Revision Hell

Yep, that's what I'm in right now. It's hell because let's face it, when you've read the same story a dozen times, you get to the point where you just don't want to do it again. You overlook things. Deep inside, I know there are things I need to change, but it takes my wonderful critique partners to finally convince me.

Take the setting. I love how authors make the setting like a character and certain authors do it very well. However, just because I love to write it doesn't mean a reader is going to love to read it.

I thought writing was supposed to get easier, not harder. It's so hard because I want to be writing, but I have to go to work, so all I can think about when I'm at work is how much I would like to be home writing and when I get home to write, I'm so tired. Finding a happy balance is so difficult, especially when you're close to the end of the story but you have to start over.

My critique partner--thanks Miranda!--likened my story to this:

"It's kinda set up like a chick on a treadmill right now. Lots of action--introspective thinking--why am I fat?. Then--holy s***, someone put a chocolate cake a few feet from the fat girl."

ROFL.


She's not being cruel, she's being honest, and I'm grateful for that. I know she's right, and now I have to fix it.

Cause and Effect. Cause and Effect. Cause and Effect. That mantra keeps going over and over in my mind.

I've done everything in this story that you shouldn't do: too much description, too many characters, too many subplots and everything is explained in the last chapter. It's like I had to write something so horrible before I could make it good. Why oh why didn't I listen to my instincts in the first place?