...with something you've written? I'm not talking about minor disappointments, but say a novel you've written that has flat characters you tried unsuccessfully to round up, or a novel/story with weak spots...
Are you ever 100% satisfied...
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Well, so far I've liked everything I've ever written.
Aside from the minor errors that I can spot, though. =P
So to answer the question bluntly, yes.
Aside from the minor errors that I can spot, though. =P
So to answer the question bluntly, yes.
Short answer: Nope.
My current WIP is far from complete, and I just re-did the 1st chapter, after pronouncing it "very good" just a few weeks back, lol.
My one publishing credit, a short story, I tweaked endlessly for a long time, finally coming to my senses and saying, "When are you going to send it out and try to get it published?" You have to get to that point and send out your "baby," and deal with the consequences, good or bad.
Not an easy thing to do, at least not for me. But I don't think any decent writer thinks their story is 100% good, no matter if you get published and sell 100 or 10,000 books. See, there's always those last few nits to pick...
~Nancy
My current WIP is far from complete, and I just re-did the 1st chapter, after pronouncing it "very good" just a few weeks back, lol.
My one publishing credit, a short story, I tweaked endlessly for a long time, finally coming to my senses and saying, "When are you going to send it out and try to get it published?" You have to get to that point and send out your "baby," and deal with the consequences, good or bad.
Not an easy thing to do, at least not for me. But I don't think any decent writer thinks their story is 100% good, no matter if you get published and sell 100 or 10,000 books. See, there's always those last few nits to pick...
~Nancy
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Ugh, no, especially not today. I just finished reading the latest HP book, and afterwards I just felt so... ugh. Like everything I've ever written is total crap, and the WIP is just awful. Usually she inspires me, but now I feel like I suck. I'll never be that brilliant. Ever.
Sigh. I'm having an off day, I suppose.
Sigh. I'm having an off day, I suppose.
Satisfied
No matter how satisfied I may feel with something at the moment, when I look back on it six months or a year later, I tend to cringe.
In all the writing I've done, in all the things I've sold, I've had exactly one piece puiblished that even now, almost fifteen years later, I still think is as good as I can possibly write. I still wouldn't change a single word of that piece. There are a couple of others that I'm still perfectly satisfied with, but know I'd write a bit differently now. But with these exceptions, there's nothing I've had published that I wouldn't love to have a crack at rewriting.
Not that I'm at all sure it matters. Some of the stories I believe are my best writing never sell anywhere, and some of the stories that I believe are written horribly sell first time out and keep selling.
No matter how satisfied I may feel with something at the moment, when I look back on it six months or a year later, I tend to cringe.
In all the writing I've done, in all the things I've sold, I've had exactly one piece puiblished that even now, almost fifteen years later, I still think is as good as I can possibly write. I still wouldn't change a single word of that piece. There are a couple of others that I'm still perfectly satisfied with, but know I'd write a bit differently now. But with these exceptions, there's nothing I've had published that I wouldn't love to have a crack at rewriting.
Not that I'm at all sure it matters. Some of the stories I believe are my best writing never sell anywhere, and some of the stories that I believe are written horribly sell first time out and keep selling.
No matter how much i initially like a story to begin with by the time i get to the end and have edited and re-written i tend to hate my work. A story can only be interesting for so long. That's why i think outside opinion is so important because i may be sick of a chapter and think it is crap when others might think differently. Am i making sense?
Honey Nut Loop said:
Yeah...It happens that way for me too. The longer I work on something, the more its value goes down in my eyes.
Have you ever had people say something you thought wasn't really good actually was?
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Other people tend to like my stuff more than I do! Sometimes I really like a passage I wrote, but most of the time I chew the end of my virtual pencil while I ponder how I can make it better. Problem is, nothing new gets written that way. :/
Final drafts are like the sun during an eclipse...you're pretty sure they're a sight to behold, but you don't EVER look directly at them.
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Lately, I've been so disappointed in my own work, I've seriously considered just giving up the idea of being a writer.
... or at least a writer of "serious" fiction. There are some things I've written that I like, but they always have an underlying tone of absurdity or humor to them.
... or at least a writer of "serious" fiction. There are some things I've written that I like, but they always have an underlying tone of absurdity or humor to them.
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I fall in love with my characters. That's ususally where I end up as far as liking something enough to leave it alone.
Most of the time, I like to add just a little bit more. Another little twist along the path is what I like.
JK Rowling usually inspires me. While I understand it's intimidating to think about all the plotting she's done how massive it is, it is still just a story. Go back and read her first book. She started with a small idea, a boy going to a school of magic. What wonders could you come up with? What would you change?
How exciting it is to think of the possabilites we have to create our own magic worlds! I think I'll go write... more... now!
Most of the time, I like to add just a little bit more. Another little twist along the path is what I like.
