tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post1049928699701963501..comments2023-12-26T18:33:04.681-08:00Comments on Writability: Cooling OffGabe (Ava Jae)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-31060202700660231542011-07-05T15:00:09.364-07:002011-07-05T15:00:09.364-07:00Great advice, Ava! This is so true, too. I think s...Great advice, Ava! This is so true, too. I think self-imposed rules are great for all aspects of life. I know I'm a gut reaction kind of girl. I'll see something and think, "This is freaking genius!" Two days later, I'm picking it apart realizing what crap it actually is. So yeah, great post!<br /><br />PS-the fact that you tagged "cupcakes" in there with WIP,editing, and tips, is every kind of awesome :DHope Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06725561148740117639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-61729169953205637992011-07-05T00:30:07.447-07:002011-07-05T00:30:07.447-07:00Haha, you're adorable. *pinches cheeks* Annoyi...Haha, you're adorable. *pinches cheeks* Annoying, no? :P<br /><br />Anyway, I love it that you would compare a dying cat to a giggling goblin. Makes perfect sense to me. And you probably already know which of these options I choose: MOVIES. Though I sometimes continue to watch movies until I've dorgotten what my WIP was about, lol. NOT GOOD! <_<<br /><br />So yeah... I'm excited you're featuring on my blog today. Whee. Okay, I'll go back to movie-watching and not-editing now. :DAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17979704972319783846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-5773359231416740552011-07-04T15:32:09.004-07:002011-07-04T15:32:09.004-07:00I am not sure what I do during a cooling off perio...I am not sure what I do during a cooling off period because my last work was kind of stop and start - but I am definitely going to do this with my next project!<br /><br />Also, I find that for me - the more distance I get from a piece the less I am like "Oh crap, this is awwwwfullll!" I still see the flaws but I am more able to accept it as being good over all :)Kristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10348921731053503531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-17906019300685953742011-07-04T10:37:25.847-07:002011-07-04T10:37:25.847-07:00Thanks for the post, Ava. Now I don't feel so ...Thanks for the post, Ava. Now I don't feel so bad that I have not touched my latest since December. It isn't as if I had a choice in the matter - my publisher has had it since then. My understanding is it will be returning to me this month, and I am very excited to get started.<br /><br />Take care and have a great week.<br /><br />-JimmyJames Garcia Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00559119178720751963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-82894902126267433342011-07-04T09:00:19.445-07:002011-07-04T09:00:19.445-07:00Great post. This is probably the most important st...Great post. This is probably the most important step in writing. This is where you objectively see gaps, or discontinuity.<br /><br />I take two weeks off and it hurts. But I have to do it otherwise it's almost as if I'm still in first draft mode.<br /><br />During the two weeks, I do a few things:<br />(1) Spend time with the family <br />(2) Brainstorm new ideas<br />(3) Extensive research on agents, publishers and trends<br />(4) catch up on the rest of the world<br /><br />AraAra Grigorianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18400259942581950319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-23287462727354688312011-07-04T08:54:15.914-07:002011-07-04T08:54:15.914-07:00@Sidney
Awesome! That certainly helps a tremendou...@Sidney<br /><br />Awesome! That certainly helps a tremendous amount. <br /><br />@MadMaddiJ<br /><br />I do a pretty fair mix as well. It also depends on my mood that month. ^_^ <br /><br />Thanks for commenting!Gabe (Ava Jae)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-29773657143000332982011-07-04T08:50:06.484-07:002011-07-04T08:50:06.484-07:00Oh, and I totally forgot to answer the question:
...Oh, and I totally forgot to answer the question:<br /><br />I do a mixture of all those things. I'll watch a movie, write a little, pick up a book, write a little more, go back to another movie, have my nephews over for a weekend... But I do make sure to distract myself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-59094319413709977232011-07-04T08:48:53.415-07:002011-07-04T08:48:53.415-07:00Always always always always ALWAYS!
