THE END IN SIGHT...

When you write, there are really three basic components.

1. Write. 
Sometimes this requires planning, sometimes not---you begin with an idea and you go for it. Let the words and characters and places fill you with wonder and interest as you madly scramble to get it all down.

2. Redraft.
Hard work. Bit like a good casserole, you let it stew. Allow the natural juices work for you. Then you taste, season it, add some of this or that. So you leave your work, you re-read it. Often shocked at how appalling / amazing it is. You take out the first chapter, remove 3/4s of the story line, insert a new character, decide to tell it from third person and write it yet again.

3. Editing.
All that nit picking. Is this the right word? That comma should not be there...fragment sentence....wrong spelling.  Have I spelt the main character's name the same way all the way through?

In reality each of these three are divided into many many sub sections.

At the moment I'm stuck on 1.4

1.4 Why bother finishing?

Yep the negative nancies have got a hold...a strong hold. All the usual suspects of I'm not good enough, no one's interested, it will never get anywhere, the story is stupid etc etc.

Now the one good thing about this happening now is that I'm about to go away. Yep, the yearly holiday has turned up...just in the nick of time.


When I have no patience ten minutes after work opens, you know it's time for a break (and to try and hold my tongue).

A chance to get away. Relax. Or in this case, see new sights, new people...to lose myself in a new culture and way of life.


We have been to some amazing places - this young chap was from a small village on Tanna Island, Vanuatu.


This from our last trip...Taj Mahal, India.

And no matter where we go, what we see....from our overseas trips to local jaunts...travelling Tasmania and those couple of weeks in Western Australia....(so much of Australia left to see)...it gives you a chance to unwind. Relax. To remember to breathe.


And hopefully when we return, the inspiration to get back into the story, to finish what I have started will kick in. I need to regroup my workshopping notes. It always intrigues me that when I workshop something, the only part I remember is all the negatives. This didn't work for me, this character seems lifeless, don't understand this, expected more.....

It's only when I go back over the notes that people have written, that I read 'loved this, keep going, want to read more, yes it does intrigue me, confusing BUT makes me want to turn the page to find out what I've missed, love this character, so can relate to this....'

So as the clock ticks down...

I'm determined to put it all out of my mind. Focus on getting some clothes thrown into the suitcase. To do the fiddly things like recharging camera batteries, make sure the first aid kit is up to date, buy some new socks (what is it with this house and socks?)


Then I can look at it with a fresh perspective...and finish.

Watch this space to make sure I do!

Vicki
http://vickithornton.weebly.com/

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