I hate my book

[JoNightshade]

UGH!!! I'm at 85K out of a projected 96K rewrite... AND I AM SO FREAKING SICK of my novel I want to throw my laptop on the ground and stomp on it. Every page, every scene looks silly and pointless and UGHHHHH I hate it!!!

I have spent the past two days doing a super-clean of my apartment, avoiding my WIP like the plague.

The horrible thing is that I'm SO CLOSE to being done, it's like, okay, I just need to sit myself down and DO it, but just looking at the words makes me want to cry.

:rant:

[mscelina]

You don't hate your book. You're going through the early pangs of empty nest syndrome. Just take a deep breath, relax, go out for an evening or two, and come back to it with a fresh mind. It will help. Trust me.

[DWSTXS]

Give yourself a break. When you're finally ready to write, hold back, and don't write. Do something else. Anything BUT write. Do this for another week or so, like withholding sex from someone you're pissed at. Finally, when you can't stand it anymore, give in and start writing. You'll finish quickly, in one long, big gush of writing genius-ness.

[bluntforcetrauma]

I've locked my novel in a coffin and it refuses to lay down and die.

[JoNightshade]

The other thing is, I told my agent I would have it ready for her like 10 days ago. :cry:

[mscelina]

It happens to all of us. Seriously. Give yourself a couple of days and go back to it. You know how it is when you have insomnia and you're lying there thinking, "Man, I've got to get to sleep. I have to get up in five hours.." "....four hours..." "three hours and a half...." and so forth? It is the same thing. The more you lie there worrying about not getting your manuscript in on time, the more you fret over how you can't do it, the harder it is to just do it.

[Eldritch]

I AM SO FREAKING SICK of my novel... Every page, every scene looks silly and pointless...

Oh my gosh, I am SO there with you!

I think my mistake was doing two rewrites back to back. I should have put it away after rewrite #1 and gotten it out of my head for awhile. Luckily, I've got some great fellow writers cheering me on.

[Eldritch]

And by the way, hang in there!
You can do it! :hooray:(<-- Me cheering you on.)

[IceCreamEmpress]

The other thing is, I told my agent I would have it ready for her like 10 days ago. :cry:

Tell her you need another two weeks.

Then take at least 3 days off from it, entirely.

You need an extension. The pressure of being behind deadline with it is tying you into knots. 'Nad up, tell her it'll be a bit later than planned, and chill.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be perfectly awesomesauce.

[Sassee]

Jo, fly out to CO and let's go have some beers at the local pub! I feel the exact same way about my book, except that I'm at the *beginning* of revisions. At least you're closer to the end, eh?

[JoNightshade]

Jo, fly out to CO and let's go have some beers at the local pub! I feel the exact same way about my book, except that I'm at the *beginning* of revisions. At least you're closer to the end, eh?

If I didn't think beer tasted worse than pee, I totally would!

Just kidding. Well, not really.

Okay. Maybe my book doesn't suck. Maybe I need a break.

If I take another day or two off, though, my house is going to sparkle so brightly you'll have to wear sunglasses in here.

[Shady Lane]

I had a manuscript that I totally didn't want to write and had minimized at the bottom of the screen. Whenever I accidentally clicked it and it opened, I'd cry. I am not exaggerating.

Needless to say, I am no longer writing this manuscript.

This story is entirely unhelpful, but hopefully it entertained for a minute...

[BlueLucario]

Someone needs a hug. :)

[JoNightshade]

Someone needs a hug. :)

:Hug2:

[BlackViolet13]

:Hug2:

Hang in there, Jo! I wish I had an easy solution for you, but...no. I don't. I'm definitely thinking of you and sending you some good mojo :D And I absolutely agree with everyone above who said to take some time off to clear your mind. That always seems to do the trick for me.

Best of everything to you, I know you're going to come out just fine!

[Judg]

If I take another day or two off, though, my house is going to sparkle so brightly you'll have to wear sunglasses in here.
Please come visit me. Bring your manuscript. By the time you're finished making my place sparkle, I will be able to tell you in detail why your book is so awesome and we'll both feel better. :D

[SPMiller]

[...] withholding sex from someone you're pissed at. Finally, when you can't stand it anymore, give in [...] You'll finish quickly, in one long, big gush [...]
Well then. Was that good for you? I'm having a cigarette.

[steveg144]

This is normal. Go off and work on other things for a week or two. Write some short fiction, take a stab at non-fiction, or just enjoy the great weather and lay on the deck with some tunes. Soon enough you'll feel a little tug on your sleeve. That'll be your novel reminding you it's time to put down the tanning butter and get back to it. You'll be refreshed and ready to finish it off.

[Constantine K]

For what it's worth, I love your book.

[Stew21]

I really know how you feel. I'm in third draft and hating every word, every scene, every chapter.
Maybe I've been looking at it too long. Maybe you have been looking at yours too long.
I hope this goes away though.

I've been distracting myself with new work, but I know I have to finish it. This is the one I have to break my neck submitting to agents. I have to (personal necessity).
But I can't stop hating it right now.