JK Rowling usually inspires me. While I understand it's intimidating to think about all the plotting she's done how massive it is, it is still just a story. Go back and read her first book. She started with a small idea, a boy going to a school of magic. What wonders could you come up with? What would you change?
How exciting it is to think of the possabilites we have to create our own magic worlds! I think I'll go write... more... now!
It's kind of like falling in love with someone. You don't have to love everything equally, but you must love something immensely or you wouldn't be falling in love. In fact, you may realistically see flaws, but that doesn't detract from the overall feeling.
I don't know that it's possible for me to write something absolutely perfect. Rather, I think in all honesty there are beautiful moments in my stories, characters that I love, places I can clearly see.
I don't know that it's possible for me to write something absolutely perfect. Rather, I think in all honesty there are beautiful moments in my stories, characters that I love, places I can clearly see.
I'm on my third line-by-line edit on my 400-page novel, and I'm getting pretty sick of sticking my head into it and constantly changing something. I love the story, but I feel that I'm spinning my wheels, constantly tweaking this project, when, in fact, two full manucripts are due at two pub houses, and I'm hopelessly mired in this script. Dunno. I'll have to stop abruptly and send the damn thing before I have a nervous breakdown.
Tri
Tri
triceretops said:
You can do it Tri, don't give up!
The problem is that guys like you and I pick high degree of difficulty projects. Hey, let's collaborate on something easy.
"See Jane
See Jane run
Run Jane run..."
Seriously, these writing projects are a course in writing. How many things have you tried that you never thought you could do in the story? I'm sure quite a few.
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Buttons, thank you for saying that. I came to the same conclusion this afternoon. My own series is only on book two, so I'm still setting everything up. The stories are complete, but things haven't really had a chance to connect yet. I need to start writing notes to remember details for later books though, so I'm getting somewhere.
I have a copy of Angie Sage's Magyk Book One beside me now. It's a debate whether or not to go back to Sorcerer's stone or read this one.
Crisis of faith in myself averted.
I have a copy of Angie Sage's Magyk Book One beside me now. It's a debate whether or not to go back to Sorcerer's stone or read this one.
Crisis of faith in myself averted.
My problem is, I'll start writing something and loose interest very quickly....guess it's because I have sooo many ideas in my head (not literally) but you understand where i'm coming from...then again maybe not 
scribbler1382 said:
Here here :Cheers: !! That's pretty much what it's like. I'm the ultimate "tweaker". There's stuff I go back to realizing that I've grown since last I touched it and feel the need to play with it. I use the excuse that I'm improving my skills and everything I've written (no matter how old) has to grow with me.
I'm never really satisfied with anything I write either. I have a few pages in my novel that I think are wonderful and that I wouldn't change, but most of it seems full of flaws. I don't blame the publishers for rejecting it.
My second novel, though ... I'm really proud of it. Not 100% satisfied with it, but I think the rough draft is going extraordinarily well. I can read it without cringing. Even with the eighth draft of my first novel I can't do that! (And my 0th novel doesn't even count, because I couldn't begin to make it good no matter how many rewrites I put it through). I'm pretty jubilant about the project because right now it strikes me as something that could be published; that, and I passed 100,000 words on the rough draft yesterday.
My second novel, though ... I'm really proud of it. Not 100% satisfied with it, but I think the rough draft is going extraordinarily well. I can read it without cringing. Even with the eighth draft of my first novel I can't do that! (And my 0th novel doesn't even count, because I couldn't begin to make it good no matter how many rewrites I put it through). I'm pretty jubilant about the project because right now it strikes me as something that could be published; that, and I passed 100,000 words on the rough draft yesterday.
No, I have never been satisfied with my writing, but I have had many 100% satisfying reading experiences.
I also want to point out that satisfaction doesn't require perfection. Satisfaction is an emotional response; perfection is more intellectual analysis.
I don't think it's a crime to feel either way about what you write. What your work brings to you and what it brings to the reading public are different issues; although I admit they can be related.
I also want to point out that satisfaction doesn't require perfection. Satisfaction is an emotional response; perfection is more intellectual analysis.
I don't think it's a crime to feel either way about what you write. What your work brings to you and what it brings to the reading public are different issues; although I admit they can be related.
Sometimes I can't believe what I wrote came out of my virtual pen. I've never thought of myself as being creative. But once in awhile...WOW! For the most part I love the stories.
I think a better question is -- do you think the so called "best selling authors" of today are happy with what they put their names on. I've read some that I almost threw the book through the damn window I was so disappointed at the end. In fact, that was what inspired me to write what I have.
I think a better question is -- do you think the so called "best selling authors" of today are happy with what they put their names on. I've read some that I almost threw the book through the damn window I was so disappointed at the end. In fact, that was what inspired me to write what I have.
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