What do you do when...

[Dirty Kitten]

You are so SICK of your current WIP that you don't even want to proof it before sending it to your editor?

I finished it two weeks ago and the idea of re-reading it is a complete mental turn off. I don't think it's bad, I'm just tired of looking at it. So much so that I'm afraid that reading it wouldn't do it justice because I'm already turned off.

Any secrets? How long do you let something sit before you look at it for final read through?

DK

 

[cantdog]

I had one of those. I let it mellow for weeks, but I don't have an 'editor.' So the thing for me was to get it out of the picture long enough to be able to return to it. You have my sympathies, for what they are worth.

You cannot evaluate it without some distance, so I'd say, set it aside a while.

 

[Guest]

I had one of those. I let it mellow for weeks, but I don't have an 'editor.' So the thing for me was to get it out of the picture long enough to be able to return to it. You have my sympathies, for what they are worth.

You cannot evaluate it without some distance, so I'd say, set it aside a while.

That's very good advice, DK.

Put it away in a drawer and start on something else. Not for days, but for weeks. Once you can no longer remember the story word for word, get it out and do the last edit before submitting.

Good luck.

 

[S-Des]

You have to do something to clean your pallette. Trying to tighten it up while your head is in a bad place isn't going to do anything positive. You could put it down and write something else, you could take a day or a week break (or more) from writing, or you could try something a little unusual. Aurora introduced me to recording an audio version of your story. It's different to hear it while you're in your car or sitting in the dark, relaxing. It might give you enough of a different perspective to come at it fresh. I got a ton done on a story once during a flight by using a pen and a printout, rather than staring at the computer screen yet again. There are probably dozens of ways you could change it up a little, any of which could give you the edge to come at the story with enthusiasm again.

Good luck.

 

[Boota]

I just came out of a situation like that with my next novel. I, fortunately, don't have a deadline because I self-publish, so I put it away for about three months. I felt too drained from working on the story and all my band stuff going on to be able to edit effectively, so it had to take a nap. I also printed off a copy and let someone else read it first, handing them the novel and a red pen. Sure, you can read it. But it's gonna cost ya, I figured. Editing fees are extremely expensive, so I employ slave labor whenever possible.

The good news is that when I did come back to it the story felt fresh and I really enjoyed reading it. I also found out it was far better than I thought it was once I got my new eyes on it.

Good luck.

 

[oggbashan]

I have many like that.

I file them as "Pending".

Every three months or so I review what is in the Pending file. A few get resurrected but most are put back unchanged.

Some of the ideas found in the review of "Pending" stories result in new stories.

I have only consigned one story to oblivion. That was beyond salvage after 10 years of 3-monthly reviews.

Og

 

[Stella_Omega]

Sometimes you can trade off with someone here for proofreading duties--you take theirs and they take yours.

Like Ogg, I have a file of "pending" stories that I can't stand to look at long enough to finish-- one scene, whatever. Proofing seems simple in comparison!

 

[Belegon]

I view this as part of my development as a writer and as part of the "craft".

I've been lucky/smart and managed to meet and discuss such things with several writers more accomplished than I am. Almost without fail they describe a time when they reach this point with their work. And not just them, but their editors as well!

In writing at length, it seems more common than not to reach a point where you just don't even want to look at it anymore!

 

[Dirty Kitten]

Thanks

I decided to ask my brother-in-law to read it. If/When he comes back with comments and it still doesn't get me interested enough to pick it up again, I'm going to file it away for a bit.

In the meantime, I'm also going to work on a couple other projects I've started. I like the idea of getting some distance in there.

S-Des, I really like the audio idea. I've heard that you should read your work out loud because it sounds different and errors come to the forefront, but I would have never thought of recording it and listening to it later. Thanks for mentioning it.

Thanks again for the advice. This feeling ranks right up there with writer's block on the SUCK scale so it's nice to know that at some point other writer's hit that mark too.

 

[flavortang]

It's a common problem. But, usually, writers get bored of a project about halfway, move onto something 'fresh' and leave the first project unfinished and the cycle goes on.

I wouldn't know about dealing with editors, though, since I've never been published.

 

[Dirty Kitten]

Actually, I did take a break half way through this one and wrote a quickie. Not because I was tired of the project, but because the other story was so damn insistent. It took me about three days to write it and I went back to the first one.

I think that is why I'm so darn frustrated right now. I've already taken the break, so I shouldn't have gotten tired of the first one.

I think that I'm so sick of the current WIP because it was so difficult for me to get it what was in my head down in written format. It felt like I "toiled" over it and the amount of stress it gave me beat my enthusiasm for it all too hell.

 

[flavortang]

Yeah, that sucks when a story starts feeling like work. It happens to everyone. Why not take more time away from it? Get a fresher perspective on it and then read it again.