Tags
I’m ringing out the old year in my usual way, looking back and looking forward, mulling over what I’ve done and what I’ve left undone and what I aim to do in the future.
This has been a hard year, but a healing one. And one of the most healing things about it was the way I was able to give myself over to writing again.
So I’m excited about diving back into writing in January. Revision is hard work, I know. At some point, usually many points, I always get that dismal I’m-lost-in-the-swamp-and-I’m-sinking-fast panic, which sometimes leads to the So-help-me-I-will-never-write-a-novel-again angst, and thence to I-am-only-good-enough-to-write-grocery-lists despair. But if there’s anguish in rewriting, there’s also a lot of joy (and sometimes pure fun) involved in getting closer to the truth and core of my story.
I’d love to start revising next week, but I’m not sure if it’ll happen that soon. There’s some post-holiday kerfuffle to take care of, and a couple of new books on revision that I want to read first (well, new at least to me — more posts of those later). But I’m hoping that will only take me a week, and after that I want to make the leap to real (re-)writing.
If you’re leaping into revision, too, let me know. I’m always glad to have company!
Alchemy Pie 
The joy is what makes all that pain worthwhile–as you see what the cutting and changing is bringing to the surface. I THINK I’ll be revising this year–can you tell I’m waffling? I’ll be thinking about the revision for a few weeks, anyway, till I see if someone else out there tells me not to (or HOW to!).
Yes, it’s amazing what wonders even small cuts and changes can make. Though at this stage “small” is not the right word for the changes I’m planning, since I’m dealing with a first draft! Do you have an idea of what kind of changes you want to make, or is it all still hazy right now? Either way, I wish you lots of luck.