‘I procrastinate worse than anybody. Writing is so hard. I need eight hours to get maybe 20 minutes of work done. I had one of those yesterday: seven hours of self-loathing.’ Dave Eggers, interviewed in the Guardian.
Okay, i need to do this. I need to wrap a cosy blanket around my shoulders (it’s cold and grey here today… what summer?), make a big pot of coffee, light some incense, make a pact with myself in my diary (signed in blood, natch) and sit my arse down in the chair and JUST DO IT.
The editing, that is.
If you read this post you’ll recall that I made a big song and dance about the writing of my book. Well, the time has come to climb back up the tower and do a naked bungee jump back into the manuscript, the manuscript I haven’t touched since I sent it to my editor on April 1st.
In the two+ months that have passed I’ve gone from fearing the worst to wondering if i even wrote it. Now I get to read it back, cringe at some bits, marvel at others (I hope), and stitch it all back together in a hopefully improved state.
So for the next couple of weeks i’ll be a bit absent from this space — i have a killer SFTW post lined up for Friday, and there might be a Creative Life interview coming too. I’m also wanting to tell you more about the Instant Love Polaroid retreat we’re planning for February (in Marrakesh!), and I’m definitely going to be doing the August Break again if you’d like to join me…. more on all of that soon.
First, I’ve got some editing to do.
i’m parp with words, that’s why i love to read your blog :) but i think this says what i want to say.. “Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul.” rumi
Not much darkness to be under the cover of today, though! Hope the sun’s finally come out where you are – happy solstice! Good that you’ve had a break from your manuscript, and it’s the editing that’ll make it really brilliant. Home straight, home straight.
wow, thank you for that, love x
happy solstice to you, hon!
Wishing you a big beautiful blanket of words, Susannah. You are *already* a wonderful writer – even before the editing. :-)
Huge good luck with the editing and so happy to hear you’ll be doing the August Break again! Yey!
strange how before i read your post, I was wondering if I am the only person in this world who procrastinates so much and doesn’t get things done. yesterday I even wrote a post about my lack of discipline…but when I read this words by Dave Eggers I felt better, maybe I am not an hopeless case after all…good luck Susannah with your editing your book is gonna be awesome, I am sure!
Good luck! May everything turn out better than you expect it to.
The Dave Eggers quote is great. I think when you create, you have to trust the rhythm and cycle of creating, which sometimes means 7 hours of daydreaming for one good hour of ‘work’…. but it’s all WORK, you know? Not to sound like one of those cop-out statements about being a Creative-Type, but there’s some truth in it, deep down. But I guess publishers/agents and deadlines don’t really fit in with that.
Good luck with it, hun. Let’s hope we get some proper summer soon too. xx
Susannah, I can only imagine how much of a dreaded task this must be. Hopefully, it won’t be so bad once you get into it. Sending positive vibes your way. x
Love that Dave Eggers quote—it is reassuring to realize that even highly famous and established people go through the same trials. It gives me much hope! I wish many wide expanses of mental peace through your editing!