I've noticed a bit of a trend when I don't want to start a project, and also when I don't want to finish one.
When I was writing my 2nd manuscript, I already had an idea for a third simmering in my head. I wrote down some basic plot points, but I didn't want to start the actual story until I'd finished #2, and could better wrap my head around a new character with a different voice. Which was fine, because the characters in #3 didn't seem to be talking much.
Then, I hit the home stretch with #2. On the morning of the day I knew I'd probably finish it, something happened.
My mc from #3 wouldn't shut up.
I know now, and probably that day, if I'm being honest, that this happened because I didn't want to finish #2. I adored the characters, I loved my kissing scenes, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with it.
But finishing means the honeymoon is over. It means it's time for your betas to point out all the flaws, time for agents to tell you sorry, it's not for me. Time to revise and edit and wonder what you saw in the damn thing in the first place.
So I let myself get lost in #3, if only to avoid the giant pink unfinished elephant in the room.
The same thing happened yesterday. I was off from work, and had every intention of writing #3 like a mofo. But after only 300 words, what did I wind up doing instead? Editing and querying #2 some more. (Which paid off with a couple requests, so woohoo!)
Does this happen to anyone else? Or when you're trying to avoid a project, do you run screaming from the computer altogether?
All. The. Time.
ReplyDeleteI swear, it's going to take me months to finish any of these first drafts of books just because whenever I start working on one, I get ideas for a different one. Or the characters from an old story start talking to me.
I think I have writing ADD. And it's never that I'm trying to avoid a project, it's that I can't focus on one for any length of time >.<
(But still...a couple hundred words in exchange for some requests? WORTH IT.)
HA! Yes, I have this problem too. We may need to start a support group :) Instead of moving ahead with my edits on TB, I actually started writing a short story and outlined 3.5 novels. That's what I call avoidance :)
ReplyDeleteBut yay! It sounds like your avoidance paid off! SO happy about the requests :)
It's taking me for-freaking-ever to finish Chrome. Still only a third of the way through. I have no new ideas (I know, kill me now) so I'm turning back to reading CP projects.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the reading is inspiring me a bit, I think, because I'm starting to hear my characters. Just a little.
Anyway. Obviously you were right to flit back to LYM because GINA THAT BOOK IS SO GOING TO MAKE IT. Eeeeeeeek!!!!
I'll avoid writing with cleaning or other household projects. Usually not writing though.
ReplyDeleteI'd be excited to flip back and forth between writing projects though because at least then I could be happy because I was writing and not dusting for the third time in the month.