There comes a point, with every book, when you have to know when to quit. Not quit the book, but quit fixing the book. Quit trying to make it fit an ever-changing vision. When is that point?
Damn if I know. This is where I am today, sitting here after a painful day of trying to revise (the contest winner, no less) and wondering if I've totally gone off the mark. Do I have enough suspense? Does the dead body show up too late? Is the threat to the characters too simple? Not scary enough? Is this book category or single title? Is it too dark for category and not dark enough for S/T?
Truthfully, I do want to quit the book. I want to shove it in a drawer (or a computer file) and forget about it for the next several months. Can't do it, though. It hasn't seen the light of day, other than a couple of contests. I have a request for it, but I can't seem to let it go, can't seem to feel it's right enough to send out.
I have other stories in progress, so I'm not just working on this one. But I can't see this one anymore. I can't discern the pluses and minuses. It's all bad or it's all good. I can't see shades of gray.
So it's the end of the day and I'm tired. I haven't even thought about dinner (thank heavens for that new grocery store, right?). The hubby is on the couch, the cats are bugging me, and it's raining. Hard. Calgon, take me away….
Do you ever reach the stage where you can't see the book anymore? Where it's just a big pile of rubbish you need to sort out? What do you do?
I’m there on one book. I just can’t look at it any more and I’m starting to forget the joy I once had with the characters. It was inevitable.
Madness lies down the Road to Revision.
Lynn,
I think that is the time when you either throw it under the bed for later revisions (a year or more) or sending it to a friend for the fresh eyes. 🙂
Cyn NV dx 2003
Tanya, I hear you. I hate these people right now. 🙂 I’ll have take a couple of days off, no doubt about it.
Oh PC, verily thou speakest the truth! What’s Maven Linda say? Three times through and you’re done? I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been through this. Technically, this is the 3rd.
Hey, Cyn! Unfortunately, I can’t leave it for a year. Not if I ever hope to have a career at this. 🙂
Last night, I dreamed you and Otto were still living in Vegas and that Mike and I came for a visit. 🙂 Can’t believe the last time I saw you, you were wearing a mask and waiting to board a Medevac. When was that? 2003? Wow.
It seems like a long long time. March 2003.
If you need someone to read, you know where I am.
Cyn