Not dead. (Yet) ;-)
As numerous PMs inquired. :-)
Just wrestling with the muse.
SERIOUSLY wrestling with the muse.
I've churned out a lot of my 3 open stories (Secondhand Life, Summer of Love and Roomies) - and coming back a day later to read over, decided none of it was worth posting. :-(
I'm not sure whether the muse let me down or that self-doubt caused me to smother her...
Either way, I'm determined to bring these stories to their (hopefully) satisfying conclusions. Since (in 2 cases out of 3) the ending was as absolute as the beginning, and it was just the path connecting them that needed to be filled in.
In the case of Roomies - which started out open ended (but intriguing) I think I've found a direction that holds promise - but again, my disagreements with the muse prevent me from posting anything.
I guess this is just a public apology to anyone who started reading my (stll! :-| ...arrrgh!) unfinished stories. I owe the readers - any who still care - and the characters - a suitable resolution... or at least a worthwhile journey to the resolution. It weighs on me.
Maybe it doesn't matter to anyone else. But I started these tales with such high hopes of telling an interesting story that led to a satisfying conclusion.... I'm determined to finish them. Even if, by that time, no one else cares but me and my stubborn muse.
sigh
So. I guess I'm just saying "Still here." ....wrestling with the muse...
Apologies to all who invested their time in my silly little tales. ....I thought they'd be concluded by now too.
Time to go. Time to continue wrestling with the muse churning out stuff that's more than likely still not worth posting.
More online when I finally ascend to my ambition - or (more likely) lower my standards. ;-)
K@
Comments
It's good to know you are still with us.
I am enjoying all of your work and know that, in time, you will be happy with your ongoing efforts.
One's muse can be a bit difficult at times. When you know where you want to go and your muse disagrees, a gift of a Rand McNally Atlas, a GPS unit or perhaps Google Maps may persuade her to cooperate; if that doesn't work try bribing her with a nice meal and a bottle of wine :-).
Don't be so hard on yourself...
"Second Hand Life" is a wonderful tale. Would I like to see it finished? Of course, well... to be honest... I would like to think it continues for a few decades of craziness!
Thanks for the Upate
Hang in there.
Revision
"I've churned out a lot of my 3 open stories (Secondhand Life, Summer of Love and Roomies) - and coming back a day later to read over, decided none of it was worth posting."
That's what revision's for. Revise, revise, revise. (I'm not perfect at that either, I must admit.)
Wrestling with one's muse? That might be sexually gratifying, but otherwise, it might be better to loosen her some. Maybe even let her flow free.
-- Daphne Xu
Thanks for the Update...
Good to hear you and the stories are still ongoing (g).
Eric
None of it was worth posting....
This is a rather normal emotion in writers. We all have internal editors in the backs of our heads that whisper (okay, some, like mine, scream) that what you write isn't worth the electrons used to put it on the screen. You have to get past them and let the writer out.
Wish I could remember who said it, can't remember if it was Kurt Vonnegut, Steven King or someone else about first drafts: Just write, let the story wander, take flights of fancy, let it do what it needs to do. You can always edit later.
Mine? Some times they trudge and trudge until they turn left, jump the fence and go running over hill and dale, the characters giggling like maniacs.
Know the feeling
I also have the same problem of not being satified with my own work in areas I care very much about. Fortunately I usually have deadlines to keep so I have to leave things even though I could just have improved this part and perhaps enhanced that part and shouldn't this piece have been pruned ...
Anyway, I, and I presume many others, appreciate your high standards and are willing to wait for the next installments whenever you feel ready.
As Daphne Xu suggested give the muse wrestling a break. Maybe take your muse for a pleasant week-end somewhere nice, wine and dine her and see if she isn't more cooperative after that.
good to hear from you
I do enjoy your stories.
That said what you write can also be editted. I have been guilty of writing something then look at it and delete it as garbage because I do not like how it flows.. Hence why I haven't posted anything in a long time.