Coming Around

I SO appreciate all of your comments on my last post! I love reading about things you know or don't know. :-)
Sadly, I was swamped so I'm just now, today, going to be able to visit you guys. See you in a bit!

Oh, I waitressed last night and my feet HURT. That's one thing I forgot I didn't like about serving.

What's one thing you don't like about writing? (Not the business of it, but the actual art)

Comments

Tabitha Bird said…
I hate that vague sense of panic that I have while I am waiting to see if the story I am writing will work out. since I don't plan I am always writing in a haze of 'I wonder if?' It sure makes life interesting.
anita said…
Losing sleep when a story / characters start stirring around in my brain.

Sometimes, when one has really got its teeth in me, I can only get two to four hours of sleep a night before it wakes me up and wants to be written on some more. It seriously cramps my beauty rest, you know? ;-P

Thank goodness for naps!!
Melissa said…
The thing I hate most about writing is when the words that come out on the page are not at all like the image I had in my mind. It's not what I wanted and I have no idea how to fix it.

I don't envy you for serving, I've done it before and hope to never have to again. Put your feet up and rest!
Jennifer Shirk said…
Plotting--I'd rather just...write.
But if I don't plot, it becomes a big ole mess. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Jennifer, noooo! Don't tell me that. LOL I've put off plotting but it seems like my manuscripts get pretty messy too. I'm thinking of doing a synopsis before I write my next story. Not sure...

Hi Melissa, Thanks! I did put them up and I ate ice cream too. *grin* About fixing your words, if you're in the rough draft I wouldn't even worry about it yet. :-) Just finish the story then maybe read a few craft books or find a crit group. That will really help give you some different solutions to fixing problems you see.
Jessica Nelson said…
Anita, I should just call you the nap queen! LOL

Oh man, Tabitha, I think I know what you mean. I always wonder if what I'm writing makes any sense and if the premise will even be saleable.
When I have to leave for good a character that I particularly love - the story is done, there is no more to say, and I have to say so long to that character.
Foot tip from an ex nurse. Rub in lavender oil and soak feet in tepid water, after a shift. Then rub lavender oil over feet and wear socks to bed. It helps the aches and soreness.

What do I not like about writing? Mmm, getting in a chapter muddle. Writing ahead of myself, and finding I cannot link the chapters together for a few days.
Terri Tiffany said…
Thinking I'm putting it on paper clearly cause it's in my head and then having my CPs not get it. :))
Sarah Forgrave said…
Oh, those sore feet...gotta love them! :-)

Hmm, one thing I don't like about writing is when I get pretty far in my story and realize a plot thread is weak or I have some sort of major edit to go back and work in. The feeling of backtracking is yucky, but it always results in a stronger m/s.
Changing passives into active verbs. Deleing adverbs. Axing exclamation marks. OUCH! Like your sore feet.

Love you,
Jen
Linda Kage said…
I say someone needs to give Jessica a nice long foot rub. I'd give you a virutal one, but I doubt it would be the same. Sorry.

What I dislike most about writing is getting stuck on a part. How I am going to fix this problem? But actually the most rewarding part is when I come up with an idea to fix a scene I'm caught in. So, I guess I really need that most frustrating part so I can enjoy the rewarding aspect, huh?!
I don't like having body parts that don't allow me to write for hours! I also don't like sitting and staring at a blank page and worrying that I've become brain dead and find that "that's all she wrote!"

You need a wonderful foot massage and a soak in warm epsom salts!
Diane said…
It's hard when we don't do a specific physical labor for a while and our bodies let us know it. Hope you are able to put your feet up a little.

BTW- yes my books are kids. I still don't know how most of my blogger pals are romance writers, but I'm glad God brought me to you and many others. :O)
Jessica Nelson said…
Whoa, what's all this talk about foot massages? You all are making me drool! LOL!!!

Donna, brain dead is NO fun. I know the feeling. I'm sorry about your body parts being stinky. At least you can daydream when they're acting up, right? ;-)

Oooh, Linda! I love massages. :-) I hate getting stuck on a part too. It's frustrating, for sure.
Jessica Nelson said…
lol Wendy. They're stinkers.