I say this to...Always always always always ALWAYS!<br /><br />I say this to people all the time, even if not quite in this context. I mostly say it to the people that I CAN'T stop from editing WHILE they're writing (those people that are doing it wrong XP). <br /><br />When you wait to edit something after writing it, you lose track of exactly what it is you've written. Then, when you return to it, you're able to look at it with a fresh mind and SEE your mistakes, the same way that another person would if they were reading it.<br /><br />Love the post, Ava. Beautiful. <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-7481807724438110302011-07-04T08:47:23.415-07:002011-07-04T08:47:23.415-07:00I am of the write-something-else school of what to...I am of the write-something-else school of what to do during the cooling off period. That and I usually take a day or two to read and refresh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-17490271032354607962011-07-04T07:25:27.375-07:002011-07-04T07:25:27.375-07:00@Alice
Organizing cover art and jacket quotes sou...@Alice<br /><br />Organizing cover art and jacket quotes sounds like fun. I can't say I've done that before, but it definitely sounds like a great way to work on your WIP without really working on it...if...that makes sense. Hmm. Your description worked better. <br /><br />@Jen<br /><br />Wow! That sounds like a great plan, good luck! :)<br /><br />@Tiffany<br /><br />Video games! I'm surprised I didn't think of that. Video games are an awesome way to relax and totally NOT think about that WIP you're putting aside. <br /><br />Also, that writer's party sounds delicious. Lemon tart cupcakes? YUM! You totally deserve it! <br /><br />Thanks for the wonderful comments, everyone! :)Gabe (Ava Jae)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-71171905130402194612011-07-04T07:04:54.163-07:002011-07-04T07:04:54.163-07:00Another great blog post! I really harp on this to...Another great blog post! I really harp on this to my fellow writers locally, that if they don't take a break from their "big masterpiece", they won't be able to get the proper perspective to do it justice in the revisions stage, which just makes it another painting, rather than a masterpiece like they want.<br /><br />During my cooling off period, I play a LOT of videogames. With my writing schedule, I really don't have time for them (except a few sneaky sessions of Baldur's Gate now and then, and maybe a bit on weekend nights, where I would have been procrastinating anyway), so it is a wonderful treat and reward for finishing a WIP. I also start the brainstorming process on my next book, which always happens in a different world than the last. Yes, after one or two, I'll return to a world I've created already, but back to back? No. The world needs to rest for a bit, since it's still hurting from what I did to it in the last draft. XD<br /><br />Cupcakes sound like a wonderful idea. I think, when I finish my current WIP (Hope of the Mirra), I am going to throw a mini-writers party with a lemon tart cupcake in hand. Normally I just dive right in to the next project and never take a day off (Type A personality much?), but really, this one is big. I deserve it!<br /><br />Thanks again, for the wonderful post!!!<br />~Tiffany, aka RelentlessMuseTiffany "Kysis" Tacketthttp://aspiring-forandby.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-37597396680359475502011-07-04T07:04:12.331-07:002011-07-04T07:04:12.331-07:00I only took two weeks off after my first draft and...I only took two weeks off after my first draft and I watched a ton of movies in that time. I tried to start another book, but that didn't work out. Aunyway I plan on taking a month break when I'm done with my second draft. I feel like it's more important then. I plan on spending that time building my writing credentials submitting articles and joining short story contests. We'll see how that works out, lol! Have a good day!Jennie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17331827076858223497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-44829625943807595362011-07-04T06:49:45.424-07:002011-07-04T06:49:45.424-07:00I went back to my projects I'd abandoned for t...I went back to my projects I'd abandoned for the book, played a lot of games, watched some TV. Did organizational stuff for book one. <br /><br />That, by the way, is awesome to do during the cooldown, if you're lucky enough to have concrete plans for your WIP. I find it really calming to organise my end of publicity and cover art and jacket quotes and book expos and whatnot. I'm involved, but I'm not looking directly at my WIP. Because I'm with a small publisher I'm more involved than most authors, but the final decision is out of my hands so it mostly amounts to just organising -- and that's perfect.<br /><br />I also recommend getting a writing partner who rocks to encourage you to produce unrelated work ;)Alice M.http://maybeandthewolf.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com