Wednesday, June 10, 2009

This Won't Hurt a Bit

I'm stalled on the third revision of my current WIP. I've received tons of help from the supportive but battle-worn souls in my writer's group and I feel I'm running out of steam. I'm getting to the point where I feel my story is uninteresting and all-too familiar. Yes, I'm peering over the edge, towel in hand.

So I checked into the Gotham Writer's Workshop and after perusing the selection of online courses decided the mentorship program sounded pretty good. Then I spoke to someone there who strongly encouraged the services of one of their book doctors. Now I'm in a quandry. I've heard some negative slants on book doctors over the years. It feels strange to me to have to pay someone to help me w/my book. But this person is professional, with writing and teaching experience; of course they should be well-compensated for their time and energy. But I'm still unsure. Anyone out there with book doctor experience??

6 comments:

Joanne said...

I'm not sure what a book doctor actually is ... is it a professional editor critiquing your work? I've never done this, but do see more and more of professional edits mentioned in the blogs.

Diane Vogel Ferri said...

We seem to be in the same place - I think both of our novels have had much too much blood, sweat and tears put into them to give up - BUT - now that i have time I can't think of a thing to write! I say - go for it if you think it will help!

Kathryn Magendie said...

I've never used one. I have edited author's books before - I hope that I was help to them...and I always suggested to the author to try everything, exhaust everything else, before they paid me to do anything with their manuscript.

Just do your research - be careful - and as well, figure out what kind of editing you want --how much you want done....a "critique" of the story? grammar? spelling? etc etc etc....

maybe just putting it away for a week or two or so and then going back to it? Working on something else and then going back to it?

Amy said...

Thanks, Kathryn. I am still researching, and I have been setting my novel aside--maybe too much. It's time for me to get on with it. Thanks for your suggestions/helpful comments. I'll keep everyone posted and share my experience if/when I do this.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Amy - I had another thought - and this will sound funny but try it:

Cut and paste your document (or if it's realllllly long, cut and paste a chapter or two) to your email and send it to yourself....then read it ...I swear you'll notice things you didn't before -- whenever I send something I've written via email, I read what I've sent in my "sent files" and think 'oh geez I didn't notice that!" *shrug* -- same thing happens with reading the printed out version vs the msword version - just seeing it in another forum helps! Our brains need to see things from different perspectives or whatever....:)

Amy said...

Great idea. I appreciate what you're saying. I've seen some agents/editors advise this same thing before we send them anything b/c what we send often doesn't come out how we intended. Good advice!