changes

So, I haven't been able to write much in the last few weeks due to a few changes in my life. I moved back home to my parents' house after being on my own for 10 months. I'm still trying to figure out how I exactly feel about the situation. The first word that comes to mind is relief. I'll be able to save some money this summer and take my time finding my next place to live. I'm not going to rush into anything anymore.

Speaking of rushing...I think it's my biggest problem when it comes to writing. I am a rusher!!!!! I push myself way too hard. The average writer spends at least 6 months on a novel, some spend up to 2 years. I can hammer out a first draft in two months. I get excited by my speed and the product, and of course having everyone I know read it, but it's not benefiting me in the long run. Every time I query a book, I think to myself "This is my best work!" And then months later, when no agent has shown any interest, I think "I wished I'd spend more time editing and revising and tweaking my query." By then I'm on to my next project and thus the cycle starts all over again.

So, my newest novel is about to be given to friends to read. And I've put a limit on myself not to query any agent until August. No matter how perfect I think the book is, I need time to separate myself from it, and revise it later. They'll always be mistakes to fix.

That's it for now. The other change in my life is having a new part time job in fall teaching at a new studio!!! Yay!


So, for

motivation

So I finished writing a novel about a month ago and I've been editing it on and off since. I'm so close to having a semi-solid first draft, but I can't find the motivation to finish editing the last few chapters. The ending is so poorly written and rushed. I can't seem to focus. I get distracted by my other work in process (which is currently at 32K yikes) and other ideas I have for future projects. I seriously think I need summer so I can focus, relax, and get things done. I'd like to start querying this book by July, but at the rate I'm going, I don't see it happening, unless I want to query a poorly edited book. I still also need to get people to read the draft. I feel like people will either hate it or love it. It's not my typical style. It doesn't have enormous amounts of violence and my main character is a guy. But when I tell people the plot, they seemed very interested and can follow it without asking a billion questions like I've had happen with previous books. It's straight forward. But is it me? Maybe that's why I can't seem to edit it. It's not personal enough. Eh.

too many ideas! too many projects! but a-okay!

So check this out. This is my writing life as of today:
1- Book #1 is being queried to agents/publishers
2- Book #2 is being edited/revised, soon to be given to friends/family to read
3- Book #3 is almost at 30K...it's so much fun to write, I'm addicted
4- Book #4 is in my head, synopsis on paper, and may be something I actually start to write very soon, it's a middle-school level book, 40K is the goal so it shouldn't take too long to write

Then of course, there's the short stories I'm entering into writing contests and a few finished books I want to go back and revise.

WOW. Am I trying to commit writer's suicide or what?

Write until your fingers bleed, then write some more!