It's the first Wednesday of the month time for another IWSG post where we writers help each other deal with our insecurities. A warm thank you to Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and his team of Ninjas for January for providing writer's a safe and supportive format to speak openly, and without fear, about the insecurities that come with the craft of writing. Be sure to check out the IWSG Facebook page where writers can garner support more than once a month. You can learn more about IWSG, or join in the IWSG fun, here.
Mark Twain is credited with saying, “We write frankly and fearlessly but then we "modify" before we print.” I don't have a problem with the writing frankly and fearlessly part, it's the modifying that's seems to be holding me back. I'm pretty sure I've asked this question before, as it's always on my mind, but how do you know when your story is really done? I mean reeaaally know. When is it the final, final draft? I keep writing that final draft, only to have to revise, which then makes it another first draft, right? So does one ever get a final draft that's not a first draft because it's been revised from it's original final draft?
Take me for example, (since I am the one writing this post) I've finished my WIP several times. Yet each time I pass it on to a Beta reader, I get it back with notes, suggestions, and things that need to be fixed. So, I work on those things and repeat the process. Only to have the same thing happen. It's like I'm stuck in some sort of temporal loop where the modifying never ends. I've heard the "You just know," speech many times, but truth be told... I don't know. I think I do, but based on the feedback I get, I don't. I've also heard the, "You just need to put it out there," speech, too. Isn't that what giving it to the Beta readers is? It's like I don't have a story, I have a boomerang!
Okay, that's my honest writing insecurity for the first month of 2016-- that I will always be modifying. I am hopeful that is not the case, but I'm fearful that it may be. Either way, as my WIP is out with a few Beta readers right now, I'm pretty sure the next few months will be spent modifying.
What are your writing insecurities? Are you revising your WIP? Is it a boomerang, too?
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