Writing News

So…writing this week.

It has been difficult to write this summer. Kiddos home from school, camp Staff Meeting at 7:00am cutting my morning writing time short, sunburn and exhaustion and fun and games and babysitting the camp cook’s grandson taking up quite a bit of energy. But I am still writing, although the quantity has diminished. Jenn and I just got our critique sheets back from the judges for the Genesis contest. Since we semi-finaled this year that means six different people gave us their opinions about our writing. This is invaluable for a writer…but also very confusing. They don’t all agree. So now we have to wade through these critiques and separate the silver from the dross. What to change? What to keep? So confusing.

Perhaps it is time to give up on my Nineveh story for awhile.

I have been working on the Nineveh manuscript since 2003. I gave up on it for 2 years and wrote something else, then I returned. That time has come again. Don’t worry, this is not forever. But an agent just gave this advice to Jenn–Write something with an extremely unique hook to break into the market, and maybe your current story could be a good second book.

I have been working on and trying to sell this story forever. The current market doesn’t like it. Jen and I have both come to the conclusion that it is time to try something new.

But first I am getting out my most brutal editor’s pen and giving the first Nineveh manuscript another going over. I shall use those 6 judges critiques. I shall slash my way through my story knowing that I am going to put it aside for a time. Maybe as long as a year. Maybe longer. I will attack it and make it better. My goal is not only to semi-final in the Genesis contest next year. I want to final! I’m babysitting this summer, I might even have $ for the ACFW conference. I’m going to take all of these painful critiques and get every ms. I have in tip top shape for the Genesis. I’m going to do it now…six moths before the contest opens. Then I’m going to write something completely new. And when the Genesis rolls around again, I’m going to revise those contest entries again and enter everything I have. 2015 could be my year. I’ve always held back just a little, hoping that I might win, just as I am, but not really giving my entries every single creative drop of sweat and blood I have. This year is different. I’m giving it everything and then moving on to something else.

So here is to learning and growing and trying and maybe to dying as well.

Jenn and I are moving on to other stories. New stories, hopefully better stories. But we are using that cold calculating energy of giving up, to fuel a revision that will leave our old stories better then they have ever been before.

Ah Sovereign Lord, may it be so.