Kathryn, I can tell you're one of those nice writers who always welcomes her characters. ;-) The nice thing is even though you have to say good-bye, you can always go revisit them by reading the story.

Glynis, lavender oil sounds like it would smell really good! Thanks for the tip. ;-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Terri, I do the same thing! Grrr...

Sarah, you're so right. I'm having to do some rewriting and it's challenging, but like you said, it will make a big difference in the story!

Heeheee! Jeanette, you crack me up. ;-) Love you too!
Jessica Nelson said…
Diane, *grin*, it's because romance writers live in the imaginary world of not-quite-perfect love but always perfect HEAs. :-) We're imaginative, just like a children's book writer should be. :-)

And yes, I totally babied myself. No worries!
Unknown said…
Writing a line, scene, or chapter that I love, and then, realizing that it needs to be cut. "Cutting your darlings" is what my writing professor used to call it. I usually save them in a different document because it's too painful to delete them.
Unknown said…
Having to condense the events of someone's life into a few sentences! I wrote a devo the other day that included Abraham, Joseph and Rahab - it could have been 3 seperate entries! This was truly TMI in a good way!! Have a fantastic weekend!
Diane J. said…
I guess it would be researching. I like research when I can keep it on the internet or through books, but I have a hard time asking people questions.
Angie Ledbetter said…
Get you some Crocs, girl!

I like everything about the writing process...except all the unknowns writers endure during the querying process. :)
Nancy J. Parra said…
Wow- bless you and your tired feet for all your hard work. I love writing- its all the rest that comes with it. lol. marketing, PR blah. :)
Deb Shucka said…
Sorry for your sore feet!

The thing I like least about writing is my inability to create enough distance from it to be objective about whether I've really accomplished what I set out to show.
Jessica Bell said…
I hate the blankly staring at the screen. :o)
Lydia Kang said…
The see-saw of emotions that comes with writing is the worst for me. No, actually it's the LOWS of the see-saw.
Nice blog, and nice to meet you!
Kelly Freestone said…
Hmm..what I hate most...
when it seems flat and I can't see past my own nose to fix it...I get so frustrated at boring prose, and especially if it's mine.
Elana Johnson said…
Sorry about your feet. I so get that feeling. :(

For me, one thing I don't like about writing is the panic it brings. It's senseless, and I bring much of it on myself, but yeah. I never used to experience so much panic...
Dara said…
Trying to fix (and find!) the grammatical errors. Even though I majored in English, I never could grasp all the proper grammar rules :P

Also, I have a love/hate relationship with the historical research. Most of the time I'm loving it, but there are other times when it becomes so frustrating because I can't find any info on a particular topic--or it's in another language (which happens when your story is set in another culture).
Project Journal said…
Oh, girl, I can relate. My feet are going to hurt after catering tomorrow!! Hope they feel better soon!

I have to agree with Dara....revisions! Ughhhh...I hate revising, especially grammatical mistakes : / Seriously, no fun.

Maybe I'll *see* you around sometime. Have fun!
Hannah
Tamika: said…
I echo Tabitha. The fear of that it won't come to fruitation.

Then I remember that every good work that Christ has begun in me He will complete it!

So sorry for you feet~
Karen Lange said…
I don't like revisions if I know they are going to be lengthy. Have a good break. :) Hope your feet feel better!
ali cross said…
Aw, I'm sorry about your feet too. I kinda liked serving because I loved meeting new people and trying my best to help them have a pleasant experience - but my body ACHED. Don't miss that!

One thing I don't like about writing? I guess I'd have to say all the time on my butt, lol. I could be like Paul (Northwriter) who writes while walking on his treadmill but ... I just sit my sorry tush on down in a chair for hours on end. That's a whole different kind of aching! ♥
Jessica Nelson said…
Julie, I save mine too! Wah...

Maria, I admire people who write devotions SO much! It def. sounds difficult to convey something valuable in such a small piece of writing.

