What is the most painful part of creating a novel for you?

mudbubble · Sep 22, 2009

Is it polishing the craftmanship needed to succeed?

Is it writing an emotionally difficult passage?
Is it the frustration of writer’s block?
Is it taking criticism?
Lack of support from friends and family?
Economic uncertainty?
is it reading the neverending Mudbubble questions?

The rejection?
Is it having to kill off a pet project?
Is it the first edit, second, third?
Research & fact checking?

The realization that you've wasted months on a dead end?

This stuff hurts, what hurts you the most?

CaroGirl · Sep 22, 2009

Carpal tunnel syndrome.

SarahMacManus · Sep 22, 2009

Creating a plot climax that doesn't seem hackneyed and overused or twist itself in my head because I always look at things from every angle.

Phaeal · Sep 22, 2009

Writing's fun. Rejection sucks. But hey. What doesn't make us throw the computer through a window makes us stubborner.

Stijn Hommes · Sep 22, 2009

After finishing a story, the realization that you still have to spend a couple of weeks or months trying to sell it (and wait for an affirmative response)

blacbird · Sep 22, 2009

Stijn Hommes said:
After finishing a story, the realization that you still have to spend a couple of weeks or months trying to sell it (and wait for an affirmative response)

Weeks? Months? Affirmative response?

For me, the most painful thing is the inevitable creeping sense of futility.

caw

scarletpeaches · Sep 22, 2009

You're gonna hate me for this, but here goes

:

mudbubble said:
Is it polishing the craftmanship needed to succeed?

No, because polishing helps me become a better writer and that's always a pleasure.

mudbubble said:
Is it writing an emotionally difficult passage?
Is it the frustration of writer’s block?
Is it taking criticism?
Lack of support from friends and family?
Economic uncertainty?
is it reading the neverending Mudbubble questions?

Possibly. I don't like hurting characters I've grown to love but I'm not sure I'd class this as painful. Unpleasant, maybe, but not that.
It doesn't exist.
I love taking criticism. It makes me a better writer.
I don't need support from my non-existent family and if someone doesn't support me in doing what I love, then they're not a friend, so fuck 'em.
Financially I can't say I'm noticing any 'credit crunch' but then I've never lived beyond my means and I don't have any debts.
I like questions.

mudbubble said:
The rejection?
Is it having to kill off a pet project?
Is it the first edit, second, third?
Research & fact checking?

I haven't subbed anything in years because I was over-confident way back when. I subbed before I was anywhere near ready. Ask me again in a few weeks when I start sending out queries for the first time in years.
I've never had to kill off a project...I've trunked novels because I realised I didn't have a clue what I was doing or the story bored me...all before I hit my stride last year and discovered my genre. Even now I'm culling from previous projects, cannibalising my own books for the novels I write these days. So none of it's wasted, I think.
Third edit? Christ, no. I write a first draft. I edit it. I'm done.
I don't do research, because I write what I know. Seriously. I use things I've experienced but I don't need to research because I write about women who are roughly my age, my economic status, my class...I've started threads on AW asking for help with various jobs and suchlike, but nothing too outlandish.

mudbubble said:
The realization that you've wasted months on a dead end?

I write fast so even if I trash something, I've only 'wasted' a few weeks and like I said before I use it again in another story. I just write it better this time!

mudbubble said:
This stuff hurts, what hurts you the most?

None of it really. It's all a joy, because I love writing.

quickWit · Sep 22, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
You're gonna hate me...

I don't even need to go any further. I agree.

Srsly.

YAwriter72 · Sep 22, 2009

blacbird said:
For me, the most painful thing is the inevitable creeping sense of futility.

This.

MsGneiss · Sep 22, 2009

If it were painful, I wouldn't be doing it. Like with any worthwhile endeavor, there are challenging bits. Rejection is tough, waiting is tough, editing is tough. But, it's all part of the process, and the process is fun.

ishtar'sgate · Sep 22, 2009

The most painful part for me is the opening. I will spend weeks or months getting it just the way I want it. I don't seem to be able to move on until it reads the way I want it to. The rest, I don't worry about. Once I'm moving forward I don't think about anything else.

