Balance... advice please

Tessa Tangent

Tessa Tangent

Got this thing about balance.  I'm getting near editing 2/3 of the 2nd draft of book.  Pain is just started new job.  Well tired.  Very tired.  Desperately tired.  Just about managing to fit things in on days off, like washing etc.  Had a treat tonight going bonkers on this site.

Love the job but just gotta get down to my editing again.  Or it'll never get sent off.  Any tips?

Carol

Not a good idea to do it if you're tired, as you'll find you made changes that you shouldn't.
I know you want to get on with it, but you'll do a better job if you let things settle down for a few days and get some rest- then you will get the best out of the editing. Good luck.

Lixxy

I second Carol's advice.  Leave it until you are on an even keel with the new job (congrats by the way) otherwise you may find that you a: find errors where there aren't any, b: miss errors and, most importantly, c: get so wound up with the whole thing because you are tired that you lose perspective.  Give yourself a break, none of us is a superhero.

Tessa Tangent

Ah, thanks.  You filled me in on the stuff I forgot ;O)

Jan

Patience, TessaTangent,

Success also needs patience.

M. Welshman

Step back and wait TT.  Then when you get back to it, you'll be eager and sharp and not wallow and get muddled. And think positive.  At least you've got something to edit.  So much better than having that blank page staring up at you.
All best
Malcolm
PS Remember you mentioned the host of typos in Pets in Prospect?  These were missed by me and the proof reader.  Well Hale has asked me for all the pages with the errors on them to be photocopied and sent to them prior to the paperback being published. Note they're not volunteering to do it. Presumably they'd be happy to print it with all the errors still there. Eeek. I'm a bit like you. Finding the time inbetween my other commitments and trying to start recording the book for a national audio library.  Not to mention the sequel, the early draft of which hasn't seen the light of day for awhile.

Vijay

Hi Tessa, just read this and other thread about Offload- all of the above suggestions v. good. But did you mean balance in your novel or getting a balance in life?

I thought i would try and come up with a quote for future posterity! It might be valid here;

  ''Writers rush to become published, thus producing sub-standard work.''- Vijay Medtia [23-08-2007]

I've been thinking of some more as well, a little vanity on my part!

Jay Mandal

Vijay - you're not a vanity publisher, are you?

dorothyd

don't pressure yourself. All changes, and a job is a major change, unbalances the work/writing ethic. Give it a chance to quieten down.

Liz H

I agree with all that's been said here. I've found out for myself that it's a mistake to edit when under pressure from life around you, whether it's a new job, health issues or even a death in the family; inspite of what well meaning friends tell you.

Take your time, settle in  to your new job/routine etc first and continue with your writing when you are ready. Don't fret. You will come back fresh to it and by waiting you will do a far better job of editing than trying to do it now, believe me!

Good luck.

Tessa Tangent

Thanks everyone so much for your advice.  You are no doubt right.  I am very impatient.  Vijay's quote was apt. 

OK, so I'll wait a bit.  Having been writing all the time I've been unemployed (for first time in life, it meant that I at least had some purpose), it's hard to slow down now.  But I will because I suppose you lot have had to learn that, too.  Thank you :O)

Tessa Tangent

Thanks everyone so much for your advice.  You are no doubt right.  I am very impatient.  Vijay's quote was apt. 

OK, so I'll wait a bit.  Having been writing all the time I've been unemployed (for first time in life, it meant that I at least had some purpose), it's hard to slow down now.  But I will because I suppose you lot have had to learn that, too.  Thank you :O)

Tessa Tangent

Not only did I post twice, this balance thing is easy. 

You take four kids to the park.  Stick 2 on one end of see-saw, 2 on the other.  Then you stand in the middle.  That's balance.