You Know What I Mean

If you are reading this blog, chances are you've been there. It's the darkest time in that hellacious novel-writing process, the one that makes death by fire seem like a balmy day on the Florida Keys in comparison. It stinks. It sucks. It resembles death of an emotional sort except that death would mean that the suffering would end.

I'm talking about round one of revisions.

Let's break it down in nifty list format:

1. Sophie is contented with her life and her future prospects.
2. Sophie decides it's time to write another book.
3. Sophie takes out her super artistical tools of the trade (Microsoft Word)
4. Sophie composes a brilliant novel filled with breathtaking characters and deathless prose.
5. Sophie retires, leaving the novel to its own devices for a week or so, in order to rest her genius mind.

Now things get ugly:

6. Novel gets evil glint in its eye.
7. Novel conspires with its sociopathic friends Computer and Word to delete the genius and add the dreck.
8. Novel cackles manically.
9. Sophie opens Word after one week, prepared to make two or three edits to her amazing novel.
10. Sophie reads first sentence.
11. Sophie sobs.
12. Sophie runs to the fridge and opens up a new gallon of Rocky Road.

I'm currently in the middle of a massive rewrite and overhaul of this novel. I explained my pain best to my fellow YAYAs: "Editing ST is like sleeping with that really hot guy who's also a total dickwad. It feels so good when it's happening and you think you're in love but when it's over all you have left is shame."

The Source

Writer's Block or Revision Block... what do you do to get over it? What inspires you to write or want to write???

I used to write really fast, still do sometimes, but I find that I get distracted by new ideas. Like, I'll be working on my new book and then POW! a new idea pops up. Rather than continuing what I was doing, I stop and write down the new idea. Then a chapter to go along with it. Eventually my main book is in the same state, but I've started four other ones!

My files are becoming a graveyard of ideas.

I know some writers who like to read to get inspired. That doesn't work for me. Some say when they're depressed they write. Naw. Doesn't work for me either. I'm finding, the thing that has inspired me most is other writers.

Reading an excerpt from a friend, hearing about a great book deal, getting an email from one of my dear critique partners saying, "Where the heck is the next chapter, Suz??"

But I'd love to know about you!!! From where do you draw your writing inspiration???

-Suz