Get your mind out of the gutter! Not that kind of affair!The thing is... *sigh*
The thing is that I'm developing a new story and... I must confess, I'm falling in love with her... *eyes get misty*
It doesn't mean that I don't love my other stories. I do. They're all special.
It's not them, it's me. It always is...
I'm pitching Aces, while giving Rocky Peak a make-over... but the new one is... you know. New.
I hope they'll forgive me. In the end, if I love the story, and have the talent needed to pull it off, then it'll benefit all of them.
I feel that loving your story is critical. Your love and passion will translate into a story that will pick up the reader and take them through the roller-coaster ride you've written. You need to be head-over-heels with the story. You need to feel the ache, the longing to write more words. You need to feel justified when you don't sleep, or eat lunch. You need to feel it so strongly that time away from the story is time away from your once-in-a-lifetime love.
Am I being overly dramatic? Maybe.
But the reality is that from the day you start writing the first word of the story, to the day that it hits the shelves, you will have read your manuscript a few dozen (or hundred) times. Think of your all-time favorite book. How many times have you read it? Five, ten?
If you don't have a passion for your story, you'll get sick of her, before she's had the chance to evolve and shine into the beauty you know she will become. And that's not fair to the story that is trying so hard to break free from your head and onto the page.
What's your relationship with your stories? And how do you create separation between yoru "other" stories?
Fight the good fight!
I don't think you're being over-dramatic, it's absolutely true. If you don't love your story, how can you expect others to? If you aren't passionate about your WIP, how can you possibly expect to survive months (or years) of editing?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't love your story, then maybe it isn't the one. Maybe it's time to move on to another WIP.
Have fun with your new story. You'll know if it's right. :)
Ava, if I could hug you, I would. You understand. You really understand.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this and can completely relate. It's like every waking moment you just want to disappear into your own world and explore, be there, create. You feel like you might freak out from excitement at every turn. I'm in love right now too! Very excited for you, Ara! Enjoy the adventure! :D
ReplyDeleteDang it, Kathryn. You nailed it. "you just want to disappear into your own world and explore, be there, create." If I had no morals, I would copy it and paste it into my original post. It's good to be in love :)
ReplyDeleteI give you permission. :)
ReplyDelete1. Love at first sight.
ReplyDelete2. If I work at it, we'll stay together a long time.
3. This is not working out for me so I'm starting to flirt with another one.
4. I am done, and I'm moving on.
5. Someone asked for her, so I'm dating her again and giving her a makeover!
:-)
Christine, you have masterfully captured the life-cycle of a novel... at least, I think it's about a novel :D
ReplyDelete