OK I am finally depressed.

Raphee · Feb 27, 2008

Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

CaroGirl · Feb 27, 2008

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

Raphee, news flash: if you've written, edited and revised an entire novel, you ARE a writer. Now, if you wannabe a published writer, you have to submit. A writer needs to have a bit of ego, a bit of confidence in their work that lets them send it to strangers and ask for its acceptance. Find your inner writing ego, my friend, and get submitting!

Good luck!

caromora · Feb 27, 2008

Treat yourself to something really special, then take some time off. Recharge your brain and rest your writing muscles for a while so that you feel refreshed when you're ready to start submitting.

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

Prawn · Feb 27, 2008

Congrats on finishing! Yea!
Now you have a decision to make:
Do you want to be a person who writes novels or a person who once wrote a novel?
Start your next book.

allenparker · Feb 27, 2008

My suggestion

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

Sure, chunk the manuscript in a drawer for a month and work on something else. In a month, pull out the ms and reread it, change as necessary, then submit it.

The month will give you some distance from the writing and a little time for closure. It will also give you a good start on your next book. Think of it as a month of free ranging before being led to the agents' and editors' slaughter house.

Err, maybe just a month of vacation would be better.

KikiteNeko · Feb 27, 2008

Just remember: The books you read on shelves are designed to seem as though the author sat down and wrote the entire novel in one sitting. In reality, that author probably felt the same way you do, and had to revise, and rewrite, and delete, and add many many times, and even have a few good long cries in the shower.

Nobody asked you to write a novel. You did that all on your own, with no promise of any payment or even recognition. You spent a year of your life doing this. And that alone is something to feel good about.

dirtsider · Feb 27, 2008

No matter what else happens, you just spent the last year doing something very important - you learned how to write and - most importantly - complete a novel, including edits and revisions!! Ok, so you still have another "final" edit to do. That's more than what you had when you started, isn't it?

But I agree with what everyone else has said. Take a break from it. Do something else - either start something new and fresh or just let your brain vege.

DWSTXS · Feb 27, 2008

allenparker said:
Sure, chunk the manuscript in a drawer for a month and work on something else. In a month, pull out the ms and reread it, change as necessary, then submit it.

The month will give you some distance from the writing and a little time for closure. It will also give you a good start on your next book. Think of it as a month of free ranging before being led to the agents' and editors' slaughter house.

Err, maybe just a month of vacation would be better.

good advice. Let it marinate for a month, then go back and finish it.

I LOVE the vacation idea. That's what I need

sunna · Feb 27, 2008

I'll eighth the advice already given: you need a break. Set it side, catch up on your reading, watch some favorite movies, go skydiving, whatever. Maybe start something new, after a few days of not staring at the computer screen. But give it a month, come back to it with fresh eyes, and start submitting.

And hey, congrats - you've written and revised a novel!!! Lots of people never get this far. Be sure to include some celebratory martinis in your break.

Charlie Horse · Feb 27, 2008

You're absolutely right. You suck. You should give up now while you still have some good years left. Maybe become an accountant.

What? Isn't this the "I Want to be King of the World" forum?

KikiteNeko · Feb 27, 2008

I thought I was king of the world.... *pout*

Someone has some explaining to do.

Charlie Horse said:
You're absolutely right. You suck. You should give up now while you still have some good years left. Maybe become an accountant.

What? Isn't this the "I Want to be King of the World" forum?

Susan Breen · Feb 27, 2008

I think there is a post-partum depression aspect to finishing a novel. I always feel sad whenever I'm done with a story or novel, but I think the best thing is to start doing something new.

She Raven · Feb 27, 2008

Raphee,
Congrads on finishing! Now it's time to start writing your next novel. Something that might fired you up is going to a writers conference. Nothing like talking to other people who are in the same boat. I always feel like taking on the world after a really great conference. Bouchercon is Oct. 9-12, in Baltimore, MD. Printer's row on June 7-8 in chicago. If I remember corrrectly Stephen King's first book was rejected and it was his second book Carrie that hit it big. All while he was living in a small trailer and sitting on a washing machine churning out his stories. So, cheer up, think positive.

lostlore · Feb 27, 2008

Step away from it. Whenever I finish a draft of anything, especially if it's big, I feel repulsion and disgust. Then I come back later and work on it some more and keep going until I know that it's ready.

Sean D. Schaffer · Feb 27, 2008

Susan Breen said:
I think there is a post-partum depression aspect to finishing a novel. I always feel sad whenever I'm done with a story or novel, but I think the best thing is to start doing something new.

This is what I go through, as well. I get really euphoric when finishing a novel, like I am right now. But give me a few days, and I can guarantee you, that unless I have another project, I'm going to feel pretty down.

