Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Fare Thee Well

An old manuscript was calling to me last week, so I went digging around to find it, pull it out and take a look at it. I loved this book idea, and had written about 80 pages and a pretty detailed outline. But as I reread it, the voice felt flat to me. I still love the idea, but either my passion for it had evaporated or some vital element that I had in my head never made it onto the paper. Or....perhaps simply the perfect culmination of interests, compulsion, and vision that begets a story had grown in a different direction.

Oddly, there was a great sense of relief as I put this manuscript aside. It was a lovely reminder that I don’t have to write EVERY idea that comes into my head. I can have a lovely little fling with a particular idea or story, then once it has served its purpose, put it away and let that be that.

Of course, I don’t really know what purpose it served—perhaps it was a creative outlet while I was working on other, contracted projects, perhaps I was simply trying to stretch my writing muscles (it was a synthesis of many different genres, a historical, chick lit, fantasy, demon/occult romance thing). I am relatively confident that nothing is ever wasted in writing, however, so I don't begrudge the time I spent on this project.

Mostly it just feels good to have one less thing calling to me.

2 comments:

andalucy said...

Was this the medieval France one? Anyway, I know what you mean. And I like the affair analogy--how funny. Does it say something about my character that I've had three or four such flings and haven't quite settled down to a lasting relationship with a WIP? ;-) Actually, that is a serious question. When do you know it's for keeps? (I hope you know we're still talking about a story, not a man. I've got me one of the latter.)

Robin L said...

Oh dear god no, Lucy, NOT the medieval France one! No, that one I'm planning on diving in, full immersion, once I finish up editorial revisions on Theo Four.

And great question on when do you know it's for keeps! I think I'll answer that in tomorrow's blog, if you don't mind, because it's not a short answer...