Diane, thanks for sharing that! I always found that interviews over the phone are sooooo much easier than in-person ones. Maybe that would help?
Jessica Nelson said…
Angie, that's the biz, not the art. lol! I wonder what my bosses would say if I showed up to work in crocs...*grin*

Nancy, you love ALL writing too? You and Deb oughta form a club for all us complainers. :-)

Ahh yes, Jessica. That horrible, annoying blank screen.
Jessica Nelson said…
Lydia, so true! The highs are wonderful, the lows...not so much. Thanks for stopping by. :-)

Deb, that can definitely be difficult. I know I rely a lot on my crit group and contests to get a feel for how my work is coming across.

lol Kelly! Boring prose, for some reason that cracked me up, maybe because of how true it is?
Jessica Nelson said…
Elana, I really hope your panic days are over. If you become a bestseller, will there be any more reasons for you to panic? *grin* Probably. Guess it comes with the job. I hope it eases for you though, and that you get a nice, happy, contented feeling. :-)

Dara, grammar is such a pain. Ha! Too funny about your research being in different languages. I'd never thought about that...

Hannah, you do catering? That's pretty cool! I hope your feet survive. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Tamika, great verse! I'm glad to see you back in cyberland. :-)

Karen, me either. Sometimes I like revisions but not always.

Ali, me too! That's exactly what I love about waitressing. And yeah, my booty isn't getting the best treatment with all the couch time. LoL
Jolene Perry said…
I'm in Alaska and the sun starts coming through my windows a little before 4 am. As soon as I'm awake, I start thinking plot lines, and what happens, and how do I want it to happen. I have NO idea how many hours of sleep I've lost to writing.
Project Journal said…
Yeah, Jess. I work for a local catering company when they need me...getting into the summer now it's more often than not! Lol....works not fun, but the pay is good. I need that to start saving to pay off my college debt : /

My sister and I also just found out that we got jobs at the new CO-OP that's opening down the road from us. Part-time cashiers, 15 hours/week, $9.50/hour. Can't complain about that either.....

And then, we have our babysitting/nanny job on the weekends....so we'll be busy this summer! LOL!
Talk to you soon,
Hannah
Are your feet doing better today?
Linda Glaz said…
Changing all my STUPID telling to showing once the story's done. But good news, my CRIT partners, ahem, always catch it. Never give me a break. Wah, wah, wah!
Tana said…
I don't like comma placements. I still struggle with were those things go!!! *sorry about your feet*
Warren Baldwin said…
1) Wondering if I have done adequate research of my subject and am presenting accurate information.

2) If I am saying it the best way it can be said (at least by me).
Jessica Nelson said…
Wow, Hannah! You have tons going on. Sounds like good pay to me. :-) I hope you have time for writing though!

Break? Now Linda, you know that's not in our vocabulary. LOL

I struggle with commas too, T. Anne. They are my official nemeses.

Warren, I love that second point of yours. Very true.
The most frustrating part of writing for me is trying to balance it with other things. I also struggle with trying not to edit myself as I create the story.
Katie Ganshert said…
I remember my feet hurting too! Waitressing is a lot of exercise! What's something I don't like about writing? When ideas don't come and I feel like my story is going in circles! I don't like that at all. :)
Those moments when I have to work hard for every word, and then I read back through my writer, and groan at the painful awkwardness of them. However, I feel like I have to push through those bad moments to get to the good ones, when the words come easily and actually flow into a story that works.
Natalie said…
Having to sit down and do it. :) I love thinking about my stories. I love coming up with plot twists and dialogue. But actually sitting down at the computer, opening the file, and WORKING is pretty hard some days.
Jessica Nelson said…
Melinda, that is hard, definitely!

THe circling story=no fun Katie, it's so funny but my legs were sore the next day! Which makes me happy, just to know that my muscles are getting a work out. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Tyrean, that's awesome you push through it! That's what we gotta do...

Natalie, I am SO glad I'm not the only one like that! Whew. Thanks for admitting to it. :-)
Jessica,

Thanks so much for stopping by and for your congrats at my blog.

I don't plan on doorbell ditching God, but may need some pointers on how to stay on the porch, from someone like you who knows!

LOVED your blog!
Hi Jess -

I get aggravated with the constant editing. I've finally come to the conclusion that no matter how much I edit, someone will want changes.

Blessings,
Susan :)

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