Let It Rest OR Keep The Fire Burning? |
| Let It Rest OR Keep The Fire Burning? Posted: 19 May 2011 05:44 PM PDT About a year ago I wrote an article regarding the debate of whether to let your manuscript rest or continue working on it. The next question in this debate is - how long do you let it rest until you start working on it again? At first I could see the advantages and disadvantages to both arguments. I, for one, liked the practice of letting it rest but only for a few weeks (a month at the maximum).
I agree that when we are in the flow it is awfully hard to stop writing. The fire gets into us and all we want to do is work on our manuscript. It goes against logic to think that taking a break from our manuscript could actually help improve it. In regards to putting the manuscript away, taking a break or even starting another project; I can see the advantages there too. I mean, when we write those last two words our brains are fried and we are exhausted. Often the words on the screen blur together and we can recite the sentences from heart. The only way to take care of these conditions is to take a break. After a break we can come back with an invigorated mind and fresh eyes. These are two things that can pay off in big dividends. Which is best? What should we do? I said it before and I will say it again - do what works best for you. I do recommend you stick with your decision and don't let others dictate which you should do. You know how your muse operates and you know what works for you. Okay, I kinda got on a soapbox there so back to the main topic of this article. I wrote two novels. One I continued working on straight through. I didn't stop until it was completely done. My second novel I put on the shelf for approximately three months. What did I learn from that little exercise? While I did finish both novels I can tell you that it took me longer to recover and start the next novel after I finished the first. I felt really beat down and burned out. It was only temporary but it was still there. The three months I allowed the second novel to rest almost drove me crazy. My muse went nuts because it wanted to start writing again. I was split because I wanted to write and finish the second while my muse just wanted to write. When the wait was over I picked up the novel again. It was like I started fresh because new thoughts came to me and I saw more things to correct or rearrange. The end result was a crisper, sharper manuscript. Can you get the same results from working straight through without stopping? Yes, I think so but it would take some solid upfront research and planning. As much as it drives me crazy I think I will let my manuscripts rest before I finish them from now on. That seems to work well for me. Which do you prefer? 
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