• Read this: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?288931-Guidelines-for-Participation-in-Outwitting-Writer-s-Block

    before you post.

What about editor's block?

NovelorBust

Registered
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
United States
I on page 80 of 217 of my first post-betareader pass and I just don't want to do this. I'm sick of looking at this thing. There's a couple of scene that need rewrite from a different POV, some motivation tightening, etc. I know I could put it down and come back to it but I've been doing that for years and I just want this to be over.

How do you motivate yourself to make those final pushes when you are almost at the end but just weary (and probably also next-step-fear-procrastinating?
 

Maryn

Baaa!
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,622
Reaction score
25,749
Location
Chair
Since I don't have a contract deadline, I simply set it aside with a date on my calendar when I'll revisit it. Depending on how disheartened and weary of it I've become, it's anywhere from a couple weeks to several months.

Sure, you want to get done, but you have to be thinking pretty sharp and summon a certain enthusiasm to do edits justice. If you haven't got that mindset now, you won't do as well as you could--or need to.

So cut yourself some slack. Work on writing or researching something else. This one will wait for you.

Maryn, real sure about that
 

The Second Moon

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
3,414
Reaction score
396
Website
mimistromauthor.com
+1 to all of Maryn's advice.

My own advice would be to work on something still-related to your book. Like the cover art or the back cover blurb. I found that when I had a semi-polished back cover blurb, or even a portion of the cover art, those "final steps" were easier.

Good luck!
 

Woollybear

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
9,824
Reaction score
9,885
Location
USA
Both good points above.

Also, evaluate the beta reader feedback. They gave you a bunch of feedback, but the percentage that will ultimately be useful to you is almost certainly less than 100% of whatever the person said.

The useful percentage of feedback in the beta comments is probably somewhere between 10% and 90%, depending on the reader. As the author, you are entitled to decide if they are wrong on some individual point. In fact, I'd argue it's your responsibility to evaluate the feedback. You can toss some aside, if it is wrong-headed.

If you haven't done so already, skim ahead on the feedback you have. I had one beta reader (of sixteen) who began verbally abusing me at the one-third point. This person began yelling at me in track changes. Needless to say I did not incorporate much of that person's feedback.

Second. With some beta readers, some of the feedback I got was right on, and easy to fix, and some more was right on, and more foundationally problematic to fix. By doing the easy stuff first (which required perusing all their feedback) I could get through a good deal of the comments, which put a little wind in my sails to tackle the harder parts.

Last thing. When you have finished this or any editorial round, the knowledge that your draft is markedly improved works wonders to rally for the next lap. Keep in mind that you are running a marathon, and right now don't feel like finishing the lap. But when you do finish it, be that sooner or later, compare the quality of the result to what you started with. The improvement will buoy your spirits for whatever must happen next.
 
Last edited:

Rainy Day Boo

Registered
Joined
Aug 30, 2020
Messages
27
Reaction score
1
Not sure my problem is exactly 'editor's block' but I've been working my novel for 6 years now - well, sitting on it more than working on it for the last year, but 6 or 7 drafts over the last six years. Betas have been a bit mixed, which is prolly par for the course. I'm pretty sure about what needs to be done, the novel needs major structural work, and some plot changes, and some mc polishing, and I printed it with Lulu just to have a hard copy to work on but it's too heavy for me to lift nowadays, the whole project just weighs too much. Even my laptop struggles to open the file...

Maryn's excellent advice to let it sit notwithstanding, I'm worried I'll never be able to pick it up again :(