The bane to my existence is currently editing. It's that thing that happens after you've written a book. Admittedly, The Daughter of Robin Hood is the first thing I've ever had to edit, so I kind of put it off for a while thinking the book was so big and intimidating that it would be too hard, but then I actually started late March/early April and it wasn't so bad. I had chapter one edited, and then I printed it out and stuck it in a binder so it can be easier reading for family when I get to sharing it, and then two days later chapter two was finished. Another two days and chapter three was completed, and then came none other than chapter four. That's when it started getting hard. Chapters 1-3 only took two days each, so I figured it would go quick and easy for the entire book and I would have it finished before June and go to the next step, but boy, was I wrong.
Chapter four took me about four-five days. While I marked it on my calender, I only marked what day I finished the chapter on, not what day I started. Anyway, once chapter four was finally finished, I started chapter five, which was even worse. It took me an entire week to edit that chapter. Now I'm stuck at chapter six. I'm absolutely STUCK. It didn't take long for me to get stuck.
See, the thing is, currently with my editing process, the current dialogue is the outer halves of an Oreo cookie. I have those chocolately bits of goodness, but I don't have the creme in the middle. I'm editing and adding that creme in between to have a delicious thing of goodness. I need to edit, and I didn't realize how badly I needed to edit (not that I thought it wouldn't need it, there are some things that don't work anymore), but this is a hard process, adding that creme in between the cookie halves. I suppose if novels started out with that creme in between, everyone would write books.
It doesn't help that I've been inspired for a new story. I've been planning this story called Archi Pelago (which means ancient sea in Greek, and yes it's usually spelled archipelago but for creative reasons my title is going to be Archi Pelago), and I'm dying to start writing it, but I'm absolutely torn. I want to edit TDRH so I can move on to the next step of trying to get it published, but I also want to start this new story. It's been tugging at my sleeve for about two and a half weeks. I have the character names, a few backgrounds, I know quite a bit about the characters, but I just don't know if I should start writing a new story. I'm afraid if I start writing something new, I'll get so wrapped up in it that I'll forget all about my precious TDRH. The Daughter of Robin Hood doesn't deserve to be left in the corner to collect dust.
Oh, the problems of being a writer. Aren't they lovely? I almost started Archi Pelago yesterday, too, but I need a good opening line. So I think I'll procrastinate on everything and read a good book instead.
--Christina
