Editing is hard. I know that. After all these years and twelve books out the door, how could I not? But this manuscript is kicking my ass.
I'm not sure why editing is so hard this time around. Usually I can look at the edits and the changes pop into my head, bing bang boom. Now? I look at the suggested edits and my brain just blanks out. Which is making me totally not want to sit here struggling for more than a 15-20 minutes at a time. And 15-20 minutes means like one paragraph. Blerg.
Between Friday and Saturday, I got page one done. Sure, the first page is the most important page, but come on.
Yesterday, I bribed myself. Edit until I wanted to bash my head on the desk and then I was allowed to play one round of my online word game. Then back to editing. Do that until I couldn't stand either one, walk away and come back later. Lather, rinse, repeat. Off and on, all day.
And at the end of the day, I had eight pages done. Out of an almost 300 page manuscript.
It's not the edits. They're not really any harder than any other book. There really isn't more pink ink on the pages. (AWE edits in pink instead of red. It's cheerier.) It's totally me. My brain is farting all over the place right now. Maybe it's editing block.
Okay, I admit that I hate editing. And when I first got the edits, I really didn't want to do them. But I changed that. I really did want to edit over the weekend. It was my plan and the clock is ticking. I really do want this book to be the best that it can be and the only way to do that is to edit. But there's some kind of disconnect between wanting to work and being capable of doing it.
So, yeah, I think it's editing block. I mean, when you want to write but can't, it's called writer's block, so why can't there be editing block, too?
Today, I will sit here until my eyes bleed. Do the work, you big, whiny baby. :whipcrack: Screw editing block. Screw the struggle. Life's a struggle. Get over it.
And with that little, personal pep talk, I hope to get at least a couple chapters done today. Two weeks left until my deadline. Couple chapters a day should do it.
What about you? Ever get editing block? How do you combat it? Do you give yourself little 'drill sergeant' style pep talks?
That stinks. Can you work on two projects at once and see if that makes it better (understanding that it might make it worse for some writers!) I'm editing in the morning (with a timer, because I can find it really tedious) and then drafting a new book in the afternoon to satisfy my right brain.
ReplyDeleteSing it, sister. This damn proposal (it's not even the WHOLE DAMN BOOK!!!!) should have been back to HQEd WEEKS ago. I haven't even opened it in days. Today. I have to. I can't put it off any longer. And because I'm so yuckaduck ambivalent about the proposal, it's bled over into the other projects I need to finish. For the first time in a couple of years, there won't be a Penumbra Papers book on Halloween. :/ I'm praying it'll be out by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you know where I am in headspace so yes, to answer your question, there is such a thing as Editing Block and it is far more insidious that Writer's Block. Just sayin'...
Hugs on your editing woes! I hope you get to a smooth patch soon. A loooong smooth patch!
ReplyDeletebtw, if you find that free marketing assistant, would you consider sharing? ;-)