Friday, March 30, 2007

Friday Five



It's time for the Friday Five again. (I know I slacked off last week)
This week it is five things I struggle with as a writer:

1) Finding the time to write everything I want to write.

2) Revisions/Rewrites- It's a hate hate relationship. I hate revisions. If I didn't see the problem in the first place how in the heck am I to know how to fix it the second time around? And why can't I see the problem? I can in other people's work, but I seem to have a blind eye when it comes to my own.

3) Flawed characters- all the time you read and hear how your characters have to be flawed and redeemed at the end to make if a fulfilling story. I just finished a contemporary that didn't have a flawed hero and it didn't make him any less of a character for me.

4) Knowing when a story is done and ready to send. I tend to jump the gun and send things too soon. I'm so anxious for other people (editors & agents) to love my story as much as I do, that I sometimes send it out when it isn't ready. Therefore shooting myself in the foot.

5) My biggest struggle now that I am published is learning to put myself out there. I know I miss so many opportunities to promote my book, by just handing someone a card or saying something, but I've never been a "toot my horn" kind of person.

There you have my inner struggles of being a writer. Kind of scary!

4 comments:

chanceofbooks said...

The neat thing about you is how you push yourself to overcome each of your struggles. You inspire me by how you are always working to improve your writing and work as an author. You may never come to love Rewrites, but I'm sure you're a lot better at them then you were a few years ago. You rock!

Paty Jager said...

Thanks, Wavy! If you've read my slogan, you know I won't give up until I hold the brass ring (or a RITA).:)

Elisabeth Naughton said...

Great five. :)

I loved flawed characters. But sometimes I think too-flawed detracts from a book. Esp. if both the h/H have issues.

Paty Jager said...

That's what my next chapter blog is about - How flawed do we really want our characters.
There's something to be said for the character who doesn't have any flaws or too tormented of a past entering into a relationship with someone who has flaws and a tortured past. Just being able to learn to get past that other person's problems will be a conflict for the "normal" person.