The In-Between Time

by Ava Cuvay

I finished my third novel over the holidays (I might have already screamed that fact from the rooftops), and spent much of the Christmas Break tweaking it (I might have already whined about that need in a previous blog). ;-)

Last week, I sent it off to a couple critique partners for their gut reaction to the story and characters. I figured fine-tuning comma splices and dangling participles could wait until I knew the story worked. Ensuring that I’m showing instead of telling doesn’t matter if what I’m showing is boring or confusing. Making the most of active sentence structure is useless if the story my sentences portray is meh. Right?

So now I’m in a writer purgatory of sorts. Stuck in the in-between time. Limbo (and not the beach party type, because that type I could totally rock). I’m in between writing and editing. I’m waiting.

I can’t work on my newly-completed story, or risk making my critique partner’s time and comments a waste of resources. And how rude would that be? Yet I can’t seem to begin a new story, like I promised them I would do (so they didn’t feel pressured to drop everything and work on *my* stuff). I even have ideas and rough story outlines in mind, but when I sit down to my computer, I’m still mulling over the old story. I can’t pick up a book to read… I tried and my inner self-critic turned on and ripped it to shreds before I was even 10% of the way in. TV doesn’t entice, because hubby controls the remote and I’m tired of American Pickers. As usual, there are dirty dishes in the sink, but…. No, just no.

So instead of being useful, I find myself wandering the house like a lost soul looking for meaning. I guess I’m a monogamous sort of writer. One story at a time. I can’t play the field with my creative energy, sidling up to a new and exciting story when the thrill of an old one has worn away. I’m in it for the long haul, ‘til “publish” do us move on or something like that. I don’t mind this in-between time, I just hadn’t realized I was quite so faithful to my work in progress.

Since I have nothing but time on my hands at present, I’ll ask all of you what you do when you’re “in-between”?

Comments

  1. I binge something new on Netflix...or catch up on reading...or do a little sewing/quilting. Or video games. Video games. I'm such an adult. lol

    Great post, Ava!

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    1. I’d love to binge some shows... there are hundreds I’ve missed out on!

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  2. You two are much more productive than I am—I just obsess that I’ll never, ever, ever write another book. Ever.

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    1. Lol! I’m kinda at that same point right now! :-)

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  3. I try to catch up on reading and I binge-watch Netflix or movies that I own and I knit and I bug Lizzie and whine and worry... ;-)

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    1. I haven’t bugged Liz yet... but have definitely whined and worried!

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  4. I'm one of those two-timing writers who moves on to the next shiny new story the minute the other story's back is turned. Good thing I'm not as unfaithful in my real life.

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