No Pain, No Gain
Ah, The Sheikh. I love him. I love the MS. But I have bled for it. This is the hardest I have ever worked on a MS and I hope that it shows. I think it does. It was a very tricky premise, typical in some ways, but totally, totally non-typical in others.
So what have I learned through all of this? It’s been huge. I’ve learned character development, I’ve learned more about conflict, character growth…it’s just been incredibly valuable…painful, but valuable.
And what advice can I pass on?
Don’t be afraid to get in there and get dirty. Tear the MS apart if you have to. Drag your characters through purgatory, do what you have to do to make the best MS that you are capable of, and then stretch yourself farther. We can always go farther, we can always improve, and each thing you write should be better than the last.
And really, I may not have hit the mark dead on. I hope I have. I feel I have, but we’ll see. But I can’t regret what I went through to get this MS finished.
Writing is work. Fun work, the best work ever, but work. Like an athlete (she says with a touch of irony since she can’t walk across flat surfaces without falling on her face…) if you don’t train, if you don’t push harder, farther, if you don’t make yourself stronger, you won’t win.
That’s why we have to be willing to take criticism and apply it, that’s why we have to be willing to push. So we can be better.
I like to say, in writing there’s no room for false modesty or a big ego.
So, onward! Upward! Train hard. Push yourself. See what you’re capable of. You might surprise yourself. I think I did. I think I’ve emerged from this a much better writer. And that, in the words of the venerable Martha Stewart, is a good thing.
Oh, and also, I have to share this. My heroine from the Sheikh is a European princess and she is supposed to marry the emir of an North African, largely Arabic, nation. I wanted her wedding gown to be something a Westernized girl would love, and could wear, to her culturally diverse wedding…and I found this dress…and I love it. And I wantsss it. Precioussss.
Although, my heroine is not blonde. She is Mediterranean. Dark hair, olive skin. Just though it was important so you didn’t get the wrong visual. 😀
Comments
11 Responses | TrackBack URL | Comments Feed
The precious is mine! 🙂 Though I have a feeling the precious should be warn by a tall girl not a short hobbitses like me. Hehe.
You’ve done d*mn well with that Sheikh m’dear. You should be proud of yourself. It’s a fantastic story!
Thanks, Jackie! And thanks for all the help you’ve given me. You really encouraged me to go for blood. I like that. 🙂
And, while I’m no amazon, if I threw on a pair of heels I could rawk that dress!!
No worries, lovie. You didn’t need much encouragement it has to be said. You’re no softie when it comes to your characters! Which is an excellent quality in an author…;-)
As to the dress, you SO could! I’d probably get lost in the hem and fall on my face. Hehe.
Hey, I’ve got a big ego. Nothing wrong with a big ego in writing, Maisey … in fact, without one, you’d never recover from your rejections or your editor or CPs telling you what’s wrong with your mss!
Can’t get onto M&B site yet AGAIN today. About three days now. I was sick all weekend so didn’t try much, but now it’s getting irritating. Any idea what gives?
As for the site, Jane…I’m hoping it’s a coincidence that it’s MY comments it breaks on…ahem. Otherwise, no clue. I only know that Michelle W did tell them.
Yeah, you need a confidence in your skill. But when I think ego, I think of the artiste who can’t hear a word against anything they do. They can’t accept critique, they can’t work with an editor, because it compromises their vision.
You have to have the confidence to know that, even with a negative critique, you’re a good writer…but not so egotistical that you can’t see the room for improvement. (not saying I have THAT balance down. I think I actually suffer from a shocking lack of confidence. But it’s where I’d like to be)
Jackie, you’ve been a huge help to me. You have no idea. Your feedback saved me from going spare. Every time I was about to bang my head on the keyboard you came back telling me that it didn’t suck, and I needed that.
It’s a totally perfect dress and I’ll arm wrestle you for it(but you have to give me a couple of weeks at the gym first okay?).
Can’t wait to see it on the shelves (with or without blood on it, I’m not fussy 😛 )
Did the time you spent writing and then editing change at all for this one? Shorter draft, longer edit?
You would probably win without the gym. 🙂
Um…normal draft time for me 3-4 wks on first, but 4wks editing which was crazy. My second book went sub, rewrite, re-sub, acquired in 7wks. This one was a pain in the rear. But it was a SUPER tricky concept and when (if) this is the incarnation it stays in then I will talk more about it…bwahaha…
Thanks m’dear! I just hope my advice is okay. I think it’s a fab story and you’ve done SO well. Your ed has to see that.
Your advice is always good. 🙂
You tease! I hope it stays as it is for you! Wow 7 weeks. It blows my mind.
Mine too!! LOL.
Tease huh? I don’t get that one often… 😉