Comments on: No Perspective

By: Raindrops

Raindrops — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:17:15 +0000

i write as well, opening many word documents but never completing any. well done on getting so close to completing a novel. once, when i was writing an essay i realised that sometimes your best work is one where you have spent so much effort, so much time that it drains away your ‘self’ and when you do finally hand it in, you feel so confused about it. i know this may sound discouraging, but what i mean to say is, i think you are there, and that your novel will be great. just keep going. :)

By: Ari

Ari — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:14:23 +0000

i know what you mean. I mean, I don’t cuz I’m not a big writer, but whenever I have anything to write, first there’s the problem of writing it but then after it’s all on the paper, I tend to have the problem of re-arranging the words so that there’s a flow, so that it doesn’t sound all disjointed. I agree with the idea to take a break and come back to it, maybe you’ll see it from fresh eyes?

By: Ellie

Ellie — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:32:12 +0000

I often wonder if I lose perspective when I am both writing and editing. There are parts that I will slave over to make exactly right. When I’m finished editing the one part though, I will realize that now the next part needs to be revised to fit in with the one I just edited. All in all a very frustrating process. Eventually I am so frustrated that I need to step away.

Maybe the point is to just walk away for a while and then come back when you are not so focused. You might pick up something viewing the writing with a different mindset. The problem there is that you may not be able to force yourself to go back. Talk about getting the double-edged sword…

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:16:05 +0000

Okay, so I go from Never Commenter to Often Commenter… but jeez louise I know what you’re going through. Revision SUCKS. I still have yet to fully revise a novel to my 100% liking… even my 75% liking!

Anyway, I would advise you to keep your deadline – focus on tying up plotlines/timeshifts now, anything to keep your story lucid and flowing for your test reader (I had to do this multiple times with my book… before giving it over to my advisor a couple times! Ick!) Hand it away to your friend, but KEEP working! I wouldn’t beat yourself up if the details are not perfect. Just take in her comments alongside your own plans to revise, and you’ll be even better off than you are now, imho.

By: Mara

Mara — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:08:25 +0000

I think it’s a great idea to make deadlines for yourself to keep you focused, but it’s okay to be flexible with them to a point. A blank page is definitely intimidating, but I always try to focus on whatever motivated me to start in the first place. If you can recapture that feeling and treat it less like a chore, sometimes it can motivate you.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:50:46 +0000

I totally understand. I’m super excited to read this novel. I think because you are so close to the work, you are being overly critical. The excerpt you posted was awesome, and I’m sure your deadline will work out just fine. I’m struggling right now because I’m trying to put together an idea of what to actually write, and it’s so frustrating.

By: Katie

Katie — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:32:29 +0000

I can’t believe your deadline is here. I love that you’ve never had to extend a deadline or ask for any kind of extension, but remember to be nice to yourself.

If you think that keeping the July 1st deadline is okay, then go for it. But don’t be afraid to push it back a week. I have faith that you’ll keep your determination, but if you need more time, take it.

By: cari

cari — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:29:52 +0000

i hear you. i finally passed off an old novel that i started a few years ago to a couple people. basically, i wanted to know if it was worth continuing. should i keep going or should i simply throw it away.

turns out, i should keep it. and i’ve been working on it off and on since then and it’s been really rewarding. especially knowing that every so many pages, i can just send it off and wait for some feedback. and the even better part, these two people don’t seem to be afraid to throw some criticism and tough questions, which is obviously what i need. not someone saying ‘sounds great!!’ all the time. we never get better that way.

i’m very glad that i’ve begun to surround myself with creative people. it really helps those juices start to flow for me, at least.

By: shannon

shannon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:36:22 +0000

I’m still surprised when I pull my finished “novel” (which is still a pack of loose papers) off the bookshelf and read it. I can’t believe that I actually pulled the whole story line together, and I wonder where I came up with the witty characters and their backgrounds. It’s nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life, so I’m not sure how I made it seem so real. I laugh almost the whole way through, and I don’t think of myself as a very funny person. I’m not sure where I was going with this, but good luck with your deadline, and have fun with it. Don’t make it a chore. I think that’s the best way to keep away from writer’s block.

By: f.B

f.B — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:51:54 +0000

I don’t know what makes me more comfortable – a blank page or a filled one. I guess it’s probably a blank one, but I can find an already-written page intimidating, too.

But good luck meeting your deadline. You can do it.