There's Only So Much to Do in a Day

Welcome everyone!

Currently I'm making revisions and edits based on the feedback from my most recent round of reader feedback. I'm currently on Chapter 10, which is great. It's coming along a lot faster than my previous round where I had to force myself to make blog entries each day just to hold myself accountable to get the edits done!

Things are going so well, in fact, that my drive and motivation to get this round of revisions done is stronger than it's been since I was finishing up The Huntsman and the She-Wolf! That drive is so strong, that whenever I'm not working on Book 3, I feel the need to stop what I'm doing and go work on it some more. However, this feeling is very unwise.

I know some might think that the faster you get your corrections finished, the better. I mean, who wouldn't want to publish their books as soon as possible? Especially since this will be my third novella and the publishing process itself is no longer the primary challenge I face.

The truth is, there is only so much a writer can -- or really should -- do in a day. 

Now, every writer is going to be in a different place. I'm not a professional author. I do it as a hobby on the side. But I have spoken with numerous professional and hobbyist writers alike, and they all agree: it is possible to do too much for your book all at once. 

I try to get one, maybe two chapters done a day. Any more than that, bad things will begin to happen. For one, I get careless. I'll miss errors because I'm focused on the number of pages I get done instead of the quality of the work I'm producing. Two, I'll start making compromises. I'll go, "Eh, this sentence/paragraph/scene isn't so bad. I'll just leave it in unless the next reader/editor says something about it." Three, I'll get burned out. The old adage goes: the flame that burns brightest burns briefest. 

And it's true. I have to hold myself back in order to produce good quality work. The last thing I want is to get sick of my own creation. That almost happened with The Huntsman and the Vampire, I was pushing myself so hard. Some of the best chapters and scenes I've ever written are in Book 3. If there is any of my writing you have really enjoyed so far, you are in for quite a treat. 

But I don't just want two or three chapters to be their best. I want as many as I can get. So while I have to disappoint myself by going slow and doing it right, I know that doing so is the proper choice. 

I want Book 3 out yesterday, but I'm not willing to compromise the story that much in order to rush it out the door. My goal is to have it out by the end of the year. But if that doesn't happen so be it. I'll be done when it's ready to be done. And I know it will be better that way.

So if you're a writer, remember, there is only so much you can physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually accomplish in a single day. Rest is important. You need to recharge your creative juices so you are still interested in your work enough to put in the hard work it takes to make it as good as possible.

Peace,

-Troy