The Writing Life: Difficult Restart
A week ago I returned to a manuscript that had been in a file folder for nearly a year. I had put it aside for various and sundry reasons.
For those who don’t follow my blog, I’m working on the sixth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series.
I confess that it’s been a rocky return to the manuscript. I work on a chapter each day with edits and rewrites. The problem is that I’m still not sure I like where the story is headed.
I originally thought I could build on the 40k words and finish the first draft in a couple months. Perhaps that’ll happen once I get into a groove.
My big concern is that I may be developing a case of writer’s block with the manuscript. I’ve wondered if:
- Maybe I was away from the story for too long to get back into it?
- I should simply put it away and come back when I can devote more time to it?
- I’m putting too much pressure on myself to complete the manuscript with my self-imposed deadline?
The one solution I see right now is to quit fretting about rewriting, editing, and word count and simply read!
So that is what I plan to do. I’m going to re-read the manuscript, take a few notes along the way, and then get back into it with renewed energy and focus.
Don’t you like reading thought processes of a writer? Kinda crazy, huh?
I’ll let you know in a few days how things worked out.
Until the next time . . .
Michael Embry is a multi-genre author of 15 books.
