Wednesday, April 21, 2010

We Interrupt This Unplugging...

...for some neurotic ranting.

So the unplugging is going awesome. The words are flowing, and I feel like I have a good chance of finishing this rewrite by the end of the month. If you're my friend on Facebook, you already know this, since I've been feeling the need to brag share my progress. :) I'll put up a full report here when I'm officially plugged back in.

That being said, why is it that every time I go online to do a tiny bit of research or just give my brain a five-minute break, I keep finding all these similarities to my story floating around out there? I'm turning into a neurotic freak (more than usual), hyper-analyzing every little thing my characters do, or every step forward in the plot. Is this fresh enough? Is it riddled with cliches or overdone? Am I just wasting my time?

It's like the unfinished novel gremlins are just dying to get their grubby little hands on my baby. I think they sit next to me while I sleep and whisper insecurities in my ear, just hoping I'll let this thing go. If I still have all my hair (and it's not all gray) by the time I'm ready to query this baby, it'll be a miracle.

That is all. :)

16 comments:

  1. oh no! The gremlins are out again! They destroyed my blog the other week and now they are messing with your WIP time!

    Just remember don't feed them after midnight or get them wet...


    I hope it gets better - though I am glad to see you on here! We've missed ya!

    Visit My Kingdom Anytime

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  2. just. keep. writing. you know that. your story is *your* story and no one else can write it like you can, so even if you see it in a dozen different forms on the internet or in a bookstore, keep writing it anyway. i want to read Abby's story, not someone else's take on Abby's story.

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  3. There is no original material out there...just original voices. Trust your voice! :)

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  4. Don't worry. Just keep going! It'll be your story and it'll be terrific.

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  5. Keep going, keep going! Every story is told differently, even if the theme is the same.

    Glad to hear it generally going well!

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  6. Your story is your story, your voice. Just write it. :)

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  7. I agree with everyone here - it is YOUR story, don't even read other stuff so you can't feel like you get influenced at all in another direction. It's in there, breaking out of that egg, and getting ready to fly. You can do it! Go Abby Go!

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  8. Oh, I can relate. To *everything* you just wrote.

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  9. Don't worry about your characters or plot being similar to others. Your story will be different.
    Glad you're making progress!

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  10. Pshaw, I say. Lots of stories sound like they have similar elements, but they end up being completely different because the AUTHORS are all completely different. Your novel is going to be unique!

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  11. I totally feel your pain on this one. In my current wip, some of my characters can speak to each other telepathically (as a result of a vaccine they were given as children). So I'm reading Hush Hush, and all of the sudden there's telepathic communication! I was crushed. Then I remembered how many other books use telepathic communication, and I decided no one owns it, I can go ahead and use it, too.

    I've been following your FB updates - I'm glad to heat the unpulgging's going well!

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  12. Just keep going. It is a story from you so it is unique.
    You can do it.

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  13. I totally feel your pain on this one. But keep writing!! Because it doesn't matter if your story has been done once or a million times before. If you love your idea and characters it will be fantastic!

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  14. Everything's been done before, but not in the same way as you're telling the story. Keep telling yourself that, and keep writing.

    Good luck with queries.

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  15. Just keep going. Try to ignore the similarities you're seeing and just write what you want to write. You'll have more than enough time to deal with all the details later. Right now, just get it done.

    Good luck!

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  16. Research yes, but stay away from sites showing books that are writing on the same subject. It will get into your head, and the last thing you need right now are doubts.

    This book is coming from you, you are channelling the idea, and it is UNIQUE. Keep writing. Believe in yourself. You can do it!

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