'Oh, you're a writer?' Dinner-Party Woman looks up from the prawn she's dismantling one leg at a time. That must be so exciting.''Um, yeah.' I toy with my drink, wondering if I should dispel yet another romantic notion. Tonight, though, I just don't have the energy.
I muster a limp smile. Images of all those days sitting at my desk -- my butt-cheeks slowly turning numb -- dance through my head.
'Yeah, it's great.'
I know, I know, it's hard to feel sorry for someone who has all the time in world to write. But as with any task -- even if it is your dream job -- it's sometimes (*lowers voice*) a little... boring.
It's terrific when things are flowing. It's not so terrific when your brain feels like mushy peas. And editing? Can anyone actually tell me they like line-editing 300+ pages of work? Examining full-stops ad nauseum and scouring text in case find and replace didn't work so well?
So, there. I've said it. Writing, my love, sometimes you are just plain
B-O-R-I-N-G.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
oh mn, i LOVE line editing! Straight up i would love to line edit 300 pages of novel.
ReplyDeleteIt's the other revision junk (and occasionally the writing (she whispers)) that i get bored with.
I love Li.e editing, but I do agree it can be very boring sometimes. Especially when my brain is mush!
ReplyDeleteHee! Thank you for having the courage to say this. I love writing, I love the process, I love the writers I know, but still, sometimes I just want to go to sleep. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is why it's like pulling teeth to get myself to sit down and edit my next chapter!
ReplyDeleteLOLOL. Ah I wish I could feel bored line editing a novel. But I have more boring things to get bored over. Like line editing a Teacher's book, that uses the same wording for every similar task type. 'Tell students to open their books to page, blah', 'Write 'to be' on the board, and ask students to tell you what the first person singular is of this verb.' AHHH! Please! Let me be bored editing a novel!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I can relate. Fortunately I edit scene by scene, so that part feels broken up for me. But it is really hard to have good ideas all the time. Some days are only about discipline & making myself write even if my brain is not cooperating. That's not only boring, but frustrating, too.
ReplyDeleteVery relevant! I find hunting for overused words amazing fun (not).
ReplyDelete:-)
Still getting to the end of the first draft so I haven't hit the boringness of editing the 300+ page MS yet. But I'll let you know. :D
ReplyDeleteSo funny! And, so true!! Yep, there are days when writing is incredible. But other days, it's just me and my laptap, trying to figure things out. Not.So.Exciting. Well said!
ReplyDeleteOh, dear! Writing is the most exciting thing I do all do. Right after changing diapers. And washing dishes. And several other things.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, when it's on, it's amazing. When it's not, I have a hard time even thinking about writing.
Oh, this is so true. And the line editing? Gasp! Yuck!
ReplyDelete~JD
Oh yes, I often feel bored. I wonder why people think writing is such an interesting life?
ReplyDeleteann
A lot of it is boring! You're right. Sometimes I read my writing over and over until nothing makes sense anymore. How boring is that?
ReplyDeleteI love writing but the editing/revising is the thing that makes me tear my hair out. lol.
ReplyDeleteWriting the first draft is fun for me, but the first revision is my arch nemesis. But once I finally get passed that, sometimes it can be tedious going through the second, third revisions.
ReplyDeleteI HATE, abhor, LOATHE, despise line editing. Talk about boring. Line editing is the worst. I'd rather pull my fingernails out.
ReplyDeleteMy brain feels like mushy peas all the time. ;o)
But, I really always love writing the first draft.
Each draft after that I enjoy increasingly less.
Oh I definitely hate editing. I especially hate finishing a heavy round of revisions, feeling all triumphant, and then realizing that I have to EDIT the manuscript to make sure everything makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like revising something for the thousandth time, either. It kind of gets to that point where you're wondering if it's even WORTH it.
Yay! I'm so glad (some of) you agree!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm quite worried about those of you who love line editing. You know who you are! :)
Bored? I'm never bored/have never been bored/don't get bored. Too much to do.
ReplyDeleteBut...throw my hands up in the air and walk away frustrated/exasperated/angry...YES!
Haha, yeah I admit it -- while most of the time, writing is exciting for me, (especially when I'm in the middle of a WIP, it's like a high), when it comes to editing and such, sometimes it puts me to sleep. Glad you have the guts to admit it. :)
ReplyDeleteOh it's those times when you've read the same page for the umpteenth time that the words just begin to float around and don't make sense anymore that the boredom comes knocking. Sometimes I have to set it all aside and take a little break to return to it fresh.
ReplyDeleteThere's something about editing that takes the pressure off my mind, but man do I hate it when I find mistakes later and have to fine pick everything, again.
