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WIP is at the editor – what now?

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I just sent off my WIP, The Italian Sister, to the editor. 

It’s a great feeling to have the manuscript I have been laboring over out of my hair for a while. After a sigh of relief, panic sets in. WHAT NOW? I feel oddly abandoned without my work. Besides, I’m totally stuck on the sequel I was planning to write. And I mean STUCK!

Okay, I know, lots of writers go through this. I do have a few options, I guess:

 

 

1) I forget about writing for a while and enjoy a piece of chocolate instead. But that only takes a few minutes and then what?

2) A cup of coffee? A few more minutes. And then what?

3) I go on vacation–wait, you need money for this… Hmm.

4) It’s cheaper to just go for a walk in my beautiful neighborhood:

Okay, done that. Now what?

5) Read, but I do this all the time anyway. And reading can also be an escape to keep from writing. 

Gee, this is getting difficult. I’m running out of options.

I guess there is only one option left:

6) BUCKLE DOWN AND WRITE ANYWAY. Sigh!

Unless, dear writer/reader, you can come up with a better idea. What do you do when you’re stuck?

Cheers!

Posted in reading, writer's block, writing permalink

About Christa Polkinhorn

Born and raised in Switzerland, Christa Polkinhorn grew up surrounded by mountains, lakes, and a deep curiosity about the world beyond her country’s borders. Her passion for travel has taken her across Europe, China, Japan, and South America, experiences that now infuse her fiction with authentic settings and rich cultural detail. After settling in Southern California, Christa built a dual career as a writer and translator. She began her literary journey with The Path of Fire, a collection of poetry that explores themes of passion, identity, and transformation. She then turned to fiction with the Family Portrait trilogy, weaving intimate family dramas and love stories across continents. Her Wine Lover’s Daughter mystery series combines love and suspense, strong characters, and the evocative backdrop of European and Californian wine country. Her most recent novel, Letter from a Cave, is a historical mystery and romance that connects the past to the present. Christa’s writing is fueled by her fascination with other cultures, her love of language, and her belief that stories connect us across borders. When she’s not writing or translating, she can be found reading, traveling, or enjoying art, music, dark chocolate, and red wine.

Comments

WIP is at the editor – what now? — 4 Comments

  1. What do I do when I'm stuck? I make a commitment to sit in my chair for at least an hour, even if all I do is stare at the wall! Eventually I get bored and I start something–I try not to worry if what I start isn't what I set out to do. You never know where creative work will lead. Sometimes the path is straight, sometime crooked, sometimes completely roundabout and sometimes a dead end . . . you never know! 🙂

  3. Going for a walk often works for me or doing some housework. Sometimes I just say, "I'm stuck so I'll leave it for today." I'm usually ok the next day. Sometimes we have to just let it go. Good luck on the new book!

  4. Yes, Darlene, walks work for me too. And as you said, sometimes you just have to let it go for a while. Finishing a manuscript and sending it off to the editor is always somewhat of a shock. You send off your characters and feel slightly bereft without them.

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