Well, it's pretty much been a horrible week for me. I've spent most of it lying in bed with a fever and chills, more miserable than I could ever remember being. I thought about my manuscript, but most of the things I thought of were sort of hallucinatory and now that I'm on the mend, I don't think they would make sense to the plot. But at the time, I thought they were brilliant. Ah, the feverish mind tricks.
While I was miserable in bed, I watched the BYU vs. Iona game last night. The BYU Cougars were getting spanked, down by twenty-five and well, it wasn't looking good. They went into half-time down by fifteen and I settled in, hoping for my team, but tempered by reality. It just didn't look like they were going to be "dancing" very long this time around.
But in the second half, BYU came alive. They chipped away at the lead and played some of the best defense I've ever seen. They cut that lead to five, then two, then pulled ahead by one. Then, in one of the most amazing finishes I've ever seen, the BYU Cougars won by six. It was incredible.
I think that it can be that way with writing. Sometimes we're down and out and it's not looking good. We have hope, but you know, reality or what we think is reality, can sometimes weigh us down. But then we make our move, we chip away at our word count, we up our page count, we do those revisions again and again, we get rejections and make ourselves better for them. And then the comeback manuscript is complete and published and our victory is all that more amazing because of the struggle it took to get it.
So, while my word count was zero this week, I know I'm going to make a comeback. And it is going to be SWEET!
How did you do this week?
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
10 comments:
My manuscript is up to 11,500 words.
Sorry you haven't been feeling well. My son is sick today and it's also his birthday. What a rotten surprise for his 13th birthday. He doesn't even feel well enough to tease me about being old enough to have a teenager.
I hope you feel better soon, Julie.
I finished revising and making changes yesterday. I had to do some major surgery on the subplots and characters. My word count is down 7,000 words, but the manuscript is stronger for it.
Good luck with the comeback. Take it easy on yourself though.
I'm starting to feel the first ghostly yearnings of wanting to write again, but then I remember my weaknesses and ...
There must be something I can write, even with those weaknesses, but I haven't found it yet.
I've written 5,315 words this week, split between my current work in progress, BUCKET LIST OF HOPE, a contemporary romance, and a brand new Historical Romance I started just this past week. Love being able to bounce between hither and yon, you know? ;o
Julie, make sure you stay hydrated. Drink lots and lots of water. If you don't, then getting over that danged flu will take longer. If you can't stomach water yet, then down that 7-Up, Pepsi, or Ginger-ale by the liter-full. Don't do any housework! Let yourself be taken care of! I know it goes against the mommy-mentality, but your body needs the energy to heal.
@Melanie, I know you don't have the weakness you think you have. The funk can make us believe the sun is purple, under the right circumstances. Stash that WIP and start something else completely different. A totally new genre, something that will make you need to do research--where you need to weave those facts in with your storyline and characters. If you don't do it already, outline the chapters this time with a precise ending. And give yourself a page limit. Yeah, a short story of 75 pages and . . . see. I know you are a fantastic writer. A wordsmith extraordinar!
What a game! I only got to watch the ESPN.com cast (after the first half of the first half, I knew I couldn't bear to watch it on TV, which worked out well since apparently we don't get that channel. Weird.), but MAN. Nailbiter.
I finished my latest round of revisions last Wednesday (hooray!) and celebrated by starting a new book on Saturday. (HA!) I just hit 10,000 even :D .
Hope you're all the way better (and slaving away on your next chapters!) soon!
(Great advice, Deb!)
That stinks that your week hasn't been good :(
I pasted back in a "deleted" scene (in a place that makes much more sense and gives a better emotional sucker-punch), so my MS grew by just over 6,000 words this week.
Does that not count? Too bad! I'm counting it :)
Get feeling better. At least you had an excuse not to write. Loved everyone's comments. Starting to feel motivated. Almost.
Janice, that stinks about your son. I hate being sick, but being sick on your birthday just seems extra cruel somehow. :( I hope he gets better soon and congrats on your word count!
Rebecca, I hate doing manuscript surgery, too, but it IS always stronger for it. Or at least that's how I console myself. Sounds like you're doing great.
Melanie, can I just say if I concentrated on my weaknesses I would probably never write again. I have a few fan letters and quotes I keep near my desk for when I feel like giving up and it always makes me want to try again. Your talent is too good to bury. I know you'll get there and we'll all be here cheering for you. I hope you know that. We all love you!
Deb, you started a new historical? How fun! And thanks for the advice. The thing I'm fighting now is just feeling weak and exhausted. My husband and sons have been great to take care of me and you guys are great to sympathize. I totally have the best of both worlds!
Jordan, when I do go back to work I think you're going to be sorry. After last week, and telling me I probably caught this from your son I've decided to name a horrible biological virus in my book after you. Bwahaha!
Gina, that totally counts! HOORAY!
Jill, that's what we're here for. :)
Awww Julie, as usual, I'm late again but I really hope you're feeling better.
Post a Comment