Of course, on reflection I have also realised that the reason these books seem to get harder and harder to write - but on the upside the revisions get slightly less humungous - might be because my crap-o-meter is now so well developed I suffer the torments of hell before handing the book to my editor, instead of afterwards. Which is great for her, but maybe not so great for me - when I consider how many sleepless nights, how much shouting-at-kids and how many panic attacks I had over this story. But hey, that's a writer's life, right? It's exactly like being a teenager again, the extreme highs are all the more euphoric when compared to those extreme lows - those nights when you lay awake and think 'I hate these bloody characters', 'how did I ever do this before?', 'this book is total shite and it's never going to get any better'.
Or then again, maybe I'm just slightly nuts and it has nothing to do with being a writer...
Okay, enough with the reflection (and the discovery that I may have mental health issues!)... Now all I've got to do is write a one-thousand word epilogue that manages to tie up the many lose ends I left dangling during the story that I stupidly figured I'd handle in the epilogue. Way to go, Sherlock!
Why do I suddenly see several more sleepless night in my future?
7 comments:
Wohoo! Another Heidi Rice to look forward too :)
Congrats, Heidi! That's great re the revisions. Yeah, I know EXACTLY what you mean re the highs and lows. The wonderful feeling when you solve a problem, the despair when you realise you haven't solved it, you've just created a new one. ;-)
Don't know about you, but these days, I am finding beginnings the devils own business to write. They are sooooo hard.
thanks Rach! Can you hear my relief from here?
And all I can say Jackie is abso-fricking-lutely! Beginnings are hard as hell! Especially for us pantsers. If only I knew where the hell I was going I might know where to start!
Congrats on ed loving your book!
I so admire all you pantsers. I have no clue how you manage to put together such wonderful books. Mine would be a big puddle of blah if I pantsered (is that a word?!) it.
Woot! Congrats Heidi! That's fantastic news. Yay for rewriting the first chapter 20 times (JK Rowling did that too you know). It's not mental health issues it's genius my dear friend. GENIUS!
Congrats, Heidi! I guess its impossible to avoid the angst, either before revisions or after them! Loving the idea of a Christmas story Heidied, but do we really have to wait that long? :(
(could we suggest to M&B that a Christmas story isn't just for Christmas, but for, say, July too?)
Yes, Joanne, you must respect your process, but can I just confess to be a tad jealous of you plotters! Can't help thinking that there would be less angst if I didn;t have to write everything by the skin of my teeth!
Aw cheers Lacey, see now I'm blushing. And love the JK Rowling comparison (I wish!)
Yeah, Sally, so wish I could get this book out sooner, and it has sort of balls up my US schedule as I'm not going to be able to get Cupcakes out there now till 2012... Which seems a mighty long time away (royalties-wise!) This book being a Christmas story will have to come first. Ah well, you live and learn. No more Christmas stories from me for a while
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