[Important] I gotta ask...where do you want me to focus? · 9:32pm Jan 8th, 2014
So, guys. Recently I've been going awfully slow with writing, to the point that I even completely stopped over Christmas because of the stress, strain and inability to relax due to my job and a few other things.
Now Christmas is over, and so is new year, but I've still found getting into the swing of writing again to be a real challenge.
There's a real sensation of not being good enough, of the beginning being god awful, of the criticism outweighing any positives I hear because just how much I hear the former and little I hear the latter.
I don't mean to make anyone feel guilty. I know a lot of people are quiet readers, but it does little to make me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, you know?
I get the same select few people writing me back, giving me their feedback, but I still have my confidence issues hold me back.
Anyway, right now I'm at 8,055 words into the chapter three rewrite, and I will get it done, but I'm wondering - is the beginning really worth rewriting or should I focus on writing new chapters and rewriting it at the end, after everything is out of the way?
How many of you ACTUALLY want to re-read it or read the story but can't bring yourselves to push through the awful beginning?
Talking to a friend about how I feel and he's suggesting I leave the rewriting until the end, once I've finished up Broken Bonds. I know I'll leave the sequel until I've rewritten all necessary chapters no matter what, but these rewrites take so long because it feels like I'm getting nowhere with them. Despite the drastic rise in quality, there's nothing new and I don't know if the effort:response ratio is enough to keep me going right now.
So, tell me. Would you rather me work on new chapters or rewriting the old? I know I've asked before, but I really need responses. I need something other than my wishing to get to write some scenes I've got planned out to help drive me. So yeah, lend me a hand? Please?
Oh, and I forgot to add. If anyone wants to see the progress and how the rewrite is going first hand, here's the link. I don't expect loads of people to suddenly go onto it, but perhaps it'll be interesting for some people to look at? https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ANs4fpeDij8MLidVVs_rywqUiTzzorVfoAe3WR1bFDg/edit
The first few chapters are what can keep or loose a reader, Re-write until the end of C3, then quickly polish the rest [Change words, improve descriptions and rework awkward sentences] then get on with it.
Redoing everything will kill your spirit as you don't gain nearly as much as you do from getting a new chapter out there in terms of coverage
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Trouble is, I can't do that. I simply can't rewrite a few words here and there and have it fixed.
The prose is awful. The formatting completely lacking. The character interaction is stuttery all over and doesn't mesh well with the previous, rewritten chapters.
It's an all or nothing effort with them. I've either gotta focus on them and kill my spirit to do anything if I don't receive the feedback I desperately need right now - or leave it for now and focus on the people who already read, get the new chapters done and out, then at the end of it devote myself to rewriting the beginning.
The only saving grace is that its only up to roughly chapter 8-ish that I need to really work on complete overhauls and up to 15-ish that needs formatting overhauls.
I think you should focus on continuing the story first.
You want to write this the best way possible, I get that. But you also should be aware that people may or may not lose interest in reading if you delay chapters for too long, plus the fact that it's quite possible to forget what happened in the previous chapter if there's a long pause in between them, especially now that there's happening quite a lot in the latest ones. I know that the Fo:E community can be very picky in terms of chapter layout and writing style, but you did a decent job with the first rewrites and they are far from being "awful". I've seen worse. Way worse, trust me.
Keep the story going and if you have a blackout about what to write or something like that, simply switch to rewriting. Maybe that even helps to get some new ideas for things later.
I'd really like to help you more with that, but I simply don't have the time and strength anymore for something like that.
Hope that sort of helps you with your decision.
I think that after you finish chapter three you should keep going. I know for a fact that past chapter three, and up to chapter 6 or so of my story that those are written really roughly. I'll be honest though, you've done a decent job with your chapters initially, while it's good that you're concerned about the quality of your writing don't turn it into something negative, or stressful. Instead, let it blossom into something else. Let it become positive determination. Let it overcome the stressful emotion, and let this new one drive you onward.
If you can do this, I can assure you that you'll see improvements. I've been doing this, and from what I can tell my quality has improved with each chapter. Anyway, I look forward to your completed re-written chapter 3. Additionally, I look forward to your new chapters.
(Which I must say is one thing I have to give you. You are one of the few who moves on with their story. It doesn't even matter if it's slow, you're still writing, and that's what matters.)
- Noakwolf
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Thanks for the feedback guys, I really appreciate it and I'm sorry that I've made such a fuss as always. After some consideration, I've decided that your suggestions are best - I'll finish writing up chapter three, change the first paragraph or so of chapter four to be in line with any changes I make and leave the rewriting there unless I really get a hankering for it or if there's enough sudden request for me to do another chapter rewrite.
Completing the story is something I really, really want to do because I feel like it has already taken too long and gotten nowhere near where it could've by now.
Once I've finished writing the story, I'll go back and make necessary changes and fixes to make the difference for new readers and anyone reading through again. Hopefully with the fact I'll have finished the story already by that point I'll have all the spirit and motivation to be up to that task without feeling I'm letting people down on the new content side of things. (Even if I do plan for a (much smaller) sequel, that can wait.)
Thanks again, I really, really appreciate it.