The Fascination Continues

So, the odds were right. I came home from school and started reading the tenth version of chapter 1 of The Changing Cloak of something tentatively titled The Pal Series (you'll understand why when you've finished reading the first book). And, of course, I edited it. Little tweaks here and there. A few bigger ones in a couple of places. Some added sentences of thoughts where they were needed. Perhaps I'll delete them tomorrow. Who knows. Well, the eleventh version of chapter one is finished and I'm taking it tomorrow for my English teacher to read. Then again, it might be the twelfth or the thirteenth version, since I'm fully intending to re-read it again tonight and perhaps tomorrow before school. Editing expected. Sigh.

But back to the fascination. I remember when I wrote one particularly hard part of the novel that I had no idea how to write, because it was something I'd never experienced (as if I've experienced supernatural stuff, but that's beside the point). I wanted to get some opinions on it, so I posted those few paragraphs on Yahho!Answers. I fussed over each sentence, each word so that people would like it. They did. I was extremely shocked about it, because, well... Someone actually liked it! There were a few suggestions of improvement that I agreed on and the current version is nothing like that first one. I hope it's better.

But anyway, the thing was that I thought that surely I wouldn't fuss over each sentence in the whole book. I'd read about authors that really criticize every word and I knew one myself. I couldn't understand how it could be possible, why it would need to be, where I'd find the patience if I had to do that. And now I'm doing exactly that! I've literally fussed over each sentence at least five times. Some a lot more. And it feels surreal.

I never thought I of all people would do it, spend so much time doing something. The weird thing is that I enjoy it. It's fun! I hear authors say they've worked with the manuscript so much they're sick of it and I can't understand how it's possible. It's the work of your love! Or am I just very passionate about my novel? Whichever, I hadn't thought editing could be fun. Part of it is that it's the key to the next step: getting people to read it and get their opinions. But what I'm surprised about is that each day I can't wait to get home from school, and not just because it's school, but because I want to work on my novel. I hadn't expected that.

I've read about a lot of authors who have started writing for some reason and are doing it with their teeth locked. That shows in the work they've created. But when they find an idea they're passionate about, it just clicks and that has made them successful writers.

I like polishing my novel and that tells me that perhaps if I'm patient enough, hard-working enough and perhaps attend a few confences and courses and get a master's degree in English, I might make something out of this hobby of writing, because the passion is there.

And that's the most important thing.

Jane

P.S. I'm very nervous about tomorrow. The odds are my English teacher will be too busy to even glance at the chapter. Will the odds have it this time as well? We'll just have to wait and see.