Come join Alex J. Cavanaugh and the Insecure Writer's Support Group. We discuss our fears, insecurities, ups and downs of the writing process and post the first Wednesday of every month! http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html
This month's question: What are your pet peeves when reading/writing/editing?
My pet peeves consist mainly of slow drivers and teenage boys who make messes and don't clean them up. Oh, sorry, I forgot we were talking about writing and not everyday life. When does school start? Soon. Very soon.
Okay, then. I'll stick with my editing pet peeve. It's personal. My editing brain needs an off button when I'm drafting. Seriously, someone shoot a tranq dart at me so I can write the first draft without freaking out. I'm 10k into my new WIP and now the editing bigwigs want world domination. "But we have such a long way to go," I keep telling my brain.
Today, I shut down the inner nerd and let loose the creative geek to steer this story in the right direction.
Only a few weeks left of summer. I continue to spy, er, play tourist around town all in the name of research. Did I mention the Mark Twain Cave is 52 degrees all year round? Since Hannibal has been hotter than Texas lately, I plan to hang out with Jesse James as much as I can. Happy summer!
Only a few weeks left of summer. I continue to spy, er, play tourist around town all in the name of research. Did I mention the Mark Twain Cave is 52 degrees all year round? Since Hannibal has been hotter than Texas lately, I plan to hang out with Jesse James as much as I can. Happy summer!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteHope school starts soon. I don't know if your boys will be happy about that though.
Editing. One of my positive pet peeves if there is such a thing. But it does slow you down and sometimes it brings your writing to a halt.
Good luck and all the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia at Everything Must Change
A grinding halt. Kicking my inner editor right now! Thanks.
DeleteThat looks like some fun stuff to explore.
ReplyDeleteWe'll get some darts for you.
And slow drivers drive me crazy as well! I need lasers on the hood of my car.
If they would at least go the speed limit...sigh. The adventures this town has to offer never get old.
DeleteMaybe you can stick the inner editor in that cave so he/she will chill out? :)
ReplyDeleteThe frog fountain made me laugh because I had a frog incident in my house recently. Eeek!
Sounds like a plan! We found one too. A big bull frog. Eww.
DeleteHi Jennifer, lets send our inner editors on a holiday as both of us have the same problem. Preferably with a one way ticket.
ReplyDeleteThe photos are lovely.
He can edit some, but the way he wants to take over lately, I can't continue in this direction. He's gonna get fired.
DeleteI definitely have to restrain myself from editing my first draft before it's done. I do let myself edit a little as I go, though, because I can't help it.
ReplyDeleteYes, a little is fine. But he's not satisfied with a little editing. MUST RESTRAIN HIM. I'll get the duct tape.
Delete52 degrees sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes edit as I go. I can't help it.
It was divine. I might go back since I have the local pass and it won't cost me a small fortune to visit.
DeleteAt some point you do just have to let the inner beast take over on your writing, eh?
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to me how quickly these little ones grow up, and soon enough you won't have those messes and will wonder how these days slipped through your fingers. I'm on the verge of sending my oldest into the world, and goodness, it went way too fast. Here's to enjoying the messes while they last, eh?
I think about this all the time. Soon enough they'll be gone. But those moments last about two seconds. Then I'm back to grumbling about their messes.
DeleteYeah, my inner editor wants to take over everything all the time. I'd like a shipment of tranq darts too ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'll send some over.
DeleteI sometimes edit as I go too, just wants to come through. Slow drivers beat everything though, ugg.
ReplyDeleteIt happens. But mine is a control freak. Sheesh.
DeleteSounds like you're working on a fun and intriguing story.... GOOD LUCK and stay cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'll try:)
DeleteThat cave sounds soooo good. We've been muggy here, and it's messing with my brain.
ReplyDeleteWhat you need is a project you can edit while you're drafting. Maybe if you throw some meat at the editing brain it'll be distracted enough to miss the whole drafting thing ;)
I might turn in my application as tour guide.
DeleteHannibal sounds like quite an interesting place to explore. It's been too hot where we are to even want to move an inch away from the A/C.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes it is. Never a dull moment around here.
DeleteI edit as I go all the time. Sometimes I won't even write a sentence down until it's perfect in my head. It tends to slow things down a bit.
ReplyDeleteI can get this way too. Yes, it slows things WAY down!!
DeleteIt's hard to shut off that inner editor. School started today here. I sent my new second grader off on the bus and then freaked out a little when I looked at what waited for me in my inbox.
ReplyDeleteMy teenaged son can't even taking a shower without leaving the bathroom a mess. I mean, how can you leave the bathroom with your towel and dirty clothes lying on the floor. He's so oblivious to those things.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. If I let my inner editor have her way, I'd NEVER get anything finished. Now that I'm actually in the editing stage of my first draft, I'm still wondering if an end is in sight. (I mean, she is sooooooo picky!)
ReplyDelete52 degrees? We're creeping up on that some days... in CELSIUS. It's not pretty.
ReplyDeleteI was working through Oregon and Washington last week, enjoying the low 90's. I'd complain about the heat but I think the farmers need it. And, I like to eat in the winter.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your inner editor and mine need a play date so they can leave us both alone.
You need to lock that inner editor in a dark room somewhere! How about the Mark Twain Cave? Fun to have so much history in your town.
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me that the cave Mark Twain wrote about was real!
ReplyDeleteAs for inner editors... Yeah... I've had some really nasty brushes with mine.
what a great post - spying/playing tourist sounds like a great way to research!
ReplyDeleteand love hearing bits about Mark Twain - fave!
Happy Fall!
Tara Tyler Talks