You (and your partner in crime) are the heart of a writing community I have been privileged to join; and through your newsletter, I get to meet others. The double-booking is something we have all done, and yes, I do believe synchronicity is alive and well in the world. I have benefited from it many times, just as I did this week. My thanks for all I learn from you and those you have gathered from all parts. I treasure the difference you and yours have made in my life.
It was so fun that our lunch with Kathy ended up working out so well. And I thank you for being flexible and gracious about it. I'm so grateful to have you in my life as well.
It's Erin (from Mastermind!) Just a note to tell you I love your newsletter- I am always weeks behind in reading on substack but always enjoy your posts!!! And I ditto Cathy's question below. I am on the 3rd revision and its become a slog. I still love the story so much but the work (aka details) is overwhelming. I've been writing in Google Docs but thinking I might need another platform to see my work chapter by chapter...? Thoughts?! xo
And thank you for reading. I feel your pain, my inbox is so clogged up right now it's pathetic.
Everything I said to Cathy applies to you, too, although she has another work she's longing to get to and I don't know if you do or not. It can be so hard to keep the enthusiasm going but a different platform might really help you see it in a new light.
I know tons of people use Scrivener but I don't because the learning curve has always been too much for me. One thing you might look into is Dabble. https://www.dabblewriter.com/ I use it off and on and like it because it's simple. It's got this cool feature wherein when you write everything else on your screen disappears so you can focus easily. And you can also look at each chapter separately or see the whole thing on the screen at once. It's a monthly fee but they keep adding new stuff so I think it's worth it. I kind of just talked myself into using it for my next WIP, it's pretty great.
And also--take heart. It's normal to be getting discouraged and overwhelmed by the third draft. Sometimes you do just have to slog on through. But there's light at the end of the tunnel, I promise!
Thank you! I'll check it out for sure. I've gone back and forth about Scrivener but I am so overwhelmed by that platform... I dont know if I have the patience to figure it out at this point. lol! Here's to slogging through....
Oh God, you and me both on Scrivener! I get so tempted by it and then I try it and it's just awful. I know it would be wonderful if I could force myself to learn it, but I'd rather write. Or read. And yes to slogging on through!
I enjoyed reading Charlotte's newsletter as I always do every Sunday.
One thing I'd like to address is my lack of enthusiasm to do my fourth revision of my romance novel. I have done 100 Day Book given by The Write Practice for the past three versions and it kept me more pumped. I'm not doing their session this time and I can feel the difference without the community and accountability. I am exchanging chapters weekly with another woman who did 100 Day Book so that's good at least but it's not enough for me. I got a Prowritingaid subscription to try and put each chapter through it and it helps a little. I also hired an editor friend do a developmental edit so am trying to address those edits. But the truth is, I'm eager to finish this book and work on something else as much as I love my story and characters. I have a YA novel I wanted to revise that I did with 100 Day Book in 2016 and haven't looked at it for years in favour of the romance novel.
How do you keep your enthusiasm through all the edits is my main question? And how do you know when you've done enough? It never feels like enough and feels like I could keep tweaking it to eternity but one of these days, I have to say it's done. It won't be perfect, of course, but I can't keep working on it forever.
And thank you for being one of my most loyal readers!
You ask such a great question. My first reaction is that you probably are done with this story. Are you sure you really do need to do a fourth revision of this novel? I know there's a lot of talk on the interwebs about making sure your book is ready before you send it out, but maybe, just maybe, it is ready? Have you thought about sending it to betas? When I sent one of my novels to betas, it was so helpful because I learned that the book really was ready. It needed a few tweaks, but nothing major. And by then I was really, really done with it. (And thank you, Cathy, for being a beta!)
At the very least, maybe it's time to give the book and your brain a rest. If the YA novel is what you long to write, go for it. Your romance will be waiting for you when you're done with that.
With my first novel, Emma Jean's Bad Behavior, I went through it way too many times. I had a lovely critique group then and then slogged along through it with me, but I realized in retrospect I should have let it go out into the world a lot sooner. But it's so, so hard, to let our babies go, isn't it?
I think the fact that you're feeling a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the novel means it's time to let it go. Find some betas and then turn to your YA story. I think you might feel a vast sense of relief when you do.
