Why I Love My Blogger Friends & Being an Awkward Teen

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One of the best things about my blogger friends is the information I get. I love reading about your writing triumphs, struggles (I don't love your struggles, but I love trying to help and seeing what other writers have to say) and ideas. I'm always interested things like how you find time to write, plot your stories and your book suggestions. Which brings me to my next thing.

I have found my new favorite author: Robin Benway. I love, love, love her writing. It's witty and sarcastic and, did I say witty? I'm reading Audrey, Wait! and can't put it down ( I was up til 1:30 am last night reading with one eye closed). I can't wait for her next book, The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June. AND the fun part is I found out about her through a blog where someone did a review.

My next boring thing is...oh yeah, I have struggled all of my life to find my niche with writing. I've always known I wasn't interested in sci-fi or fantasy, but besides that it's been up in the air. I love horror and thriller films so I came up with (what I thought were) good ideas and set to writing screenplays. Turns out I'm not good at writing thrillers and my horror story depressed me (though I will finish that one someday!).

I came up with a (again, what I think is) good YA story idea a few months ago. I outlined all of the characters, some of the plot and dialogue. Then that voice set in.

The one that tells me it's not such a good idea and who do I think I'm kidding, I'll never finish this story. Well, it didn't take much to convince me. I put it aside and moved back to the adult novel I started years ago. The one I have 75K words on, and the one whose main character I like and think is funny. I gave it to two readers and got great feedback on it. Now I have a ton of rewriting to do. But.....I don't want to work on it anymore. For now.

This is my pattern:
  • Get excited.
  • Write tons of notes and ideas for story.
  • Realize how stupid/boring/depressing the idea is.
  • Look through old stuff and/or start something new.
  • Repeat.
  • Again and again.
When I was working on rewriting the adult novel I didn't let myself read any YA (I'd previously devoured over 15 YA novels in a matter of months). I knew if I read YA I'd want to go back to my story. Well, the other day I put my adult novel aside and started reading Audrey, Wait! and I pulled out my YA novel notes.

I get so mad and discouraged at  myself for doing this over and over. The only things I"ve ever finished are two short films. I know that's an accomplishment, but come on! It's not like I have a lack of ideas. I have about a million just waiting to be written about. And I have about a hundred characters spread out over many stories just hanging around wondering where I went.

Ok, so this turned out to be a longer post than I originally thought. But my point is (and I do have one) that I really love YA. I think it's because I still feel like an awkward teenager deep down (regardless of the fact my husband says I act like a 10 year old boy). I still do and say silly things, I'm sarcastic (I actually bite my tongue so I don't say things to people that I know will sound teenagerish), and I'm embarrassing (just ask my husband).

Does anybody else struggle with sticking with a project? Do you juggle more than one in different genres?

Comments

Kristi Faith said…
uhm, yes, I do this all of the time. I have approximately twelve beginnings of different novels. Twelve. I don't know that they will all come to fruition because....well a couple of them made it to the halfway point and I got depressed and tossed them.

Have no fear, you are not alone!
July 22, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Leah (aka Mary_not_Martha) said…
I'm not writing a book or anything but I love what your write and your post brought to mind the great Elana Johnson who is being published....http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/2010/07/adjust-your-thinking.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MindlessMusings+%28Elana+Johnson%2C+Author%29
July 22, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Lisa Miles said…
Thanks Kristi! It's good to know I'm not alone in my misery:)

I'll check it out, Leah!
July 22, 2010 at 2:53 PM
Jennifer Shirk said…
Yes, I struggle. I literally have to smack myself (or at least slap my hands) so I don't stray away from a project and finish. :)
July 22, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Pat Tillett said…
Do I ever!
I'm so unorganized, I don't even know how many projects I have going.
1. my wifes mom was a japanese war bride. I've been interviewing her for years.
2. I love zombies and am writing a book of that ilk. (it even has it's own blog, which is pretty much lying fallow.
3 You know about the military stuff already from my regular blog.
4. Lot's of short stories half written.

Squirrel!!!

I think I'm too ADD to finish any of it...
July 22, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Rosslyn Elliott said…
I blogged about those voices recently, too! I used to become discouraged and quit projects because I didn't think they were good enough. Finally, though, I realized that if I wanted to be a writer, I had to keep going even when I felt discouraged. The end result was my first contract. So I hope that you will pick one, whichever it is, and see it through until it's everything you hope. Don't be too hard on yourself. Persistent people succeed even though they are less talented than perfectionists who give up.
July 22, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Jolene Perry said…
We all love young adult, most grown-ups I know are in partial denial about their age because some of that awkwardness just never leaves...
July 24, 2010 at 3:29 PM
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