Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Battle of the Bands Results and IWSG

Everyone who is here to read my contribution to the IWSG, fear not. We will get there very soon.

FIRST, I need to give you the results on Battle of the Bands. The song was Maybe I'm Amazed. The contenders were Terry McDermott and Carleen Anderson. This battle was tough for me. Tough in the voting and tough in the putting together. My favorite cover of Maybe I'm Amazed comes from Jem. (Click HERE to listen.) But, I really like mellow music that I can relax to and (possibly) fall asleep. As an insomniac, I look for all manner of things to aid in sleep. In that endeavor, I've learned to appreciate music that soothes and relaxes me. BUT, I've learned in these battles that you guys don't tend to go for that. So, even though I originally had Jem against Carleen, I switched it to Terry at the last minute (because I thought Jem would get crushed, and I really didn't want to see that happen!). Turns out that was probably a good choice because this battle was back and forth, at least in the beginning. And then Terry gained a firm lead and Carleen didn't stand a chance.

Finally tally:
Terry McDermott: 16
Carleen Anderson: 7

My vote? I'm torn, but I'll give the nod to Terry.

Now, on to IWSG. If you're a writer struggling with insecurities, there is a sign up list HERE. You, too, can let them loose on your blog the first Wednesday of every month. It's good to know you're not alone!



What is my insecurity right now? Well, I haven't been feeling well, which is NOT conducive to my writing in any way. Or my editing. Or even my reading.

I think part of my problem lies in the fact that I'm just not excited about my story any longer. I've read and edited it enough times that I'm (dare I say it?) bored with it. Yikes. When I feel that way, it's tough for me to imagine anyone else getting hyped to read it.

When you're bogged down in editing and revisions, what do you do to keep yourself psyched about your own story???

28 comments:

  1. Yay I won! Have a super great day Robin.

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  2. I'm glad Terry won! Big fan, here. ☺

    I get bogged down in editing and revisions all the time and at this point have parked a project I was working on. Wish I had an answer for you! Hope you feel better soon. That sure doesn't help.

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  3. Been there felt that way. In fact I just posted about what can happen if you hang on and push through it. I've found that it's best to set the project aside and begin a new one, or at least outline the next novel. Once the draft for the new project is completed, go back to the first one and edit, etc. If someone had suggested this to me six months ago I would have rolled my eyes and said no way. After diving into something else, I see the benefit of beginning a story with a fresh perspective.

    If you're bored with the characters you probably won't give them the passion and attention they deserve. Give yourself some time to miss them. The book isn't going anywhere. All the best on your writing endeavors. BTW, I'm now following your blog. Great post.

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  4. It's possible to get bored with a story just because you're read it so many times. Doesn't mean it's not interesting for people reading it the first time. Hope you feel better soon.

    Susan Says

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  5. You've read it too many times. Maybe let someone else read it and that person's excitement will recharge you.
    Sorry you've not felt well.

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  6. Maybe take a short break from your writing and then come back to it. I try to read my writing as if I've never read it before to try and get excited about it. Approach it more as a reader than a writer.

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  7. It's all part of the process. We become so familiar with the story, the characters, and such it does get a bit boring. By the time I hit publish I'm fed up with the story. A break might be needed.

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  8. Geez, I picked the winner on this battle too. That merits a dose of iced coffee!

    Great battle - nice vote gap!

    Take care of yourself. Sending hugs and prayers, your way.

    Dixie

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    Replies
    1. And M&M's. There's always time for M&M's.

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    2. And M&M's. There's always time for M&M's.

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    3. Blue - I almost said, M&M's too. I'll get us some!

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  9. You picked an awesome song for your battle.

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  10. GIRL WONDER ~
    Terry sounded so much like McCartney that I guess people voted "familiarity". As I said in my original comment, I woulda voted for Carleen if only she'd toned down the vocal gymnastics a little bit. Too bad.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  11. Put your story aside and write something else. When you pick up the original story in six months or so, you'll be amazed and delighted at what you've written.

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  12. Terry's version was slick and it was very well done, but Carleen added something special that touched me.

    Sick is not good, but I hope you're getting some good rest. I'm not sick, but I have sunken into a sad state of ennui.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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  13. I know how you feel. When I get this way, I move on to another project - sometimes for months before returning to it. Then, I get excited about it all over again. Best of luck!

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  14. This was a great battle, Robin, and a song that I love!

