Especially when I reread my first draft of book 2 and cringe. There were parts where I tried to encapsulate these really esoteric ideas without grounding it in the physical world. Like that bad poetry we all wrote as angsty teenagers, like Your love is like the wind blowing across the solar energy of my soul!* It felt very meaningful as you were writing it, but your reader is just left saying, "HUH?"
So there has been a lot of learning and a lot of rewriting. Meanwhile, advanced reader copies of GLITCH have gone out and are in people's hands. I thought I would be cool as a cucumber during this stage. I mean, I've watched other author friends go through this, I've heard about all the hubub with reviews, I've read book blogger sites for years. I thought: okay, well, all authors know that reviews will be a mixed bag--some people will like it, others will hate it. But I didn't anticipate the complete and total stomach-dropping-out moment of realizing, OH MY GOD PEOPLE ARE FINALLY READING MY BOOK. I almost threw up. For serious.
And then I opened up my draft of book 2 and tried to work on it some more.
And then I slammed the laptop lid closed and decided I needed to take a Save Heather's Mental Health Evening and read a good book.
*to be clear, this is an example of the kind of poetry I wrote as a teenager, not actually part of my first draft!
Good plan, Heather. Some days are meant to be enjoyed idly. Or at least reading someone else's book instead of obsessing over your own. I'm in the same boat in terms of Book 2. Massive rewrites during which I often cringe. Hey, this is why we don't let anyone see it until it's truly finished! And people are going to love GLITCH; I have no doubts. It's a tight, suspenseful, and moving story. Congrats on getting one step closer!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Eve! I just turned in book 2 this afternoon, and I plan to just devour several books while I recoup over the next few days. And then return to the land of the living!
ReplyDelete