Tuesday, February 12, 2013

secret 30 of 100: liar and a cheat.

I am a lair and a cheat. 


A few months back I'm pretty sure I said I would keep this blog up better than I have. Thus, LIAR. But that's not my secret. 
 
"I'm not a quitter." I've said this countless times. I will NEVER start a new book without finishing the current WIP. Especially not when that WIP was 90% finished. 

Well, my secret is: 

I lied. 

In October (right about the last time I hung out in bloggerville) I had a coming to Jesus with my spy book. It was a novel I had been working on for two years. A novel that I'd written multiple completed drafts of. A novel that frankly has problems. 

One day I was sitting there, plugging away at fixing those issues, when the realization hit: I HATED THE FREAKING spy novel. I wanted to punch it in the face. Kick it to the curb. Spit on it and never ever think about a girl spy again. 

So I did. I closed my word document and opened a new one. 

Honestly, I was kind of embarrassed about the whole quitting thing and uber depressed. But then I decided:

Nobody tells me what to do!

 So if I was going to lie, might as well cheat, right? 
I opened a new word document and wrote a different novel. One that I love. One that doesn't have years of expectations behind it. One that I'm now (as in this today) writing the final scenes. 

Just thought I'd pop in and say hi. 


22 SPLURTS:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

If it's not working, move on to something else! Setting aside is not quitting. Just tell yourself that.
And good to hear from you, Erin.

Botanist said...

There's a fine balance between quitting, and choosing to move on. It sounds like you did the right thing.

Besides, that spy novel will still be there in years to come. Who knows? You might have an idea that will set it back on course. I struggled a lot with my current WIP and am only making progress now because I set it aside for two years.

ilima said...

Whoa. Congrats, Erin. I'm so excited for your new novel and for the hard decision you made to write it. Way to go!

Jessie Humphries said...

I'll tell you what to do!

David P. King said...

For what it's worth, I liked your spy novel. I'd like to finish it too, if it's not all beat up. :)

prerna pickett said...

it's not worth writing something you hate. And don't be ashamed to admit you hate it!

Emily R. King said...

Good for you! I don't think that's quitting, that's experience. Do what works!

Ru said...

!!!!!!!!!!!

So glad I checked your blog today! That's such exciting news, I'm super glad for you.

(Also, my new checks HAVE NOT COME, but I have not forgotten you. Hope you have positive feelings about cashiers checks, because that's prob what you're getting :/)

Charlie N. Holmberg said...

Hey, it happens. Maybe someday you'll come back to it. :)

BUT... I want to know what this new book is about!

Kathryn Purdie said...

I hugely admire you for doing that--following your gut and putting your passion and energy into something new. You're not quitting. Quitting writing would be quitting. You're pushing harder for your dream in brand new way with a brand new world. And you're almost done! Congrats!!

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and do i get to read it or what?

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Jay Noel said...

Writing a novel is like archaeology. Sometimes you're able to dig up treasure, other times the whole darn thing falls apart in your hands.

And if you lie, yeah, you might as well cheat. Two wrongs sometimes can make a WRITE.

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Rebecca Lamoreaux said...

Erin! That's totally awesome! I think it takes guts to know when you don't like your own work and want to start over. And to be putting the ending on already. That's pretty darn fast! Good for you.

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Dawn M. Hamsher said...

We'll call the spy novel - practice. Nothing is ever wasted. You certainly don't want to keep working on something you don't like. If you don't like it, who will want to read it?!

Love your honesty. :0)

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