My family got this plaque for me recently, and I couldn’t help but laugh when I read the last stage in the process. “Do all the work while crying.”
Oh so funny—even if a tad bit true.
Writing a novel is a daunting process. I’m currently working on my thirteenth book and the process has only gotten harder with each project. Which doesn’t make sense because you’d think that once you’ve done something so many times, the “assembly” might get easier. I mean, I’ve made my mother’s Coconut Cake recipe so many times I could practically whip it up in my sleep.
But writing a novel? Oy…
No matter how much I’ve learned along the way, I continue to discover that there’s so much more to learn. I’ll always be an apprentice to this craft. Which keeps the writing journey fresh and exciting (as Lynn referenced so beautifully in her blog yesterday), while also providing ample opportunities for frustration and…well, some crying too, LOL. Especially toward the end when you’re certain the book you’re writing is your worst yet, and you’d swear you can hear your editor turning on her shredder.
I’m currently working to finish the third (and final) book in the Belmont series (following A Lasting Impression and A Beauty So Rare), and while I’m enjoying writing this book (it definitely has a different feel from the last four or five novels I’ve written), I also find myself hesitant to bring it to a close. Because I’m going to miss these people. Not only the male and female protagonist in the story but the secondary characters who’ve populated all of the Belmont Mansion novels—and my heart—for the past four years.
They’re dear friends whom I’ve grown to love, even while wanting to slap them upside the head on numerous occasions. 🙂
Are you a creative person at heart? Does any part of the process outlined in the plaque above resonant with you? Is there something you really enjoy doing that sometimes nearly drives you to drink?!
I’d love to know.
Blessings on your Tuesday,
Tammy
Nashville’s “Owl” Tree
My daughter Kelsey and I were running errands on Sunday when I spotted this historical marker and had to stop. I didn’t know this tree existed until this past weekend but oh, what a treasure! It’s been calculated that this gorgeous old oak tree has been providing shade and beauty to this site for over 200 years. Local history records that it’s sheltered uncounted generations of owls in its branches since at least 1864 when Confederate troops reportedly camped here. If only this tree could talk!
What scenes do you imagine when looking at this magnificent old tree?
Tamera Alexander
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Oh, my! That plaque rings SOOOOO true! I don’t even want my hubby to see it, lest he try to find one for me! 😉
LOL. I’ll give Ken a heads up! : )
Please don’t let my husband see your plaque, either! Your blog is so true, Tammy. And even though my characters are aggravating me today, I know I’ll miss them after they’re gone. A lot like our real children, right?
We do grow to love these characters, don’t we? Really loved your blog yesterday, Lynn. Now, how about that ice-cream on the beach?!! : )
Your post is so timely; actually I don’t know when you posted this. It says a lot when people start sending you pictures of plagues that they say, “This reminded me of you.” I just wrote the epilogue to my 3rd book last night, Lil’ J Lost His Jam. This book has been grueling!!
I write books to help children who have been sexually abused heal. There are so many dynamics when writing books for children, especially if it’s not simply for enjoyment. Will the illustrations help the child identify their own feelings with what is happening with the character? Is this age appropriate? Will parents freak out if I use the word “sexual?” Will a therapist be able to use the book within a 50 min session? I could go on and on.
The part about the plague that I DO NOT identify with is the long goofing off part. My projects just about never leave my mind. My friends who know me daily would never put me in the goofing off category. They keep begging, “Let go of it for now; do something fun.” Am I the only one?
Yeah, that part doesn’t describe me either, but! I do find myself procrastinating on occasion (especially when I reach an impasse or get stuck) and I have to push through the wall. But that’s all part of writing. Praying for the children who will be helped by your books, friend. Thanks for sharing.
Like you, Tammy, writing has never gotten easier for me. And like you, I’m always discovering I have more to learn.
Do I ‘do all the work while crying’ at the 11th hour? No, I work at a measured pace all year. Even so, the final few months prior to a deadline are always grueling for me and they’re definitely marked with some tears, overwhelmed-ness, burn out, and tiredness. Then I turn the book in, feel like a million dollars, and enjoy a summer of relaxing and recharging and traveling with my family. It’s then that I remember how much I love my job. 🙂
The final few weeks are what kill me, Becky. And it doesn’t hurt that my books are longer. When I pass 150,000 words and know I still have a ways to go, I sometimes get a tad panicky. And yes to the tiredness. Writing long hours is part of the process toward the end, but then it feels SO GOOD to reach the culmination! 🙂
Crying? There’s no crying in writing! Ha! I whine my way through each project. But your plaque is priceless. I can find more ways to goof off and then … panic!!! I’m on deadline crunch right now so it’s off to work for me. But thanks for the laugh. Writers are the only people I know who can stare off into space and call it “work.” :)))
LOL, Lenora. Love your humor, woman. 🙂
Hi Tammy, that plaque really made me smile. I’m sorry to say that is the way I feel many times. I’m on my twenty-first book, and it doesn’t seem to be coming any easier for me either. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commiserating with me, Carrie. Much love to you, friend.
Love that plaque, Tammy – – and I have to confess that it’s made this unpubbed writer feel *better* by reading comments from some of my FAVORITE authors who continue to see writing as a challenge. I used to think that once a person was published, the rest of the journey came easily. Hmmm….I guess what I just described would be a “Fairy Tale” about a writer, LOL. 😉
I SO appreciate all the time, research, and hard work that my favorite authors put into the books that so many of us enjoy – – Thank You!! 🙂
That Owl Tree is fascinating! Reminds me of the many gorgeous old oaks on our Georgia coast – – so lovely!
Hugs, Patti Jo
Oh, I’d love to see pics of those old Georgia oaks on the coast. It’s been years. And the live oaks in South Carolina, the low country. So beautiful.
That plaque is too funny, Tamera. And too true! I’ve stepped from the “goof off” stage into “panic” mode and am writing away–at last! Thanks for the chuckle. And like you–I’m still waiting for the writing to become easier.