Relax, Enjoy the Ride
Nice to see you again! Join in the discussion!I’ve never really had too many conflicts with my inner critic. She keeps her mouth shut until she’s spoken to, for the most part. My first chapter is my latest source of angst. It started when I entered the InnerMoonLit First Chapter contest. The word limit is 2,000 words. My first chapter is over 4,300 words. I cut the last scene to fit within the limits. Guess what? I didn’t like it. I became a little paranoid that perhaps 2,000 words is what I should be shooting for.
I took to the forums and learned this just isn’t so. Go with the flow of your work. It was comforting then to read a blog post that reiterates the same message–relax, go with with the flow of your work. Put that inner critic to bed and keep writing.
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I’ve given my latest revision to my husband for his critique. I know I still have some work, but I think I’m at a good point to take a break from it for a few days. I’ve been reviewing points of fact that may need follow up. This is a mystery, after all. I want to make sure I’ve covered the case adequately and that my detective’s conclusions are logical. My husband is a good one for tasks of this sort.
I’ve also entered a fine tuning phase of my work. Using websites such as Roy Peter Clark’s 50 Tools To Help You Write and Writerisms, I am going back and identifying trouble spots, overused words, weak words, and replacing them with stronger writing. Both websites list a concise set of guidelines. Have I really used ‘walked’ that many times? It’s amazing how empowered you feel after following these suggestions and seeing your work magically transformed into a better piece. While I try to keep these in mind as I compose, of course, in the heat of the moment getting the story down is the first task. I’d hate to be one these writers that agonizes over the perfect word. So, with coffee in hand, I’ll begin the process.
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