To Cringe or Celebrate? #IWSG
Holy schmoly, January's already over and we're barreling ahead straight through 2016. But my fear of time is more appropriate for a different kind of therapy group. Today we're talking writing.
Last fall I faced something that, upon reflection, I think very well had the potential to cripple me as a writer. I dug into my original novel with an aim to make a few changes (you can get the full scoop in my January newsletter), and while I was in there, I figured I'd clean out some adverbs & whatnot. But what I found inside was much, much worse.
I'm one of those writers who doesn't read her books once they're out in the world. I know it'll only cause itchy fingers to tweak more. After a whirlwind editing process on this particular novel, all I'd ever read were small excerpts pulled for promo. With the full manuscript cut open and once again in front of me, I saw not only excessive adverbage; I found way too many dialogue tags and repetition in the narrative of what had already been conveyed in dialogue. I found judgmental passages unfitting for the overall tone of the story. Worst of all, I found abundant amounts of telling not showing. *gasp*
It was enough to get the mantra "I suck; I suck; I suck," playing through my brain. But then I realized something---2015 me saw the things 2010 me hadn't. Part of that sight comes from simply having been away and coming back fresh, but the bigger part comes from five years of learning. Through writing more stories and having them critiqued, editing and critiquing others, and networking with other writers to share insecurities and tips (thank you!), I've become a better writer. And that's something to celebrate not cringe about.
How about you---do you notice differences in your writing now versus five years ago?
)
This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and clonely Alex J. Cavanaugh.
Last fall I faced something that, upon reflection, I think very well had the potential to cripple me as a writer. I dug into my original novel with an aim to make a few changes (you can get the full scoop in my January newsletter), and while I was in there, I figured I'd clean out some adverbs & whatnot. But what I found inside was much, much worse.
I'm one of those writers who doesn't read her books once they're out in the world. I know it'll only cause itchy fingers to tweak more. After a whirlwind editing process on this particular novel, all I'd ever read were small excerpts pulled for promo. With the full manuscript cut open and once again in front of me, I saw not only excessive adverbage; I found way too many dialogue tags and repetition in the narrative of what had already been conveyed in dialogue. I found judgmental passages unfitting for the overall tone of the story. Worst of all, I found abundant amounts of telling not showing. *gasp*
It was enough to get the mantra "I suck; I suck; I suck," playing through my brain. But then I realized something---2015 me saw the things 2010 me hadn't. Part of that sight comes from simply having been away and coming back fresh, but the bigger part comes from five years of learning. Through writing more stories and having them critiqued, editing and critiquing others, and networking with other writers to share insecurities and tips (thank you!), I've become a better writer. And that's something to celebrate not cringe about.
How about you---do you notice differences in your writing now versus five years ago?
)This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and clonely Alex J. Cavanaugh.
Comments
Juneta Writer's Gambit
I never read my books after they are published either, because I do cringe. After so many reviews stating one of my books had many errors, I did go back to read it, and nearly died!!!!! I trusted my editor to fix all~ without reading it over before it was published, bad mistake, that'll never happen again. I quickly edited the ms, and had my publisher also go over it as well. It still isn't perfect, but much, much better.
It is amazing how much more you learn over the years. And I'm still learning...
As writers, we're always learning...
I've been writing for a while, but my first REAL attempt at publishing was in 2009, when I queried a manuscript that had good bones, and maybe even a little fat and muscle, but was nowhere close to being a solid human being (weird metaphor, I know. Sorry.)
Looking back at it, I think "of course it didn't get picked up! I offered a crayon drawing to a museum of fine art." But that's how you learn. You try. You try harder. You do better.
Still totally with you on the cringing thing. I'm releasing the fourth book in my series this June and part of me wants to look back at the first three. But my family has heart conditions and I don't want to give myself an attack. It's for the best.
You definitely don't suck!!