IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.
Welcome to mine!
Thanks to the co-hosts for making this month's IWSG possible! J Lenni Dorner, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, Lee Lowery, and Rachna Chhabria
Today, I'm choosing June's prompt for my post. It looks like fun. Alright, here we go!!!
For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?
There are no set ways on how I handle my first drafts or subsequent. It's all based on how I feel in relation to my manuscript, my real-life circumstances, and how I am feeling.
In My Perfect Kiss series, I wrote book after book and, when I needed a break, I went back and reread each book and redrafted them. It gave me time away from feeling the pain of deleting parts that felt dead, fluffy, or redundant. It gave me a brand new perspective.
Also, when editing became mundane, I'd brainstorm book covers--that way it keeps my enthusiasm alive for the books to be born.
I've been writing for over thirty years (my, time is escaping me and I'm not getting any younger!) and have learned that my writing method varies from book to book. There is no pattern but only that it depends all on how I'm feeling.
As for experience, I do admit back in my younger days (haha!) I'd obsessed more with perfection. I wanted to do everything "by the book" as I read many how-tos for writers. Trying to apply every technique paralyzed me and cleaned me of my creative juices. While these books (and workshops at webinars and conferences) do have merit, I ultimately picked what worked for me and left the rest without any compunction.
Who can really put rules to creativity? It's a very personal journey. I'm stifled when I'm bound. And I'm not referring to the rules of publishing, rather, the rules to personal writing methods.
If anything, do what works for you!
What are your methods of creating a book from start to finish? Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