I'm going to read the advice in this thread as though it were for me, if you don't mind. :) Hang in there, Jo.

[Sassee]

If I didn't think beer tasted worse than pee, I totally would!

Well, there's more than just beer at the pub ;) I know a good place for some margaritas!

[JoNightshade]

Not that I've ever tasted pee.

[dawinsor]

Just think, Jo, a month from now you'll look back on this post and marvel at the way you felt. Your book will be done and you'll be all happy.

[bluntforcetrauma]

Here , Jo.
http://www.what-a-world.com/whataworld/images/easy_button.jpg

[Matera the Mad]

Stuff the novel in a dark corner and go write a short story or something, or just don't look at anything of your own for a week. It's like when a computer gets all better after a reboot :D

[Zoombie]

UGH!!! I'm at 85K out of a projected 96K rewrite... AND I AM SO FREAKING SICK of my novel I want to throw my laptop on the ground and stomp on it. Every page, every scene looks silly and pointless and UGHHHHH I hate it!!!

I have spent the past two days doing a super-clean of my apartment, avoiding my WIP like the plague.

The horrible thing is that I'm SO CLOSE to being done, it's like, okay, I just need to sit myself down and DO it, but just looking at the words makes me want to cry.

:rant:

<hugs>

Also, your avatar looks nothing like Robin.

[JoNightshade]

<hugs>

Also, your avatar looks nothing like Robin.

Observe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Drake

Okay, feeling slightly better about the WIP.

Perhaps my MC doesn't need to die a horrible death.

[Kerr]

Come on, Jo. Come on, Stew. I look to you guys for inspiration.:e2cheer::e2cheer::e2cheer::e2cheer::e 2cheer::e2cheer:

[Zoombie]

He's not into musical theater enough to be a good Robin, in my mind.

Also, Go go Jo, if you can't do it no one...will.

[JoNightshade]

Zoombie, don't make me hurt you. Tim Drake is the best Robin ever. :)

So, I feel like an idiot. A few minutes ago I was doing the dishes, feeling slightly better, when I realized - YES! If I change this one plot point, everything comes together nicely! Hooray! Inspiration!

So then I go to my "master outline" to work it out.

Guess what's already in the outline?

[julief]

I used to get so sick of the papers I would write in undergrad. I HAD to be organized enough to finish it three or more days in advance. It would take that long to go from "I don't want to think another thought on this subject" to "I guess I should take another look and do some editing."

My guess is you need to put it out of your head--not procrastination, just a little vacation from the book.

[Zoombie]

Zoombie, don't make me hurt you. Tim Drake is the best Robin ever. :)

So, I feel like an idiot. A few minutes ago I was doing the dishes, feeling slightly better, when I realized - YES! If I change this one plot point, everything comes together nicely! Hooray! Inspiration!

So then I go to my "master outline" to work it out.

Guess what's already in the outline?


Musical! THEATER!

Oh, also, that happened to me. I was walking with my good friend George.

Me: "I say, good chappie, what do think on this war in Crimea?"
George: "Well, if the Tzar thinks we're going to go belly up for him he's got something to learn, by jove."
Me: "I couldn't agree with you more, my good RANSOM!"
George: "Pardon?"
Me: <runs home and starts writing feverishly>
Geroge: Well I never...how odd.

[Sassee]

Zoombie, don't make me hurt you. Tim Drake is the best Robin ever. :)

So, I feel like an idiot. A few minutes ago I was doing the dishes, feeling slightly better, when I realized - YES! If I change this one plot point, everything comes together nicely! Hooray! Inspiration!

So then I go to my "master outline" to work it out.

Guess what's already in the outline?

<pats Jo on the head>

It's okay. The whole week has been like that for me ;)

[Phaeal]

Promise yourself something absolutely fabulous as a reward for finishing. Like, maybe, a Batmobile.

[Charlie Horse]

At least you have an agent.

[Joycecwilliams]

UGH!!! I'm at 85K out of a projected 96K rewrite... AND I AM SO FREAKING SICK of my novel I want to throw my laptop on the ground and stomp on it. Every page, every scene looks silly and pointless and UGHHHHH I hate it!!!

I have spent the past two days doing a super-clean of my apartment, avoiding my WIP like the plague.

The horrible thing is that I'm SO CLOSE to being done, it's like, okay, I just need to sit myself down and DO it, but just looking at the words makes me want to cry.

:rant:

Maybe there is something inside of you that doesn't want it done. Just a thought.

[Jewey Witch Goddess]

I have such a love/hate thing going on with my book. I have fantasies where it becomes a groundbreaking series and the movie stars Uma Thurman. I am so famous and rich that I can barely write a thing anymore. My servants are lovely, but if only I could just get back the magic.

Oy vey.

[stormie]

Jo, your agent would rather have a polished manuscript than one you half-heartedly revised. Tell your agent you need another week or two. Then put the thing away for a few days. There's no use you trying to work on it and your heart isn't in it.

:Hug2: