Wednesday, January 14, 2015

It’s Not as Easy as it Looks

No Wednesday Reads this week. I’ve gone another week without finishing a book I’m reading. Aack! How will I ever reach my goal of reading 90 books this year? What’s happening to me? Oh, I know. I’m editing!!!!

This editing project was supposed to be easy. At least it looked easy. My editor didn’t even mark up all that much. But what IS marked is making me THINK!

I know, the nerve of her, right?

Thinking (for me) is time consuming. And then when I FINALLY write something, I have to go over it the next day and make sure it’s decent. Just like you go over a first draft because those first drafts suck, right? Well, so do my fixes. Sometimes. Okay, most of the time.

See??? TIME. CONSUMING.

At least the book will be better when I’m finished. I’d just like to be finished by now. I’m ready to work on my WIP. I don’t have to do a lot of thinking during a first draft, and I could use a little non-thinking writing about now. Heck, I wouldn’t mind a little time to read, either. Well… I did get some reading done yesterday, so not all was lost!

So… Have you ever started a project you thought was simple but ended up being anything BUT? Please share and show me I’m not alone.

Happy Reading.

Stacy

10 comments:

JeffO said...

Oh, yeah, that kind of thing happens all the time. As for your fixes having to be gone over the next day, in a sense they're first drafts, too, though perhaps with a *little* more thought and consideration than the true first drafty stuff.

I suppose you could use that WIP knocking on the mental door as motivation to get through the edits quicker!

The Happy Whisk said...

Oh my gosh. No Wednesday Reads, you say?

Hey, I very nearly read fiction yesterday, only I didn't. But I came this close.

Maria Zannini said...

Oh, God, yes!

We started with a little leak in the bathroom that damaged some tiles and we ended up remodeling the entire bathroom. One thing just led to another.

PS Did you get a reply email from me? I just found out some emails are getting stuck in limbo.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jeff - You'd think that WIP would motivate me, and in a way it is, but I refuse to rush through my editing, which I guess is really THE problem. I want it to be perfect. Yeah, like THAT is even possible! :)

Ivy - That close, huh? Well... maybe next week??

Maria - Yes, I received the e-mail. I've got some other ideas (thanks to my daughter), but I'll most likely get back to you soon. As for the bathroom leak: been there, done that! No fun.

LD Masterson said...

She's making you think?!? How unreasonable!

I don't think I've ever finished a project that turn turn out to need just a little bit more.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Linda - I was telling my husband that I wish I thought as fast as my characters, but then it took me several days to come up with their "quick" thinking! Haha!

Jennette Marie Powell said...

Funny you should mention that, Stacy... on Sunday, I thought I'd add Jetpack to my website so commenters could receive notification of subsequents comments because someone suggested it :D - and ended up messing with my website for six hours! Did I mention that's my favorite form of procrastination? LOL

Stacy McKitrick said...

Gee Jennette, I wonder who that **cough** someone could be??? :)

dolorah said...

My first novel was a short story that grew into a trilogy - through editing. Yeah, editing is always harder than it looks at first glance.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Donna - I wouldn't say harder, just longer. Based on the low quantity of comments I received, I assumed quick fixes, but instead realized I can't do quick and be good. And I want this story to be better than good. Thus...time consuming. I wish my brain worked faster!