    I'm sorry you're not feeling well, girlfriend. BTW, Gonzo has just about cured my insomnia.

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  15. Being ill sure affects a person's enthusiasm. I can relate. And when you're done editing for the umpteenth time, all you want to do is is sleep. It's hard to stay upbeat and imagine anyone liking your story or essay or post. There's also such a thing as editing till there's nothing left except for a technically sound text whose heart has been ripped out. When that happens, I delete that version and find the one that still feels right.

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    Replies
    1. Manzi tells me you're a singer. All those years I had no idea, but it makes perfect sense to me. So, where are you on YouTube? :))

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  16. I always have more than one writing project on the go to keep me from losing momentum. If one novel is lagging I just switch to the other one, or a short piece like the WEP challenges. Then I come back to it after it mellows for a while. It does help to see it with revived eyes. Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on the Gabaldon review! I'm going through a tough time in my caregiver role, which leaves me little time to do what I like most - write. But I make time to read.

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  17. Well fought, Terry. Well fought. (I still like Carleen's version better—so there :D )

    Sorry to hear you're not feeling well... Seems there's a lot of that around. Maybe some extra vitamins, extra healthy eating, a walk on a different trail with your dog? If you have a dog? I hope you're back up to your normal self soon.

    Re the IWSG question... I've learned that by the time a full-fledged book makes it out into the world, whatever enthusiasm one had for that story is long gone. After all those revisions and proof copies and editor runs, all you can see are the flaws. The bits that could've been done better. And now, of course, it's too late; it's scheduled for print and — short of a full rewrite — there's no easy fix for these things you're spotting. I've learned that that's the point when one must let the story go. Like (I imagine, being childless) sending a child off to college. You've done your best, now it's up to them. On to the next project (with lessons learned).

    Even when it's not about a publishing deadline, it's still a good idea to take a break. Fresh eyes do wonders for bringing back out all those marvelous things that made the story beautiful to begin with. Put the project away for as long as you can — a week at least, a month or two if you can manage it. When you come back to it, you'll be surprised by how good it actually is.

    Happy writing, Robin.
    Guilie @ Quiet Laughter

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  18. Sorry to hear about you not feeling well.
    BOTB - Well, I didn't pick a winner this week. But I still like my selection. I too have trouble sleeping from time to time and soothing music is usually one of my tricks to help me fall asleep.
    IWSG - I totally understand about feeling tired with a story. One of the reasons I put away my current series for nearly 30 years is because I edited it so much, I got tired with it. Only recently have I gotten excited about it again. But I've totally revamped the entire story and have been tweaking it and making some minor changes. Sometimes you just have to put something down for awhile.

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  19. I got bored with my self-help book when I was revising it. I had to put it away for a few months. I just let it sit. It was hard because I had an imaginary deadline in my head. But then I finished my fictional book and picked the self help book back up and *poof* I was in a better place in my head. I needed that mental break away from it because it had all run together for me. Maybe some time away from it will do you good? Maybe you can start on something new for a bit? Gentle hugs on not feeling well. Hope you get better soon.

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  20. Hope you're getting better. 'Tis the season for fun viruses and such. Every waiting room I visit (during the day job) is totally crowded. Especially the kiddos are hit hard this year with stuff going around.

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  21. I can't remember who I voted for. I'm recovering from pneumonia, so being a dumb blonde aside, oxygen depletion hasn't helped me one little bit. I do remember that it was an interesting BATTLE.

    I also completely forgot about IWSG, but can relate to your dilemma. I hate editing as a general rule, but by the forth or fifth pass at my work, I become totally frustrated and somewhat bored by my mistakes. I still love my stories (this may be part of the problem), but I'm furstrated with my inability to tell them well.

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  22. Thank you for the excellent comments everyone. I'm still struggling with a migraine. I thought it was getting better and then... bam. It's worse again. I think the other part of my sick/blah is allergies. The good news is that whatever grass or tree or whatever that is making that worse will run its course soon enough.

    I'm sorry I haven't been around and will try to correct that AND comment on your comments. But not tonight. My head hurts too much to form a coherent thought.

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  23. So sorry about the migraines again. I think all the writers are giving you good advice aout your story. Let it go for a while. Perhaps the headaches are in cohoots with your writing. It makes you put the writing aside for now. Rest easy.

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  24. Hope you're feeling better soon! Yes - revisions can make you want to run away from your work, but hang in there. You'll be glad when it's done and polished.

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Dazzle Me!