Monday, January 24, 2011

Overdoing It

Tip: DO NOT edit 2 books in 3 weeks. Just...don't.

I thought it'd be fine. I was already in the groove when I finished off Transparent. Since I had to send a partial of Sidekick to my agent, I figured, "Eh, why not just do the whole first edit?"

Yeah, not my best idea.

I am fried, guys. I've spent too much time fixing book problems. Too much time with two separate characters. Too much time stressing over getting things right. Friday night my brain essentially exploded. I went to bed, had a horrible dream about ants crawling all over me, and then didn't sleep at all after that. Got like 2 hours of sleep.

And that night, awake, I could not shut off my brain. I was in emotional overdrive. In a strange way, it felt like all the emotions I'd been working to put in my characters had taken over. Plus, I'm waiting for feedback from my agent, so it was a night full of "Are these books good enough? Will she like the rewrite? What if she hates both? What will I write next? I have no idea what to write anymore I'm so tired and where and who and what and why am I oh my gosh I might really be losing my mind?!?!

Really. Don't edit 2 books in 3 weeks. It's not admirable. It's stupid. I should have taken a breather, instead of getting all obsessed.

There is a reason this writing process takes so long. It's mentally and emotionally and sometimes even physically taxing. Sometimes I forget just how much it takes out of me, and then I pull some stupid stunt like this and go, "Oh yeah, taking time IS important."

Don't overdo it. Really, it's not worth it. I am so fried right now that I'm not sure I'll be able to write for a few weeks. I just want to sleep. A lot. And do all the other stuff I didn't do the last few weeks.

Also, it would be really nice if this constant headache would go away.


31 comments:

  1. Yikes! That sounds intense. Good luck with getting the lots of sleeping in!

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  2. Oh boy, I hope you can heal from the craziness! I do admire your tenacity, but I wish you a speedy recovery.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  3. I admit, I was surprised to hear you were editing Sidekick so soon after finishing Transparent. I should have said something. #friendfail

    I'm glad I'm coming into town in a couple weeks. We need a calorie fest/editing detox.

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  4. Oh, your poor carpal tunnels! And your head. I recommend chocolate. And a long walk. Then a few mindless movies to empty your brain.

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  5. Sounds like you need to take a break! Maybe read a book or watch a good tv show? I find that helps me get my mind off my book.

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  6. Sounds like a couch and book day are well deserved at this point.

    Congrats on the hard work. Now take a break! ;)

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  7. Oh my! Wow. Well I will take your advice. That ant dream would do me in!

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  8. *gives ibuprofen*
    I'll remember that. Sometimes when I see other writers post extravagant goals on their blogs it makes me want to push myself too.
    And I will, because pushing myself isn't bad. But its good to know that I don't have to be absolutely crazy and I now have permission to pace myself.

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  9. Don't tell me you missed that Packers game...

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  10. Sean, uh...it might be better if you didn't know how long it's been since I've seen a football game.

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  11. Take a break! :P Even if it's only for a few days. You need to recharge.

    Sounds like an anime marathon is in order :)

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  12. I think that Renee's suggestion is spot on. Hit up your friends. Go see a movie. And if your agent responds (positively or negatively) in the next couple weeks you should be straight up with her and tell her that you might need more time. Don't kill yourself on editing. This is supposed to be fun!

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  13. Nice blog. I follow you on twitter. Nice to meet you. Everything in moderation and it's a win/win situation. Take it easy and enjoy yourself.

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  14. ice cream cures all ails especially when paired with a super gooey chocolate chip cookie

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  15. Aww, I'm sorry you're hurting. I hope you feel better soon!!

    Thanks for sharing the lessons you learn the hard way, though. They really are helpful. (Or good reminders of what I have already learned the hard way too...)

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  16. I know this feeling...which is why I'm taking a reading hiatus. No writing, all reading the stuff I tell myself I shouldn't read because I should be writing.

    Good luck tapping into some quality sleep time!

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  17. Time for you to take a much needed break!

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  18. I'd be thrilled if I could edit one book in 2 weeks! You're a rockstar!

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  19. Sorry to hear that you're having a rough time! On the bright side, you got a lot done, right?

    Hope you get rejuvenated and lose that headache soon...

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  20. That sounds intense. You definitely deserve a break.

    I can sympathize with the difficulty of switching characters too suddenly. My two projects star very different people and it keeps messing up my drafts to switch back and forth.

    Good luck!

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  21. Time to chill. You have to take good care of yourself.

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  22. Sounds like you definitely need a little break.

    BTW - you have an award waiting for you on my blog. :)

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  23. IBU and a dose of benadryl. It'll get rid of that headache and help you sleep!

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  24. there's only one solution to your fried brain...

    time to level archaeology. :)

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  25. Yes, you really need to let yourself take a break and debrief your mind of all characters and stories. Breathe. Take care of yourself and I hope the headache subsides.

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  26. The doctor called. He said you need to drink a Code Red, take one tylenol, one advil and play WoW for the rest of the day.

    P.S. At least you HAVE two books to edit! That's a pretty awesome feat in itself!

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  27. You're just driven. Nothing wrong with that except if it's keeping you up at night, which it sounds like it did. I hate it when I can't shut off my mind at night. I've tried a lot of things to shut down and haven't learned the secret yet. But I know what you mean about letting the writing process take its time. Not only is it better for your work, but for your health. Hope you're sleeping better now. :)

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  28. Doctor Kendall prescribes rest, relaxation, perhaps rock climbing, and liberal doses of chocolate.

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  29. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Your dedication to your craft is truly admirable, but I can certainly understand how your brain and body had had enough and let you know it in no uncertain terms. Definitely something for us all to keep in mind next time.

    I hope you're getting some rest and some time to recharge. That way, when you go back to your manuscript, you're be at 100% and you'll do fantastic work!

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