So here I am, no longer experiencing it in dreamtime but in "real" time. I've been here for ten days, so I have three days left. I haven't been able to write more than half a page or even write any blog posts. Too many distractions, a million things to do/see/eat/explore/photograph. Keep telling myself, all for the sake of research...it will ferment in my head as I slowly digest it all, then it'll come out in a huge outpouring when I return to California.
But as I tell myself this voices of doubt have started to seep through the cracks of my story. Forget about it, the novel no longer makes sense. You don't even know why you're writing it or what it's about, do you? Move on to something new. Give it up.
Sometimes those doubts enable me to look at the novel from a new perspective, and as it evolves, it takes on new and surprising directions. The trick is to let myself go for a ride and see where it takes me, but don't get lost in the process. And keep thinking about the ultimate destination.
5 comments:
i hope you keep writing your novel..i love it so far and can't wait to read more. but no pressure pf course : )
If it turns out that your vision of it is true, it's worth rewriting. I'm sure you'd probably second-guess yourself years from now, if you didn't do it.
Thank you both, I won't give up on it!
When you start to doubt yourself, read someone who is published even though they are absolute crap. You are already clearer and more expressive than some people who are full-time professional writers.
Thanks, AsianTrains! Great suggestion, too.
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