Fact Facing, Overcoming Doubt, and the Truth about Writer's Block

Writers are a sensitive bunch and some days I feel like I'm the most sensitive one. Not that I'm always doubting myself. It comes in bursts of moroseness. The confidence and pride also comes and those are the best times. Those are the times when I tie up my manuscript in a pretty word document and send it off to family and friends. There's still fear that they won't like it, but I know none of my nearest and dearest would be mean even if they thought it was dreadful.

That's how I felt when I sent my YA Fantasy to a few friends and two of my sisters (also considered friends). I was prepared for lukewarm reactions though I hoped they'd enjoy it. What I wasn't prepared for was for some of them to not read it at all. I sent it to nine people and four of them didn't read it. The worst part was, two of the ones who didn't read it were my sisters. Years ago, someone had told me not to send my sisters copies because they wouldn't read it. I had more faith in my sisters than that, of course they'd read it! They're my sisters. It's been almost two years since I sent them that manuscript and neither one of them has read it.

I've asked them why. They both say they want to. They intend to read it soon. They're going to start it tonight. They want to read it with their kids. There's no end to the promises but there's been no clue as to why they won't read it. 

At first, I didn't think much about it. Four of my friends enjoyed it and some even provided comments. I was busy working on another story. After a year though, it got to me. The doubt crept in and planted itself firmly in the part of myself I call on to write. Every time I sat down to work, I questioned my actions. "Why should I write books even my own sisters won't read?" Even my own sisters won't read. Even my own sisters won't read. The words formed an anti-mantra that would not stop until I closed my laptop and lost myself in a cup full of tea and a book full of another writer's words. A writer who's siblings undoubtedly read what they wrote.

I still wrote but less and less. The words came haltingly and I had no confidence or faith in them. I pitied my story that it fell into my hands rather than into the hands of someone who could tell it. People asked about my writing (though my sisters never did) and I just shook my head and said, "It's slow going." Slow was generous. All my time "working" was spent tweaking sentences I'd already written or refreshing my Facebook news feed. My book was progressing at the speed of sloth.

I felt ashamed, stupid, and a little angry. During the summer I tried to force a timeline to finish a first draft of my stagnant book, but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to do it. Far from bringing me joy, I was miserable at the thought of typing nonsense for no reason.

Everything is relative

In February, I visited my family in Florida. One night when just the two of us were driving back from Universal, my mother asked how my writing was going. I was honest. "It's not. I don't see the point of it," I said and explained how my confidence had been worn away. She was not pleased. I should mention that my mother has become an irritatingly agreeable person, so this was unexpected. "I thought you were stronger than that," she told me and she didn't stop there. My mom laid the truth out flat. If I wanted to write, I had to be tougher. Lots of people won't read my books and some people that do might passionately loathe them and post about it on the Internet. Yes, it hurts knowing that important people seem not to care about my writing, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't care about my writing anymore. As much as it sucked to hear it, I had to admit she had a point. 

A few days after, my friend Ashley, who did read my book, asked about the first book I ever wrote which had been shelved before anyone read it all the way through. A while ago, I had told her about the premise and now she wanted to read it. It was perfect timing. I gave that dusty, old manuscript a quick edit and sent it to her and my mom. The following day, I picked up the project I'd been ignoring and have been working on it every day. I stay up writing until I have no words left and my dog is grumbling for a walk. My thoughts drift to what the characters say if they were cramped into a crowded subway car with me on my way to work. I've received concerned looks from other passengers when I laugh out loud at their responses in my head. Maybe that makes me crazy, but don't feel crazy. I feel like I'm back.

With my mom enjoying a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks

I believe now that it was a form of writer's block. I thought writer's block was not knowing what to write about, which sounds terrible enough, but not being able to write even with ideas pounding away inside of me was a different kind of horror. Block seems innocent compared to what I experienced. I had the Hoover Dam of writer's block. I wasn't depressed or miserable except for when I tried to write. I distracted myself with other hobbies and my friends, but I wasn't completely me during that time and I'm 100% me now. Only now I don't care if no one reads my book. I'm just happy to be writing and relieving the pressure that's been building up internally for so long.

