting for you to come to them? Pet projects you fiddle with in between other projects?

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14 comments:

  1. Susan Kaye QuinnJanuary 15, 2013 at 9:04 AM

    You do breaks like I do! The fun never stops. :) Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday!

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    1. Cherie ColyerJanuary 15, 2013 at 5:33 PM

      I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't do well with breaks. See you tomorrow!

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  2. Mirka BreenJanuary 15, 2013 at 3:51 PM

    Time to dream and think is not exactly a break, I agree. Don't you just love what we do?

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  3. Shell FlowerJanuary 15, 2013 at 8:21 PM

    It's great to have old friends to revisit in the form of shelved novels. I have a YA novel that I might just try to rewrite from scratch into a more MG novel once I'm finished with edits on my current WIP. That is, unless a new shiny idea comes to take me away!

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    1. Cherie ColyerJanuary 16, 2013 at 9:49 AM

      I agree, and shiny ideas are one of the reason this novel keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the pile, but we have to write what's speaks the loudest to us. :)

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  4. Nicki ElsonJanuary 17, 2013 at 4:07 PM

    Hehe, yeah, funny how you take a break from writing...by writing. But it really IS a break from your other project - and shows that you're meant to do this writing thing. ;)

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  5. F. StoneJanuary 17, 2013 at 9:33 PM

    Yep, me too. I took a year long break from writing TGW, right in the middle of the umpteenth rewrite. When I finally got back to it, the passion was still there. Unlike most writers, I can write only one novel at a time. I am in awe of authors who have more than one novel in progress.

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    1. Cherie ColyerJanuary 19, 2013 at 5:37 PM

      I'm definitely a more than one novel writer. Good luck with your rewrite :)

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  6. Jennifer LaneJanuary 18, 2013 at 9:44 PM

    Sounds like you have a lot of novels in the hopper! Keep up the good work.

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  7. Andi-Roo @TheWorld4RealzJanuary 19, 2013 at 5:07 AM

    I hadn't considered what I might do between projects, since I'm not really "there" yet. But it sounds to me like working on other projects between projects is exactly what the doctor ordered. Either that, or doing some other form of creative work, like scrapbooking, painting, or other arts, in order to give your writing mind a change of scenery. I wonder what route I'll take once I'm at that point???

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    1. Cherie ColyerJanuary 19, 2013 at 5:39 PM

      All your options sound great. I wish I could paint. Sadly, I lack true talent in that area.

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