WIPMarathon Check-In #8
18January 25, 2014 by IfeomaO
Last Word Count + Chapter Count:
30 961 words and up to the first scene of chapter 11 completed
Current WC + CC (or SC):
38 109 words and up to chapter 14.
WIP Issues this week:
I talked about it here.
What I learnt this week in writing:
Persistence. And this blog post. Which was timely, given how close I came to quitting this week. Which was scary for the while the feeling lasted because in all my years of playing around with the proverbial pen, such a thought had never crossed my mind before.
Also, I finished reading The Emperor’s Blades which I reviewed here (GIFs included because awesome!), and OMG it’s such good writing it might have induced some insecurity in me after reading. And it did have one of the best climaxes I’ve read in a while– long and absolutely fulfilling.
Meaning one of my to-dos this coming week is to brainstorm for a very satisfying climax for my WIP. Yup!
What distracted me this week while writing:
Life. And that space of time I got depressed over how long it was taking me to get this story right. But like I said, that post by Kameron Hurley was timely.
Last 200 words:
I’ll have something next week, I promise. Right now, I’m still working through this mess story.
But I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s excerpts and how their week went! ❤
A Doctor's Day Off 
Awesome books, so intimidating. But all those writers started off with sloppy first attempts and days where they wanted to quit. I don’t think there are very many writers out there who don’t struggle at some point or another. If there are, I haven’t met them or read any of their interviews.
Keep going, Ifeoma. You’ve come too far. Every time you struggle it means you’re testing your own limits and you’re on the cusp of a breakthrough. Stay with it. Many hugs to you, sister. ❤ ❤ ❤
“Every time you struggle it means you’re testing your own limits and you’re on the cusp of a breakthrough.”
Definitely remembering this.
Thanks so much for being a big inspiration to me.
*hugs and hearts*
I totally hear what you’re saying about an awesome book inducing insecurity. Big time. I’ve been feeling like that with two books I read and a third I started in the past week. But I’m SO glad it pushed you onward, and thanks for sharing that link because the little voice whispering to give up is a monster that rears its head more and more frequently. It’s nice to know I’m not alone 🙂
What books were they?
Yes, that post was very timely as if God was telling me, “hey, don’t give up”. Felt really good. 🙂
So glad you didn’t give up! You made such inspiring progress this week!
Thanks, Amy! I can’t wait for your book! Sounds really interesting. Okay, this is off-key, I know. 🙂
Congrats on all those words! I know what you mean about an excellent book giving you some insecurities. I just try to imagine said book in its first-draft state, which always makes me feel a little better. Even the most excellent book (and its author) had to start somewhere! 🙂
❤
Haha Amanda, that’s really a very, very good way to feel less insecure. I’ll try it henceforth.
Like after I finished reading, I didn’t even want to look at my book. Ha!
Although it feels a lot better today…
Acck, I know your pain all too well. I always feel like, no matter how many rewrites and revisions I do, I can never get a story right. I’ve pretty much given up on everything I’ve ever written, and every time I start something new I hope this time it will be different––but then I just fall into the same maddening cycle again. But I’m hoping to be more persistent with my current WIP; it’s definitely not perfect, but I think it could turn out well with a lot of patience and editing. So I guess I’m kind of a hypocrite, but … don’t give up! I believe in you! 😀
Also, that book sounds really cool. Now I want to get my hands on it ASAP. 😉
Haha thank you! That makes the two of us as I’m also that kind of hypocrite 😀
I gave up on my first MS, simply because I didn’t have enough love for it but I do so much for this one, and I’m going to persist with it, I hope.
I’ll love to know what you think when you read it! I enjoyed it a lot, and the climax was great.
I need to bookmark that post, and I’m going to have to check out that book, it looks right up my alley! 🙂 It’s great when reading a great book inspires you in your WIP.
Definitely don’t give up. It took five rewrites to get my second Darkworld book right for my publishers and I still have two rounds of edits left to go, but with every round, your writing improves and you get closer to what you really wanted the story to be. Persistence is key, and you can do it! 🙂
Yes, it’ll be right up your alley, I believe. I loved the climax so much.
And wow, five rewrites is daunting (or is it seven?)
*drinks to persistence*
I can so relate to this. Even with my rewrite and knowing how much I love this story, I’ve run into some spots where I wanted to throw in the towel already. All the chapters that need major (or even just minor) rewriting end up a total mess at some point. And sometimes when you’re tangled in the mess, you rather just throw it all away and cut your losses. Some stories are worth fighting for though. I agree with the blog post. We always want to quit in a dip. The only time it’s safe to quit is when things are going fine and you realize you just hate the thing anyway. I know you don’t hate this story. That’s how you know it’s worth it. ^_^ You’ll get it worked out. 😀
Thanks for the kind words, Krystal. ❤
And you're spot-on with what you said. It's okay to quit only when you know it's not your thing.
But I love this book, and I love writing.
I know we will win as long as we don't give up. One day, we will.
Hugs.
So glad you didn’t give up! And that’s an impressive increase in word count this week. Well done! 🙂
Thanks, Suzanne! I’m glad I didn’t, too. Persistence is the name of the game.
Don’t give up. You can do it! 😀
Thank you, Hesther! #cheerstothat 🙂