So, last week I quit. I quit writing. I got up out of my chair, went into the kitchen, made dinner, trying not to cry, all the while thinking, I'm done. It's over. I can't do this anymore. It's too freaking hard.
In the past few months, I started writing two books. One of them I only got through a couple of chapters before I knew it was not the book I wanted to write. The other one, I got to 20,000 words when I said to myself, this is crap. Now, of course we know, first drafts often are just that. But there still needs to be a great premise, a great voice, a great *something* to hold on to. I had a friend read it, and she said she liked it, but still, something was really bugging me about it.
The day after I quit, I woke up and I asked myself if still wanted to quit. I thought about all the amazing books I've been reading lately and all the reviews for amazing books coming out later this year. What if those writers had quit when it got hard?
The thing about writing first drafts is that, for me, I don't outline much, and so I have to just write the book, letting the characters lead the way. When things go the right way the whole way through and magical moments happen without effort, it's a wonderful, happy thing. But things don't always go that way. My book, IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES? That book came almost effortlessly during the entire first draft. I wanted my current book to be like that book. But each book is different, and just because a book makes you struggle more, it doesn't mean it's not good. Right? Please tell me I'm right about this!!
In the end, my resignation lasted all of a day. I took a deep breath, opened a new document, and started the book over. I've gotten about 10,000 words done. This weekend, I plan to write up a chapter-by-chapter outline because obviously, with this book, I need one!
Hard? Yes. But necessary. And in the end, probably easier than quitting.
~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career
