Arrrgh...just...stop...messing with it!!!

[Katiecat]

I have just overcome an arduously long spell of writer's block. I FINALLY finish a story, one I've had half-written for forever. I polish it lovingly, and submit it. And wait. And then what do I do? I CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE. I found one tiny typo -- "every" instead of "ever", so I corrected and re-submitted it. Then I found a verb I repeated in the same paragraph, so I edited again to change my word choice. Then I read through it again and...well, you get the picture.

I keep shuffling my story to the bottom of the submission pile, and it will be stuck in "pending" status forever because no editor will ever get a chance to read it. Why am I doing this???

 

[mynameisben]

I have just overcome an arduously long spell of writer's block. I FINALLY finish a story, one I've had half-written for forever. I polish it lovingly, and submit it. And wait. And then what do I do? I CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE. I found one tiny typo -- "every" instead of "ever", so I corrected and re-submitted it. Then I found a verb I repeated in the same paragraph, so I edited again to change my word choice. Then I read through it again and...well, you get the picture.

I keep shuffling my story to the bottom of the submission pile, and it will be stuck in "pending" status forever because no editor will ever get a chance to read it. Why am I doing this???

Your story is your baby. Never forget that. Once you give birth, babies rarely appreciate their mother trying to stuff them back up her pussy.

 

[litfan10]

Your story is your baby. Never forget that. Once you give birth, babies rarely appreciate their mother trying to stuff them back up her pussy.

Obviously you don't read much incest stuff huh Ben?

If it is any consolation Katie, rarely do I find a published novel by a big wig that doesn't have at least one mistake somewhere in it. It is just a fact of life and hopefully the reader will forgive us if we entertain him/her enough flaws and all.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Call it a hunch but...dum and anal retentive seems to fit you best.

 

[Katiecat]

Your story is your baby. Never forget that. Once you give birth, babies rarely appreciate their mother trying to stuff them back up her pussy.

ROTFL

Obviously you don't read much incest stuff huh Ben?

If it is any consolation Katie, rarely do I find a published novel by a big wig that doesn't have at least one mistake somewhere in it. It is just a fact of life and hopefully the reader will forgive us if we entertain him/her enough flaws and all.

Thanks for the reassurance...I'll leave it alone now! Somehow both my husband and I missed the typo, even after repeated proofreading...

Call it a hunch but...dum and anal retentive seems to fit you best.

Dumb...no. Anal retentive? Maybe. Maybe OCD. I'll work on that.

 

[Boota]

For me the best thing to do is have some time between finishing and the first edit. Maybe put the story away for a week or two and come at it with new eyes. I'll go a month before I look at the finished manuscript of a novel.

 

[oggbashan]

For me the best thing to do is have some time between finishing and the first edit. Maybe put the story away for a week or two and come at it with new eyes. I'll go a month before I look at the finished manuscript of a novel.

I agree, but if the story has proved really awkward, I'd go a year or two...

Og

 

[Kev H]

I have just overcome an arduously long spell of writer's block. I FINALLY finish a story, one I've had half-written for forever. I polish it lovingly, and submit it. And wait. And then what do I do? I CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE. I found one tiny typo -- "every" instead of "ever", so I corrected and re-submitted it. Then I found a verb I repeated in the same paragraph, so I edited again to change my word choice. Then I read through it again and...well, you get the picture.

I keep shuffling my story to the bottom of the submission pile, and it will be stuck in "pending" status forever because no editor will ever get a chance to read it. Why am I doing this???

Heh, stop chastising yourself for doing what you're supposed to be doing. Call it cuddle time after the glory of orgasm. It saddens me when writers think they can bang something out and call it finished. No, it's quite healthy and natural to tweak and bask in the afterglow before submitting it and again basking in the afterglow. Besides, it's completely obvious when a writer rushes a piece, and you don't want to be one of those, do you?

Enjoy the process and experience it as completely as possible--can you imagine it any other way? (And no, instant, effortless perfection would not feel as gratifying.)

 

[Neast19]

At least you've got something to edit! I can't seem to get motivated to write my next installment, even though I know exactly how it's going to go. Maybe when my currently submitted one gets through I'll get round to it.

 

[Katiecat]

Yeah, I know...I usually finish a story, then wait at least a little while. But I've been stuck for sooooo long, months and months. I've had three stories just simmering on the back burner, and finally figured out what direction to go with one of them -- not the original destination I had in mind, either. The main thing is, once I've actually submitted it, I need to just leave it alone. It's done. Don't try to stuff it back...wherever it came from I've cuddled it long enough. Now it needs to get up and make me some coffee, damnit.

 

[glynndah]

The title of this thread seems to fit so many occasions.