Friday, December 21, 2007

*sigh* and *gulp*

Hmmm; s'difficult decision I've made.

I'm here in the resort, all on my lonesome. Half the group have gone out snorkelling and half have gone to another beach on the island. Of course, I could've gone to either, but I didn't want to after four/five days of courses:
  • 0715 Yoga (Okay, I only made two of those!)
  • 0900 Breakfast and Demos meeting for whole group
  • 0930 Oekos Group (five of us meet to ... talk)
  • 1045 Free the Creative Spirit class
  • 1315 Lunch
  • Free until ...
  • 1700 Ayurveda Class (I'm tridoshic, for anyone in the know, according to the results, but towards the Kapha according to the 'Master'.)
  • 1930 Dinner and more talking.

Anyway, to the point ... today while alone, I've done some thinking about my book. I know that there are lots of people out there who are going to tell me not to do this, but I've made the decision that I am putting aside the words I've written so far ... to yes, start again.

There's not going to be a sacrificial burning or deletion of any kind going on so it's quite possible that a couple of thousand may reappear at some later date as a flashback. But while I have finally decided that the incident which drops my characters in the quagmire is the start of the book, there has to be a cut in time of three months. The 24,000 words I've already written is those three months *sigh*. It's not part of the story and that's maybe why it bores me. It's drivel; it's not relevant and it's gotta go.

So I guess that means I'm starting my ms from scratch for the Novel Race 2007... *gulp*

6 comments:

Carol said...

Yikes - that is a very brave move to make. I guess you know better than anyone what will help you be able to tell your story and if you had to write 24,000 words to get there then so be it!!

Hope you are having a ball (am very impressed you made it twice to the yoga.....don't think I would have made it at all!!)

C x

Lazy Perfectionista said...

I did the same thing a couple of months ago, and am so glad! I hadn't got as far as you had, and some of the bits I had written before have crept back in, but I'm finding it so much easier. Good luck!

Jen said...

Well, you're obviously in the right frame of mind to make the right decision.

The words you've written aren't wasted - perhaps re-starting will set you off with renewed vigour.

Hope you're enjoying yourself - sounds fascinating!

Leigh Forbes said...

I'm right behind you on this, JJ. It seems a terrible thing to do, and it is a hard decision to make, but soon you will feel liberated and refreshed and reinspired.

My cut-bits file ran to over 30,000 words in the end, and the book is sooo much better for it.

Yah-boo-sucks to drivel. May the new words fall upon the virgin page with fluidity and freshness.

Lane Mathias said...

Sounds like clear thinking jj and to parrot Jen, words are never wasted.

Seems like the course is helping:-)

ps ...impressed with the yoga! x

Caroline said...

Brave brave woman - but your clarity of thought jumps from this post.

Go for it.
A new year and a new race.

Merry Christnas.
x