I hate my book

JoNightshade · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

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

JoNightshade · Apr 10, 2008

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

mscelina · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

JoNightshade said:
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 · Apr 10, 2008

And by the way, hang in there!
You can do it! :hooray:

(<-- Me cheering you on.)

IceCreamEmpress · Apr 10, 2008

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

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 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

Sassee said:
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 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

Someone needs a hug.

JoNightshade · Apr 10, 2008

BlueLucario said:
Someone needs a hug.

BlackViolet13 · Apr 10, 2008

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

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 · Apr 10, 2008

JoNightshade said:
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.

SPMiller · Apr 10, 2008

DWSTXS said:
[...] 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 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

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

Stew21 · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

JoNightshade said:
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 · Apr 10, 2008

Not that I've ever tasted pee.

dawinsor · Apr 10, 2008

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 · Apr 10, 2008

Here , Jo.

Matera the Mad · Apr 10, 2008

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

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