...in the Fall.
I've felt stressed lately, which is why I've been so quiet on here. I have stories about my trip to share. I want to talk more about my writing course, which ended this past week, but I'm feeling shy and unsure.
Anxieties overwhelmed me the past few weeks, so this weekend I turned to my favorite stress reliever: organizing. Nothing like cleaning out an old filing cabinet to distract me from worrying. It's amazing the things you keep.
My writing course ended this week, with the result that nearly half of my novel was workshopped. That's 145 pages or 41,998 words! I'm excited by the feedback and eager to begin rewriting.
But.
I feel crippled with anxieties about the process. I worry I can't do it, that it won't live up to my expectations.
I'm trying hard to change my thinking, but sometimes it's an uphill battle. Until then, I think that hall closet could use a good scouring.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Spring Cleaning
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6 comments:
Cleaning always helps focus the mind (so I'm told:-)
I'm sure you'll get positive responses to your work and you'll be able to crack on with any suggested changes.
Remember 'Don't trouble trouble, til trouble troubles you' or something like that. Easier said than done I know:-) x
Oh Angie, I'm sorry you feel anxious. (I so wish I wanted to stop eating or clean obsessively when I get anxious... sadly no.)
Anyway, one of the 'how to books' I've enjoyed in the past often gets me over feeling crippled. It reminds me that I do have a rough idea of what I'm doing.
Half the novel being workshopped is totally brilliant. Is there someone you can ask to read through some of the rest to help you see what needs tackling? (One of us on the blogs, I'm sure, would be happy to help!)
Clean if you need to, and then stop when you think it's going too far. Be gentle; you so can do this.
Hugs, JJx
That is great news! I'm here if you need help tackling those pages. But help organizing the closet?... You're on your own. ;-)
That's scary but I am sure they'll be lots of positive stuff. My dad always used to say "if you worry you die if you don't worry you die" - good advice. Worrying helps nothing although as a champion worrier I know it is SO hard not too.
If you enjoy writing, just write. Enjoy the process of creation and try to get better with each piece you write. That is all you can control anyway. You can't control whether people like it or not - every writer in history has had people who didn't like what they wrote. Do it because you love it and let the rest take care of itself.
Lane, it does focus the mind, especially away from the things I'm trying to avoid. ;)
I already received my responses, and they were positive and constructive. I'm just worried about tackling the rewrite, not 'working' in the traditional sense, etc etc. The usual.
Good quote. :)
JJ, I should pull out that 'Courage to Write' book again. It helped a lot.
I'm excited I got so much workshopped during the course. I probably will seek out readers soon, but I have some tweaking to do first. (Thanks for the suggestion!)
Gentleness is not my forte (with myself anyway), but I really must change that.
Kristen, you sure you don't want to help with the closet? It'll be fun! Okay, not really. Thanks for the reading offer. :)
m&t, it was very helpful and positive, I'm just worried I'll never perfect it enough. *sigh* Your dad is a wise man! I come from a family of worriers. I wish I knew how to stop.
Chad, I do, but sometimes it's so hard. (Okay, enough whining from me...) The problem right now is that I know it's not up to my standard, and I'm intimidated by the amount of work I still need to do. I know I can, it's just a matter of how much longer it'll take.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone! It means a lot.
xx
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