Thursday, October 4, 2012

Blocked

I'm not actually blocked.  I don't get writer's block.  Writing, in a lot of ways is like any other unpleasant chore.  You sit down and do it.  If I know what I want to say (and that's the norm) I can easily kick out 2000 words in a morning.  If I know what I want to say and I'm excited about it, I've broken 10k words in a day.

I'm not blocked, I just don't want to.  Brought it up with K today and she, in some subtle way, pointed out that my last couple of writing experiences have been less than pleasant.  Maybe horrible.

Don't want to be too specific.  The involved people will easily recognize themselves but--

My most heavily, professionally edited book came out a few months ago.  The writing process was easy, the editing process was hell.  Months and months of just annoying argument and battle...and I am still cataloging all of the stupid editing, spelling and grammar mistakes in it.  Up to eighty and I am only about halfway through.  Not just little stuff, like comma placement-- and entire chapter is mis-titled; one of the contributors names is misspelled and, for that matter my publishers saw fit to inform the Library of Congress of a middle name I don't have.  The hardest process for the worst product ever with this publisher.  I will walk away and self-publish if anything looks like it is going this way again.

"Scaling Force" the collaboration with Lawrence came out and it looks good.  But the collaboration process was aggravating.  I think I work for myself partially because I hate waiting and partially because I can ignore feelings and small talk.  Ehhh, not in a collaboration project.  This one went well, though and the product is good.

The other collaboration, with the other co-author is cancelled.  We've decided to go our own ways.  After over a year of waiting for the other guys input, the input was...almost like he didn't understand the project at all.  Aggravating.

So, a part of me just doesn't want to put my hands in that same blender again.  But that's the job.  At least no one has shot at me all year.

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