Hops is so smart, and she never gave up, even when she couldn’t quite get the “in your bed” command on the first few hundred tries.
The lovely Sarah Rios posted a link to this article on G+ this week, and I wanted to share it because it really hit home. I’ve been mired in this re-write, plodding along and doing my best and knowing it’s still not as good as it needs to be. And I want to give up, because I don’t know how to get it there. It’s a horrible feeling, it’s slowing down my normally speedy writing process and keeping me constantly behind on my goal of finishing by the end of August (which I might remind you, is tomorrow).
In short, the article says that girls who are smart are actually more likely to give up when faced with a problem they can’t solve. Not because they aren’t smart enough to figure it out, but because they have this subconscious perception that they are only so smart, and that’s it. It doesn’t go beyond that. You hit the ceiling, and there is no more upward movement.
But there’s this other quote that I’ve kept in my mind for a long time. Since well before Joe Konrath jumped on the self-publishing bandwagon. The line at the top of his blog used to say: “Do you know what they call a writer who doesn’t give up? Published.” I’ve kept that in my head for this entire, excruciatingly long journey. Don’t give up. Fight through. Break the ceiling, and then break the next ceiling, and the next one. Keep learning, keep problem solving, keep moving. Because the quickest way to not get published is to give up.
I’m really not that far behind. I’m doing well. I’m nearly done with Kaye’s half, and Kindra’s always been easier for me to write. I know what needs to happen and how to get there. The weekend trip to the grandparents put me behind, because I didn’t have as much (sober) time to write as I thought I would, but I’m still moving forward. I may not be done tomorrow, but I’ve got a long holiday weekend ahead of me. And unlike a first draft, or even the last re-write, I’m being careful about how I write, so it doesn’t need as much editing when I’m finished. A good read-through and polish and it will be ready for Natanya and the GUTGAA Blogfest. I need to fix the query, but I have a much better idea of what’s going on now, so a few tweaks here and there and it should be good.
So Aledans, if you’re feeling like giving up this week, just remember that’s the quickest way to not get what you want. If you’re pounding on that ceiling with your fist and it won’t budge, go get a hammer. And if you’ve been told Timin is an un-sympathetic non-character, kill his brother. That should give him some depth 
August 30, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Wow. Needed to read this today! Thanks for being an amazing cheerleader for writers! See you at GUTGAA!
August 30, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Nice to meet another GUTGAA blogger! Glad the post helped
It’s been a wild summer so far, but hopefully it will pay off next month.
August 30, 2012 at 1:41 pm
“Do you know what they call a writer who doesn’t give up? Published.” That’s excellent! & you *can’t* give up! You’ve invested so much time in your characters & story – do it for them & yourself if no one else.
August 30, 2012 at 2:08 pm
I’m pretty sure Kindra would kick my ass if I gave up now. I’ve put her through so much…
August 30, 2012 at 3:00 pm
“Don’t give up. Fight through. Break the ceiling, and then break the next ceiling, and the next one. ”
That seems like something Kindra would say (well, if she had ceilings not made of deer hide, lol).
Just remember- you will survive this. It is tough, but if it wasn’t, then everyone would be published.
However, just know at one point you will have to call it done and just send it out!
Some quotes for you:
There are two kinds of novels- perfect and submitted.
“If you want to see a rainbow you gotta put up with the rain” – Dolly Parton
“Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss or don’t quite make it, you’ll fall among the stars”
Nobody promised it would be easy, just that it would be worth it.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
“The only way to find out how to [write a book] is to do one. Therefore all advice is useless”.
Lewis Carroll had some great advice for Alice in Wonderland “Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end; then stop.”
August 30, 2012 at 3:12 pm
I will say, writing this damn thing (and re-writing it, and re-writing it) has taught me Kindra’s persistence…and Kaye’s patience. Need a little bit of both of them to survive. That’s why they’re no good when they’re apart (I think you’re really going to like the new Kaye bits, btw!).
Thanks for all the support <3 This book would seriously be sitting in a trash can at GVSU if it wasn't for you.
August 30, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Aww..,now that just made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Like putting on socks just out of the dryer on a cold winter day!
August 30, 2012 at 3:16 pm
You’re preaching to the choir here. You’ve pretty much described the way I’ve felt ever since I finished my first draft. No matter how much time I spend editing it, my manuscript never seems to move any closer to being publishable. Our only hope is to keep banging away at our manuscripts and tell ourselves that eventually everything will work itself out at the end. Good luck!
August 30, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Thanks Ken
It’s definitely closer, but it’s missing something I can’t really put my finger on. The last draft was missing structure, but this one’s missing….*shrugs* Maybe it’s missing my acceptance that this is as good as it gets until I have some professional editing
August 30, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Love the post, and all the comments! You’re almost there, and I know it’s been a hard road, but someday (soon) you’ll look back and know none of it was wasted.
August 30, 2012 at 7:45 pm
I don’t know. Some of these words that I’m going to delete before I even type them up seem wasteful…
I know you’re right, though. Long road, hard road, but completely worth it. This is going to happen, even if I have to beat people into submission (characters! I would only beat characters
)