Stages of a Writer

[Fruitbat]

I read a satire of stages of writers. It got me to thinking about the real stages of writers. Anybody want to play? Maybe something like this, for the beginning at least:

1) Finishing something.

- Being impressed that you actually finished something.
- Everybody thinks it's great- My mom, my best friend, my spouse!

2) Participating in critiques.

- These people are mean/stupid/jealous/unfair
- Work takes a leap in quality.

3) Submitting.

- Cool!
- These people are mean/stupid/unfair

4) Getting published?

5) ?

Etc.?

 

[Darkwing]

Yeah, for me it was

1. Finishing a story

2. Workshopping in a class

3. Writing better stories.

4. Learning enough to give helpful comments on craft.

5. Submitting first story, becoming incredibly embarrassed about rejection even though it was a REWRITE REQUEST (I still kick myself).

6. Self-editing, tightening prose.

7. Submitting for realz.

8. Critique from famous writer that is both indignance-inducing and validating.

9. Publication on website. Paid small amount.

10. More rejection, more submission

11. Attempt to expand writing and feeling stuck in a rut by stories that don't work/are too predictable or too neatly structured/wrapped up. Unsure about real skill.

12. ????

 

[blacbird]

Inspiration.

Aspiration.

Expectation.

Rejectation.

Rejectation.

Rejectation.

Rejectation.

Rejectation.

Rejectation.

. . .

Revelation.

Depressation.

Defeatation.

 

[Dandroid]

....posthumous publication

 

[quixotic!fantastic!]

On a different beat . . .


i. I'm excited and have a random idea!

ii. I actually wrote it down!

iii. Wow, this is fun!

iv. Help! . . . I can't stop.

v. But what if Todd Soup used to have a fling with Gee Night-thing . . . ?

vi. It's almost like it's real!

vii. I have to get it PERFECT. Twitch.

viii. My characters are talking to me. Shut UP, Princess Super.

ix. There's all these people who want me to write their stories and they talk in my head and it's confusing and they don't shut up and I twitch and then they make me excited and then food-sleep-mushroom-oh crap. How did this all start?

x. I finished it! The novel is DONE. Forever. I'll never touch it again. It's going to be amazing having a break from these nutjobs!

xi. FRESH AIR.

xii. . . . I kind of miss those nutjobs. Just a little.

xiii. Okay, I REALLY miss them. I can't believe I rushed through that book. It was so fun hanging out with my characters all day.

xiv. Today I just learned the most beautiful word: "Sequel."

xv. NOW WE CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!


Which stage are YOU at?? (See attached list of support groups.)