Libbie · Sep 22, 2009

My radial neuritis, which often flares up around the 2000-word mark. I often want to keep going to 5000 or more, so it gets a bit ouchy.

As for emotional pain, I try not to look at creating art in such melodramatic terms. I don't find that useful, personally. I enjoy it, even when it gets hard or when it doesn't come easily. I even enjoy the rejections and the criticism. They're little adventures, and challenges to make my work better. I don't take them personally, but I do take them seriously.

That's not to say I don't get emotionally involved in my work. While writing scenes of great emotional torment (for my characters) I get quite weepy. But I still wouldn't call this "painful."

Writing is a great pleasure for me. Even when it's not.

nitaworm · Sep 22, 2009

I hate outlining!!!!! (Can I scream it out?) and Editing!!!!!! (another scream). However, they are both necessary evils, since I am a perfectionist, and obsessive. If I don't do them than I will stress out. I don't really mind the negative feedback, as long as its constructive and well given in order to make my baby shine.

CaroGirl · Sep 22, 2009

As far as emotional pain: rejection. That's it. I enjoy every other part of the process.

Libbie · Sep 22, 2009

blacbird said:
For me, the most painful thing is the inevitable creeping sense of futility.

Then why the f*** do you bother? Do you just like seeing yourself as a martyr, or what?

maestrowork · Sep 22, 2009

BIC.

I need better cushions. And probably some Prep-H.

The Lonely One · Sep 22, 2009

The hardest part is 1st draft syndrome (I've never got past a first draft novel, mind you)--seeing a passage that just stinkies and moving on.

Although doing a light edit over the first 5 or 6 chapters in my WIP did inspire me to move on in it, for whatever that's worth.

S.J. · Sep 22, 2009

nitaworm said:
I hate outlining!!!!!

I do too, sometimes. Especially when I know exactly what I want to happen, but can't work out how to make it work/what order to put events in. It is hard, but once I'm writing the 'pain' just falls away.

One of the other most painful parts of writing is realising that a certain beloved character/scene is stupid and useless and so you have to cut them.

But mostly, I don't find writing painful - just very difficult, haha.

The Lonely One · Sep 22, 2009

mudbubble said:
is it reading the neverending Mudbubble questions?

Naw. It's soothing. Like taking a mudbath.

aadams73 · Sep 22, 2009

The most painful part for me comes afterwards, when my hand cramps from having to sign so many copies.

Also, it really hurts when my readers trample me to get to my new book. Owie.

Red-Green · Sep 22, 2009

I'll chime in on the physical toll writing has taken on my body. The writing itself, though, is a joy.

sunandshadow · Sep 22, 2009

One painful part is having a great idea with a vital missing piece... which stubbornly stays missing no matter what brainstorming or outlining techniques you try, making the idea unusable.

Wayne K · Sep 22, 2009

swvaughn · Sep 22, 2009

All the damn papercuts.

mudbubble · Sep 22, 2009

Mine you ask.....It is the stage I am at right now... I am finishing an edit, mind you I don't think it is my final edit, but it is an edit with a clue versus my earlier clueless edit. now i don't know about y'all but I have to edit on a hardcopy....some of y'all probably do it on them fancy new word processing machines I heard tell about, but i can't do it... So now I have to go in and add, delete, etc from my scribbles and squiggly arrows.....I wish, oh how I wish that I could just blink me eyes and the changes would be in my laptop, backed up on my thumb drive and in my future editors hands...but for me it will be hours and days of trying to sneak the time in to input the changes........

Oh and peaches I will now refer to you as north and you should call me south because we are polar opposites.....lucky you and woe is me.

Cheers from a frozen mudbubble on the tundra.....

What is the most painful part of creating a novel for you?

Living the dream

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Know what you write...

Totally Ninja!

someone let me off this crazy ride

living in the past

Worst song played on ugliest guitar

AW Addict

Living the dream

Worst song played on ugliest guitar

Fear the Death Ray

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Addict? I can quit whenever I want!

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

A Work in Progress

KoalaKoalaKoala!

Impractical Fantasy Animal

adrift