I picked this question from Karen Jones’ post on the list of questions she’d like to ask writers:
If you have written your book, do you feel satisfied with it or
discouraged and disappointed?
I
know creative people who are almost always let down by their output. Blisters!
I also have heard, repeatedly, that it’s the mark of the great ones to be
unhappy with their performance, for what they aim for is many notches above the
result.
I’m
not one of those tortured souls. This makes me conclude I’m decidedly not one
of the greats. I am deeply satisfied at the end of each first draft, when the
words THE END would be added, had I been trained in the days when writers typed
“The End” at, ahmm, the end.
I’m
satisfied that I did it. That I brought it home. That I told a complete story.
It’s a kind of a high I can’t imagine getting from a drug or libation.
Depending
on the story and also the length of the journey first drafting took, this high
lasts from a few days to a few weeks.
It’s
upon tackling it again, in subsequent drafts, that the cracks begin and get
wider as I go. It’s beta readers’ feedback, pointing out inconsistencies, holes
and the most absurd typos, that doubts and disappointment take hold.
The
fixing journey is a long one, and I don’t enjoy it. But there, too, I have
mini-highs when I patch the potholes.
So,
my answer is that writing a book is a mix of joy, satisfaction, and also
discouragement and disappointment. But above all, I have enormous respect for
myself and all who embark on the creative train and stick with it to its
destination.
~THE END*~
*Not really
7 comments:
I so agree with the assessment of highs and lows along the way. Like any endeavor, it requires consistent effort and the necessity to manage emotions that otherwise might derail. For me, that means staying realistic and balanced so that hopefully my highs and lows are reasonable and provide a balanced, productive approach.
Yes! There's no "high" that compares to the moment I finally type The End. It gives me such a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, even if I know the draft still needs plenty of revision.
I have been sitting at the station for quite a while . . . time to get back on the creative train again. Thanks for the encouragement! : )
My initial response to the question was disappointment because it's not been a great day, waking up with a migraine and wondering, when, Lord? But it was replaced by a feeling of gratitude, how blessed we are to have this writing life. Showing up, being faithful, obedient to the call, has been its own joy. Thank you for making me think more deeply.
Yes, there's the satisfying feeling of finally being done, then the one of finally being published, then another one when I hear positive comments from a reader or read them in a review. However, I never feel truly done/satisfied because I can see what I might have made even better. I suspect that's part of the whole engagement in this up-and-down process of writing. Still, when I look back and read what I've published, I'm pleased rather than embarrassed or disappointed. Maybe it's because I know I'm not great either?!
Some things I've written I feel very pleased about. Others, not so much. I think it depends on how much of my heart was in the writing. Also, other people's response to the writing makes a difference for me.
I'm way too self-critical when writing first drafts and this often causes writer's block. My editor-brain needs to take a break so I can have fun and be as creative as I'd like to be while writing. But I love editing and revising and polishing. And getting to the end!
So well said. I agree. The high when finishing writing "the book." The lows of revision when you see, and others point out, what's not working. The satisfaction of positive feedback. Of fixing those potholes.
I find the less time I have to spend, the less I'm satisfied with my writing. But even completing a blog post can improve my satisfaction.
Write on!
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