Honestly I can relate to having writing slogs, especially when disastrous things happen daily. I tend to question the whole point of my stories and I find I only stay in the outline phase, or keep scrapping the first chapter.
But it's interesting to know even published authors deal with it!
Would you say maybe New Novel's most interesting parts were ones written when you were dry and unmotivated? i have heard that people love what the authors hated.
Good question. I think the best parts are the ones that require the most work. It's when you're in that 3 week swamp on a chapter that you really write the greatest stuff -- when all seems lost and you turn it around. I think Chapter 24 in Book 5 is a good example. It's the big Rhian chapter. I hated it. My editor hated it. We both hated it for weeks and months. And I just kept plugging away on it, over and over and over and over. And then one day... magic. I think it's a lot of readers' favorite chapter in the series. But the sheer amount of work!!!
Starting school is always a slog for me. There's the initial excitement of new classes, new classmates, and new teachers, but that quickly wears away after the first two weeks. Only one or two classes continue to bring the same thrill and energy. Thankfully, school has never been shiny enough to be tempting.
This is such a useful reflection. I often fall for the glitter of novelty without considering the slog to come, as you termed it. I am about to start a writing year and I have been feeding off the hype I tell myself. A good reminder to commit to the work, even when the glitter fades and the long stretches of misery and boredom ensue...
THE SLOG. It's such a slog but so full of magic too. Love this post and you and for taking us on this journey with you Soman! Your blog reminds me of what I love about writing. Which for some reason us writers never talk about when we are together lol. But the magic in it - YES!!! The fizzy champagne when it's all good and done. Love you!
I find myself in a slog when I read sometimes. I can be reading one book and get totally sidetracked by reading another. I will be reading my current book and a new book comes out and I want to read it. I feel like that's how everyone is. Our favorite thing is our newest thing, the shiniest one.
Honestly I can relate to having writing slogs, especially when disastrous things happen daily. I tend to question the whole point of my stories and I find I only stay in the outline phase, or keep scrapping the first chapter.
But it's interesting to know even published authors deal with it!
Would you say maybe New Novel's most interesting parts were ones written when you were dry and unmotivated? i have heard that people love what the authors hated.
Good question. I think the best parts are the ones that require the most work. It's when you're in that 3 week swamp on a chapter that you really write the greatest stuff -- when all seems lost and you turn it around. I think Chapter 24 in Book 5 is a good example. It's the big Rhian chapter. I hated it. My editor hated it. We both hated it for weeks and months. And I just kept plugging away on it, over and over and over and over. And then one day... magic. I think it's a lot of readers' favorite chapter in the series. But the sheer amount of work!!!
Starting school is always a slog for me. There's the initial excitement of new classes, new classmates, and new teachers, but that quickly wears away after the first two weeks. Only one or two classes continue to bring the same thrill and energy. Thankfully, school has never been shiny enough to be tempting.
This is a great example!!!! The new textbook smell too. Slowly fades.
This is such a useful reflection. I often fall for the glitter of novelty without considering the slog to come, as you termed it. I am about to start a writing year and I have been feeding off the hype I tell myself. A good reminder to commit to the work, even when the glitter fades and the long stretches of misery and boredom ensue...
THE SLOG. It's such a slog but so full of magic too. Love this post and you and for taking us on this journey with you Soman! Your blog reminds me of what I love about writing. Which for some reason us writers never talk about when we are together lol. But the magic in it - YES!!! The fizzy champagne when it's all good and done. Love you!
All so true. I've jumped into hype novels before without really thinking about it and they never last.
I find myself in a slog when I read sometimes. I can be reading one book and get totally sidetracked by reading another. I will be reading my current book and a new book comes out and I want to read it. I feel like that's how everyone is. Our favorite thing is our newest thing, the shiniest one.
Precisely. And reading is in its own way a slog!
I LOVE this post. In anything that matters - INDEED -- "prepare for (and face) the slog"!!!!!!
It's the greatest thing I've learned as I get older! The hype only lasts... like maybe 72 hours. Then comes the work swamp.