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22.1.13

KNOWING WHEN TO STOP

I've had a bad few days struggling with my re-write of A Volcanic Race, and I think it's time to STOP, step back and think about the entire concept.

My daughter has been reading he first twelve chapters and says I have made Tomboro a much stronger character, so we're going to sit down over a coffee this afternoon and thrash out some strategy for the rest of the book.

It doesn't help that I'm not feeling well - pain and depression and lack of sleep tend to dull the creative urge - but a blood test next week may throw some light on my raft of symptoms and by association, on my book..

So instead of bashing away at chapter after chapter, I am going to take a long hard look at the second half of my book and decide what major changes to make.Maybe I even need to write something else, something new completely from scratch, to re-awaken my creative rather than my editorial side.



One spooky thing did happen when I was on my walk yesterday - I saw this notice to Loro Parque. They've acquired a pair of sea-lions and one of them is called Khali = so is one of my characters! Is this an omen?

Does anyone else get this feeling of staleness after working on the same book for so long? How do you deal with it?

9 comments:

  1. For me a good break and visiting the locations where a story is set will often inject new life.
    Feeling unwell won't help, of course. Get better quick!

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  2. I have had to leave my draft for longer than expected due to depression. It can suck any creativity or motivation from you. Just try something else, anything creative to re-ignite the spark.
    Get well soon.
    Philip

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  3. If I feel stuck I go onto something else for a while.

    Sorry you're not feeling well. Hope things improve soon.

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  4. Thank you all for your kind words.

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  5. Sorry to hear your not feeling good. For me, writing can sometimes feel like I'm purging everything on to the page until there's nothing left in me. A few days off and making the effort to do something different can help recharge.

    I hope your thrashing session goes/went well :-)

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  6. I don't think my method of dealing with that stale feeling will help you. I tend to keep moving on to new writing projects and so consequently I have a file full of half-finished work on my computer. Hope you're feeling more enthusiastic and energetic soon.

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  7. How are you feeling now? When do you get your blood results? Here they come in the post to us as well as to the doctor, usually within 3 or 4 days. Hope it's the news you want.

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  8. Thanks for asking Lorraine. I have a bunch of symptoms too boring to list, but after my sister (a nurse) mentioned thyroid I looked it up and ticked 7 out of 10 so I think that may be the answer. Blood test in 5 weeks - National Health is no quicker here than anywhere else - and as I had thyroid trouble in my teens I'm hoping that's it. Packet of pills - sorted! Fingers crossed.

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  9. I've been feeling a little less than enthusiastic about most things just lately. It's very difficult to get started or motivate myself to something new when i feel this way, but I know if I keep mulling things over eventually inspiration will strike and be enough to get me going.

    Hope you're feeling better soon, Liz xx

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