ReplyDeleteI only get bored when it's a section I don't like. But mostly I like the whole process.
Good to be honest though! I think most people don't like writing and editing, but it's what they are good at.
I do! There are so many things I love to do as long as I'm in the mood... Wait, that didn't come out right. Umm, on second thought...
ReplyDelete((hugs))
All those commentors above who said they loved line-editing...they need to come to my house!! I despise editing, and YES, it is boring!!! People who don't write have no concept of what it takes to complete a fully formed novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Boring. Sometimes I put it off for so long because it is boring. :D I love the creation, the finishing touches, but sometimes I just look at my characters (in my mind) and sigh. "Come on, guys, DO something!"
ReplyDelete:D
I haven't gotten to the stage of editing a large piece of work. I do find my 5000 word editing a real chore. It takes me forever. Still it must be done with as little hair pulling and teeth clenching as possible.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteOh Lordy... MOTIVATION.
Sometimes it's just not there no matter how much you try and the more you try the more elusive it gets...
And there's always other better more interesting things to do!
Take care and GOOD LUCK with your writing and editing!
x
x
I wish all of the writing process could be as free & exciting as the first draft :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'd call it boring but it definitely isn't glamorous. Alas, I suffer through all the frustration, aggravation and whatnot to feel the emphatic joy of finally finishing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get bored is when I end up spending way too much time blogging! But then I get it out of my system and can put in some time on the wip.
ReplyDeleteOMG... I just saw my comment. How embarrassing. LOL. I can totally spell, if you were wondering. It's just my phone. It likes to put words or letters in my mouth. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThat's my excuse. :)
It can be daunting sometimes, but not boring. The story is fun, the edit is challenging, and if the 'idea' of any of it bores me (aka: gives me an excuse to procrastinate) then I do something else.
ReplyDeleteI'll admit to enjoying the revision and self-editing phase of writing so much that I occasionally give workshops for Northern Colorado Writers on the subject. I also did the "Self-Editing One Step at a Time" series for The Blood-Red Pencil blog. I know. I'm nuts. I can't help it.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree, Talli. Boring, it can be. Sometimes, I would rather be anywhere but in my office. Thanks for this post. It's nice to know I'm not alone. :)
ReplyDeleteHey, I thought it was against the "Writers Law" to say writing is boring? Isn't there some "writing police" out there that will shoot you if you say that in public??
ReplyDeleteMaybe I don't have writers block. Maybe Im just bored with it. I just havent been able to admit it in case someone tried to kick my ass.
=)
Writing to me is a harsh mistress, an exhausting one as well.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes drag into my apartment late at night, after having driven 200 miles, delivering rare blood. It is truly hard to remember my name then, much less my characters or their motivations and problems.
Come check out my blog : WRITING IN THE CROSSHAIRS : http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/03/last-exit-to-eden.html
May your muse be super-charged tomorrow, Roland
I completely agree! But the people who think writing is a sexy job probably learned everything they know about writers from soap operas or maybe "Murder, She Wrote".
ReplyDeleteTelevision makes lab techs sexy.
I think I felt like this most when I started Twitter. Everyone I followed back then were mainly celebs, and they all had amazingly exciting lives - hopping from car to plane to ship to TV studio to tour - and me, the writer, could only say 'well, sitting here again. In the same seat. Staring at the screen.' - you know the drill!
ReplyDeleteyep it can be. For me it isn't revising or even line editing - it is when I'm stuck in the fat middle and I can't see how to get through and I don't want to talk about the goddamn look of the trees or have my protagonist drink one more cup of coffee. yikes. that's where I am now - possibly why I'm here instead of deep at it.
ReplyDeletebye now.
i suppose you can have too much of a good thing! i hate editing too - i think everybody does!
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on the topic. For as much I love writing, there are at times - those stupid and plain moments - head bangs on desk - can be totally and utterly boring.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
I'm so with you on the topic. For as much I love writing, there are at times - those stupid and plain moments - head bangs on desk - can be totally and utterly boring.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
I totally agree. Like life I love the highs and dread (but accept) the lows.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'm another of those strange characters who loves to edit. I could edit a chapter for hours, putting off the moment I have to move on to the next one.
ReplyDeleteOne of my hates though is that line at a dinner party, 'You're a writer. How fascinating!' Because I know that I'm not about to fascinate them and I hate to disappoint people.
The writing police haven't got me yet! I'm SO happy to hear I am not the only one who thinks it's boring something.
ReplyDeleteAnd can some of you who love line-editing come on over to my flat, please? I've got a job for you!
Oh no, I love copy editing :-) But not copy editing my own writing, it's got to be someone else's...
ReplyDelete