You (and your partner in crime) are the heart of a writing community I have been privileged to join; and through your newsletter, I get to meet others. The double-booking is something we have all done, and yes, I do believe synchronicity is alive and well in the world. I have benefited from it many times, just as I did this week. My thanks for all I learn from you and those you have gathered from all parts. I treasure the difference you and yours have made in my life.
Marna!
It was so fun that our lunch with Kathy ended up working out so well. And I thank you for being flexible and gracious about it. I'm so grateful to have you in my life as well.
Charlotte
It's Erin (from Mastermind!) Just a note to tell you I love your newsletter- I am always weeks behind in reading on substack but always enjoy your posts!!! And I ditto Cathy's question below. I am on the 3rd revision and its become a slog. I still love the story so much but the work (aka details) is overwhelming. I've been writing in Google Docs but thinking I might need another platform to see my work chapter by chapter...? Thoughts?! xo
Hi Erin,
And thank you for reading. I feel your pain, my inbox is so clogged up right now it's pathetic.
Everything I said to Cathy applies to you, too, although she has another work she's longing to get to and I don't know if you do or not. It can be so hard to keep the enthusiasm going but a different platform might really help you see it in a new light.
I know tons of people use Scrivener but I don't because the learning curve has always been too much for me. One thing you might look into is Dabble. https://www.dabblewriter.com/ I use it off and on and like it because it's simple. It's got this cool feature wherein when you write everything else on your screen disappears so you can focus easily. And you can also look at each chapter separately or see the whole thing on the screen at once. It's a monthly fee but they keep adding new stuff so I think it's worth it. I kind of just talked myself into using it for my next WIP, it's pretty great.
And also--take heart. It's normal to be getting discouraged and overwhelmed by the third draft. Sometimes you do just have to slog on through. But there's light at the end of the tunnel, I promise!
Have a great week.
Charlotte
Thank you! I'll check it out for sure. I've gone back and forth about Scrivener but I am so overwhelmed by that platform... I dont know if I have the patience to figure it out at this point. lol! Here's to slogging through....
Oh God, you and me both on Scrivener! I get so tempted by it and then I try it and it's just awful. I know it would be wonderful if I could force myself to learn it, but I'd rather write. Or read. And yes to slogging on through!
Hi Everyone!
I enjoyed reading Charlotte's newsletter as I always do every Sunday.
One thing I'd like to address is my lack of enthusiasm to do my fourth revision of my romance novel. I have done 100 Day Book given by The Write Practice for the past three versions and it kept me more pumped. I'm not doing their session this time and I can feel the difference without the community and accountability. I am exchanging chapters weekly with another woman who did 100 Day Book so that's good at least but it's not enough for me. I got a Prowritingaid subscription to try and put each chapter through it and it helps a little. I also hired an editor friend do a developmental edit so am trying to address those edits. But the truth is, I'm eager to finish this book and work on something else as much as I love my story and characters. I have a YA novel I wanted to revise that I did with 100 Day Book in 2016 and haven't looked at it for years in favour of the romance novel.
How do you keep your enthusiasm through all the edits is my main question? And how do you know when you've done enough? It never feels like enough and feels like I could keep tweaking it to eternity but one of these days, I have to say it's done. It won't be perfect, of course, but I can't keep working on it forever.
Happy Writing, Everyone!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
And thank you for being one of my most loyal readers!
You ask such a great question. My first reaction is that you probably are done with this story. Are you sure you really do need to do a fourth revision of this novel? I know there's a lot of talk on the interwebs about making sure your book is ready before you send it out, but maybe, just maybe, it is ready? Have you thought about sending it to betas? When I sent one of my novels to betas, it was so helpful because I learned that the book really was ready. It needed a few tweaks, but nothing major. And by then I was really, really done with it. (And thank you, Cathy, for being a beta!)
At the very least, maybe it's time to give the book and your brain a rest. If the YA novel is what you long to write, go for it. Your romance will be waiting for you when you're done with that.
With my first novel, Emma Jean's Bad Behavior, I went through it way too many times. I had a lovely critique group then and then slogged along through it with me, but I realized in retrospect I should have let it go out into the world a lot sooner. But it's so, so hard, to let our babies go, isn't it?
I think the fact that you're feeling a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the novel means it's time to let it go. Find some betas and then turn to your YA story. I think you might feel a vast sense of relief when you do.
And keep us posted!
Charlotte