Comments on: Revision Nightmare

By: Suzanne Jones

Suzanne Jones — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:13:25 +0000

Throwing a good tantrum does a girl the world of good - as does indulging in a good cry. I can frequently be found doing both.

As Lorraine said - if anyone can nail this you will.

XX

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:34:52 +0000

Jane – thanks for the hugs. And I love that – head down, heart up! I’m trying. I’m finding my way, I think. But the only certainty is that nothing is certain! 🙂 Hugs back to you and your writing too.

By: Jane Holland

Jane Holland — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:17:45 +0000

Hugs, Jackie! I have every sympathy with your frustration, sounds like a familiar scenario. I too am struggling to get my head straight with the demands of writing at the moment. But I've been here before and I've always got back on the horse, if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor. As a writer, you hit rough patches all the time, and revisions are often the triggers for sudden self-doubt and lack of umph!

It'll all come back to you, things will straighten out, and you'll find writing easier again. But you do have to work through it. Head down, heart up!

Jx

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Wed, 12 May 2010 07:56:07 +0000

Susan – thanks! I do have the picture in my head but it’s getting it down that’s the problem. I’m sure some new characters will come along to bother you soon. 😉

By: susanwilson44

susanwilson44 — Wed, 12 May 2010 07:34:41 +0000

Character Jackie, what characters? At least you have some! Trying to think of something new but mind is a complete blank! You’ll be fine Jackie, you’ve got your whole framework in front of you and the picture in your head of what you want to see. Go for it!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:54:27 +0000

Lacey – that’s soooo true! Better to have no freaking idea than to be utterly certain you have it right – that way, when the rejection comes you were kind of expecting it! Lol! Yep, will keep you posted.

By: Lacey Devlin

Lacey Devlin — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:05:47 +0000

((HUGS)) Baaad revisions. Bad, bad revisions. But you know it would probably be worse if you found it too easy and then literally ripped your hair out trying to figure out what you were missing. You’ve got it now! Good luck and let us know when you hit the send button!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:05:33 +0000

Hi Wendy – welcome to blogland! Your experience with your ms sounds great. Isn’t it fantastic when you get that breakthrough? Actually, now I know where my heroine is coming from,I am finding it easier to get into her head.
And yeah, blogging can be great. Sometimes it’s a great way to give yourself a good talking to. 🙂

Joanne – I think that’s the problem, there will be no guarantee of lovely contracts. But I suppose it’s all a good learning experience. At least, that’s what I tell myself. 🙂

By: Joanne Coles

Joanne Coles — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:40:09 +0000

Oh bless you, what a journey! But just think what the end of it will bring you--a lovely contract :-)

You know the saying, you have to experience the lows so you can truly appreciate the highs.

Go, Jackie, you can do it!

By: Wendy Tyler Ryan

Wendy Tyler Ryan — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:20:22 +0000

Hi Jackie:

I feel your pain. I am working on a revision of my own. I am in the process of turning my 80,000 word ms into a 100,000 word manuscript.

My initial thought was that it was going to be tough, however, I had to sit down and ask myself honestly what I would change. The answer was really "nothing", but what sparked the whole revision in the first place was deciding that my main character was a little too "damsel in distress" and not enough "kick-ass". All of a sudden it became amazingly easy. I just took what I knew about my character in my head and beefed up the manuscript in certain scenes to reflect it. There was a whole side to my girl that I had only hinted at, once I started to show it, it all came spilling out.

So find that one thing...that tiny little noise that starts the whole avalanche coming down and wonderful things can happen.

I am very close to finishing the ms. I have been very sick for the past week and a half with a miserable cold, but still managed to write most days. That fact that you blog is great -- even if no one were to read it, it can become like having a heart to heart with yourself. Which is why I started my own blog (which no one really comes to yet, but that's okay). I am not yet published and wanted a place where other writers waiting to be published could comment and talk about their unique issues. Stop by some time -- but be gentle, I'm a newbie :)