Keeping The Readers Happy

Recently, I had some welcomed guests, my newlywed Harry Potter friend, Ashley and her husband, Ryan. We reminisced while we wined and dined. A naturally loquacious person, wine has the troubling tendency to increase the topics I'll ramble on about. My point is, I'm usually tight lipped about my writing, but after half a bottle. . .I'll talk about it without an end in sight.

When I described my first book which I wrote, considered editing but inevitably shoved under my dresser-don't ask why I put it there, I don't know-they were obviously impressed.

In fact, they wore his and her stunned expressions complete with open mouths. I love when couples are so perfectly matched as they are and it was a great sight to see them making the same face.

 There's not much in the world I find as impossible to resist as an attentive audience. It's like a warm chocolate chip cookie and I'm not one to just leave it on the counter to harden.

They urged me to finish the edits and please, please, if it's okay, to let them read it. I can't recall when I last felt so flattered. I've got a lot of writing projects in the works but I think it's smart to focus your energy on where the pull is strongest. Of course, it would be different if I had contracts and deadlines with publishers. Since I don't have any deadlines, I decided to do a quick edit. In addition to wanting, the intrigue still fresh in Ashley and Ryan's minds, two other beta readers are traveling to the British Virgin Isles in late July and I just know they are dying to read about magic on those white sandy beaches.

Even if the story remains unworthy of publication I'll have gained some more editing experience. Besides, it's never too soon to build your reputation as a writer who does it all for her fans.

A Wall, a Plea, and a Song



In college my nightmares kind of looked like this.

 One of my math professors-no, no, don't go. I promise this post isn't about math. This professor told the class that everyone hits a wall in mathematics at some point. Maybe math was easy all throughout high school and we thought that would always be the case-it's not. Eventually there will be a concept we struggle to comprehend. We may want to give up, change majors, or drop the class. So why the pep talk? He wanted his students prepared, so when we hit our wall we didn't give up.


Writers also have a wall we bang up against on occasion. Call it writer's block if you want, but to me writer's block is when you don't know what to write about. The wall of doom I speak of will project itself anywhere it can to disrupt your writing process. It only has one goal-to stop you. Beyond that its aims are not specific.

This is a test and the only way to pass it is to keep on writing or revising or plotting or whatever you were doing before the wall appeared.

When working on a novel you will reach a point where you think it's complete garbage, a useless waste of time, and an entirely unsalvageable mess.



 

 Don't freak out, it's just another part of the process. Walk away from your keyboard for a few days if you must. Read your favorite book. Talk to someone about your story or if, like me, you are overly secretive write a summary of the problems you are having. What needs to happen? Why isn't it happening? Solutions will come as long as you do whatever you need to do to keep going. The wall will disappear and you'll be much happier with your story. Too many people stop when the writing gets tough. This is me urging you to think twice before giving up.

The more I stumble along with my editing process, the better my story becomes. I have a long list of revisions set aside to apply to my almost complete draft number three which will (hopefully) turn it into a sparkling fourth draft.

The last few weeks I was hitting the wall and I didn't know what to do, but I didn't stop working and now the wall's gone. I feel good and I want you to feel good too.




And because it's Wednesday, here is a little music for you. I love this because it combines my left and right brainedness into one quirky song.

On My Writing Playlist: Ray LaMontagne

My main character is kind of a jerk, we've established this. In fact, he is full of flaws. Such as not knowing or appreciating what he has until it's been lost. Left with only himself to blame, as the architect of his own misery, he sinks to his lowest point of hopelessness.

Someday I plan to stop plotting and start writing in earnest. When that happens I may post a (very short) scene from this project on the blog. So I can stop being so vague and so my followers can get a taste for my writing.

Until then, enjoy Ray LaMontagne's live version of "Gone Away From Me"

Word Count: Bigger in Texas

I am back! Wait, you didn't know I was even gone!

Well, I spent Thursday thru Sunday in Austin, Texas. (yee-haw) I got a lot of work done on my wip. I am on track to have a rough draft completed in May. This is credited to my willpower to not log in to the free wi-fi in the hotel room.

Unfortunately, I didn't get anything else done. I didn't prepare blogs, I didn't read any blogs. I barely followed Twitter.

The result-I am lost in a sea of industry news. I will be back to blogging with regularity this week and I will share the good and the bad of my trip.

Can't wait to read what y'all* have been up to!


*I didn't fit in much in Texas.