If you’ve just hopped over from the wonderful S.C. Mitchell, welcome!
This week, the challenge comes from the incredible Carrie Elks:
Stephen King famously said that it’s necessary to ‘kill your darlings’ when editing your work. Do you have anything you had to remove from a book that you’re still proud of? Or something that embarrasses you so much it will never again see the light of day? If you’re feeling really brave, share some of it with us!
So many embarrassments, so little space. Let’s start with my first novel. I wrote it instead of doing housework. It sparked my passion to write, but it definitely belonged in the circular file, which is where it ended up. Sometimes, there is just no salvaging.
The first effort for one of my books…is there such a thing as a minus first draft? Where the first thing is so bad, you have to try and dig out the one or two kernels that have possibilities and trash the rest?
Then, there was the book where I had thirty pages of such nauseatingly cutesy that I couldn’t delete it soon enough. I replaced it with writing that came from my heart and I am now very proud of that book.
I believe it was Nora Roberts who said something like…you have to give yourself permission to write crap. You can edit crap, but you can’t edit a blank page. I have no doubt I am not the only one who has put words on paper, only to step back and wonder where that came from. Thank God for the delete key.
The happy news is, thankfully, more times than not, I read what I wrote and think it isn’t half bad. That’s what keeps me going. Hopefully, the readers will agree.
Let’s hop over to hear about the fabulous Brenda Margriet’s darlings….
http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog
AH. I love that Nora quote. So true. And LOL’ing because yes. A minus first draft has happened many a times. 🙂
Great quote from Nora. It’s a lesson I’m still learning. =)
Can I just say I love the fact you wrote to avoid the housework. Thank heavens you did! The world needs your books, not your sparkling toilets 🙂
My first manuscript was sent to two agents and then placed under the bed. I’ve read it over. Not very good. But that’s the cool part of writing, we learn and we grow and there are certainly people out there who love your writing- so keep going!!