Getting back into writing again
No Comments »9th February, 2010; Category: Master of Arts course, Novels, The Writer's Life, Writing a novel
It is time to get back into my writing again.
Over the last two months my writing has taken something of a back seat in my life. I worked really hard over many long hours over an extended period of time in an attempt to get my novel finished before the end of November.
It didn’t happen.
As it turns out, my six weeks of illness in the middle of the year put me behind on my schedule and I never really recovered. The hard push to get it finished took its toll, and by the end of November I was well and truly cooked. So I decided to have a break from my novel writing.
I had actually finished the first draft well before the end of October. I then spent quite a few weeks editing and rewriting. The novel is now in its 6th draft, with at least two more drafts to go, perhaps more.
It has taken me fully two months to get back to the stage where I want to get back into the novel. I hope that the long, enforced break has distanced me enough from the earlier writing to give me fresh eyes for the novel as it now exists.
Many writers will agree with what I have done. Putting aside a story or poem or novel for a few weeks or even months can have a beneficial effect. Of course, sometimes writers do not have the luxury of giving their stories this kind of space, particularly if they are on a submission deadline.
Over the next week I will see how I go.
In the meantime – good writing.