I think it's a natural part of being a writer. There are ups and downs to every aspect of the business, but, to the OP, just keep plugging along. Improve yourself through your next manuscript, and submit this one ... after editing, of course. But the point is, give yourself something to occupy your time.

Finally, Raphee, you've accomplished something major. You've written a novel. That is no small achievement, especially considering the time it took you to finish it. My present novel took me three years to finish, and the one before that (also unpublished) took me 17 years to complete. But the very fact that you've finished a novel makes you, if I remember correctly, one of the top ten per cent of all aspiring writers. Good job. :Thumbs:

I hope this helps you feel better about yourself. Best wishes, and I hope to see your book on shelves in the next several years.

--Sean

Hopcus · Feb 27, 2008

I also feel sad when I finish a novel. It's like all my best friends picked up and moved to a different city leaving me behind. I'll admit I get a little over-attached to my characters.

jennifer75 · Feb 27, 2008

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

I too feel this way, I have spent so much time on this WIP that now, with my personal life playing a large roll in my story, and where I'm at right now in my life, I have no interest what so ever in finishing the story. Before my "thing" happened, I was on and thought I knew which direction my story would go, but now I have no idea what or where it's going. I almost, teeny weeny bit, want to just scrap it.

blackpen · Feb 27, 2008

Hey, at least you finished a novel! I've been working on the first few CHAPTERS for a year. hehehe

Riley · Feb 27, 2008

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

I feel your pain. It's called burnout. You've put so much energy into writing this novel, you need to take a rest.

Put the novel away for at least a week. Don't look at it. Don't query agents. Don't research publishers. Don't even read other books if it helps you out. Don't let yourself think about that novel. Take a mini-vacation--even if that mini-vacation is just a couple of good movies and a bowl of popcorn.

The only useless novel is the one that is abandoned and never finished. You have a finished product, one that you might be able to sell. That is far from useless.

When you're rested, go back to the novel, finish it up, and submit. Good luck!

Sonneillon · Feb 27, 2008

About once a month, I lie awake at night wondering whether I should scrap my novel. This is nothing more than an expression of baseless anxiety on my part - everyone who's read any part of it has had nothing but good things to say. Still, I hound myself... is this really the story I want to be writing? Should I have gone with a Fantasy Western instead of a Fantasy Arabian? Where am I really going with this, and what am I going to do when I get there? What if it's crap? Am I ever going to make a serious connection with my main character?

Every time I do this, my husband does his best to reassure me that I should keep working on it. My best friend said, if worse comes to worse, I can finish this story, write the Western, and see which one I like better, but I absolutely must finish this story.

Self-doubt is tough. But mine usually goes away after a good night's sleep, and when I go back to my story, I love it again. I agree with most of the others - take a break. Watch stupid rom-coms or action movies, whichever floats your boat. After all, you DID keep the faith... you finished the novel.

birdfeeder · Feb 27, 2008

Raphee,
Yes, take a little break! It sounds like you've spent a lot of timethisclosetothestory; take a leave of absence and return with fresh eyes. Then query like mad!

Good luck!

Chumplet · Feb 27, 2008

I assume you've run your novel through the crit partner and beta reader filters at this point.

This is the most exciting time of your writing life. You're getting your kid ready for the prom. Out there in the world, there are several potential dates. An agent? A publisher that takes unagented work? Start researching; find the date that is most compatible for your novel.

Get her gussied up. Start an Excel file with agent or publisher names, and tailor your queries to each one. Send them out and document them, either by email or snail mail. Send partials or five pages or synopses where they're allowed and don't forget to document them.

It's like a big tree with ripe fruit. It's all up there, ready for you to pick, except it's Spring instead of Fall. Spring forth! Good luck!

WannabeWriter · Feb 27, 2008

Writing is rewriting. What you're doing is basically what all writers do. So be proud of it, because very few people can do that.

Raphee · Feb 28, 2008

Thanks to all of you who responded. I've been marinating in distress gravy for many days now.
I feel better knowing that, well, I did complete something.

Here's to a month off from this WIP. I'll be back to finish the rewrite before I send off. Thanks to all again. I feel light already.

ErylRavenwell · Feb 28, 2008

Raphee said:
Now that I'm done with the edits and revisions; I feel as if I have spent one year writing a useless novel. I don't even want to do the final edit and submit.

Any advise for a depressed, tired wannabe writer.

You've only become depressed after a year? Always thought it should be one day of depression every week. Some writers even have a little dark cloud following them everywhere, everyday of the week.

OK I am finally depressed.

In debt to AW

Living the dream

Still alive. Kind of.

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Naked Futon Guy

.

Not so new, really

Mr Mojo Risin...

Speaking in metaphors

.

SupahStah!

Bizzare in Berkeley

They won't let me be good

Autophobic Misanthrope

This hat is getting too hot

In debt to AW