The next phase of the book

[pegkerr]

I have decided that I have left the first level on the book and proceeded to the next. You are all, of course, aware, that there are at least seven stages of writing a novel:

The book
The stupid Book
The damn Book
The g*damn Book
The f*ing Book
The motherf*ing book
The motherf*ing book from hell

I have definitely proceeded to Stage 2 and am now working on the stupid book. I have felt rather ill the last few days, weirdly jagged out, as if I'm dumping extra adrenaline, not wanting to eat, queasy stomach, loathe to exercise. Working on the book is definitely not very alluring. Other projects (any other projects) seem oddly more tempting. Like gardening, cleaning the kitchen, trimming my toenails. I actually went into work early the last few days rather than sitting down to glare at my novel during my morning writing time. I told myself that I was doing so because I was making up time I'd lost when I took Delia to the doctor earlier this week. This is, of course, a complete and utter lie. I was avoiding the work. But aha, I have at least enough self-insight to know that's exactly what I was doing.

Maybe going to Wiscon will get me fired up again. And THIS time I'm taking my laptop along (chortles with glee).

Peg

Comments

Hah!

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I just hit level five this week. Wanna trade? Oh, wait, no, that means I'm closer to the end than you are.

Never mind.

Frelling Book. Frelling characters. Frelling plot.

Let's go hit things with sticks instead :-)

[debellatrix.livejournal.com]

Not being anything even remotely close to a writer myself, that was a fascinating insight into the psyche of one.
What happens after The motherf*ing book from hell? stage?

[pameladean]

Peg's list has mutated from the one I posted to the Fidonet Writing Echo lo these many years ago (as is right and proper).

But my next stage was:

I have GOT to get This Thing out of the house.

Pamela

Re:

[debellatrix.livejournal.com]

Or otherwise, I suppose it might eat you!
:D

[pameladean]

8-)

And you might burn it in self-defense. Or revise it to death. Which would be very unfortunate all around.

Pamela

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

What was the original list again? I don't doubt I got it wrong. I seem to be getting everything wrong lately.

[pameladean]

Peeeeggggg. You can't get it wrong. There is no wrong. It's the folk process. Anyway, I bet you got it from Pat, so blame her if you must.

The book.
The damned book.
The goddamned book.
The goddamned f*cking book.
The goddamned f*cking book from hell.
I have GOT to get This Thing out of the house.

I know the "stupid" stage was put in by Pat, and in fact it's useful to have a slower escalation of frustration.

But you can customize it however you want to. Honestly.

Pamela

thanks for sharing

[kimwinters.livejournal.com]

Until I got serious about this fiction writing bit, I didn't fully understand the process. At times, I find myself in the flow. My characters are talking. My kids are cooperating. I'm not caring at all that the kitchen needs yet an archeological dig. It's in these momements I find I can't type the words out quickly enough.

Then there are the dark moments, the ones you're talking about Peg. I applaud your willingness to share them with us. It's confirmation I'm not alone.

A couple of Wiscon's back I was fortunate enough to find floor space in one of the Living Room discussions with Terri Windling. One bit of advice she shared made sense only after I got serious about writing every day.

Terri said that when you find yourself wanting to leave your story--really wanting to leave it--this is probably the time your characters need you the most. Ask yourself, she said, what's going on with your characters emotionally and spiritually. Look for parallels in your own life, past and present. Force yourself to stay at the computer and write anything, even if it's garbage or nonsensical, until your subconscious speaks to you. It may take days or weeks, but keep writing. Your subconsicous very often knows what you need even if you don't.

This advice doesn't always work for me Peg. Many times, toe-clipping, laundry or the equivalent looks much more attractive than facing the words on the page. And no amount of advice will convince me otherwise. OTOH, it may be worth giving Terri's advice a try. It's shaken loosen many a block for me...perhaps you've reached an impass because you have some decisions to make about your novel's direction. Or perhaps your characters have something to say.

Good luck,

Kim Winters

thanks for sharing

[kimwinters.livejournal.com]

OOOPs, I apologize if I posted this already. I'm still learning how this all works. Here's the spell-checked version:



Until I got serious about this fiction writing bit, I didn't fully understand the process. At times, I find myself in the flow. My characters are talking. My kids are cooperating. I'm not caring at all that the kitchen needs yet another archaeological dig. It's in these moments I find I can't type the words out quickly enough.

Then there are the dark moments, the ones you're talking about Peg. I applaud your willingness to share them with us. It's confirmation I'm not alone.

A couple of Wiscon's back I was fortunate enough to find floor space in one of the Living Room discussions with Terri Windling. One bit of advice she shared made sense only after I got serious about writing every day.

Terri said that when you find yourself wanting to leave your story--really wanting to leave it--this is probably the time your characters need you the most. Ask yourself, she said, what's going on with your characters emotionally and spiritually. Look for parallels in your own life, past and present. Force yourself to stay at the computer and write anything, even if it's garbage or nonsensical, until your subconscious speaks to you. It may take days or weeks, but keep writing. Your subconscious very often knows what you need even if you don't.

This advice doesn't always work for me Peg. Many times, toe-clipping, laundry or the equivalent looks much more attractive than facing the words on the page. And no amount of advice will convince me otherwise. OTOH, it may be worth giving Terri's advice a try. It's shaken loosen many a block for me...perhaps you've reached an impasse because you have some decisions to make about your novel's direction. Or perhaps your characters have something to say.

Good luck,

Kim Winters

Re: thanks for sharing

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

When you find yourself wanting to leave your story--really wanting to leave it--this is probably the time your characters need you the most.

Huh. I'll have to think about this. Interesting to think of oneself as a writer as your characters' therapist! (Sit down and have some tea, dear, and tell me all about it).

I don't remember whether you told me: are you coming to Wiscon? I'll be there! I'd hope to see you, if you're coming.

And when, for goodness sake, are you going to post something in your own journal, so I can introduce you to everyone and everyone can mosey on by and leave a comment for YOU, welcoming you to the community?

Cheers,
Peg

I guess I'm having a second honeymoon

[bohemianspirit.livejournal.com]

The googly eyes don't signify anything. I just think that pic is very cool.

After being STUCK in deep mud with no tow truck or telephone in sight for who knows how many months -- so to speak -- my characters are finally starting to speak to me (most unfortunately when I am lying down trying to relax into sleep for the night) and the pieces of the backstory and history and so forth are starting to click into place. I was beginning to think this thing would never take off.

I just cannot wait till I get to the "motherf*ing book from hell" stage. I am sure there are stages beyond that, with as many profanities as you know and can invent all strung together.

Hang in there. You have a lot of support.

btw...

[bohemianspirit.livejournal.com]

I guess you've already figured out who I am, since you wasted no time in adding my new LJ to your friends list. I am honored. ;-)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I divide things up differently. There's the beginning, when everything is new and fun and exciting and full of promise, and the writing is free and easy because you're just doing the fun and exciting and promising parts. There's the end, when it's almost finished and it's fun and exciting and full or promise, and the writing is easy because the end is in sight. And then there's the middle, when you've been working on the book since forever and it'll be forever until you're done.

My current book followed a much more complicates process. There was a pit of despair part, during my last weeks with my first editor (before I switched publishers).

B

[blackholly.livejournal.com]

ha!

Am entering "the book" phase again with great trepidation.

*consoles*