Blogger: Rachel Kent
Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
We’ve spent the week talking about what you should keep. Now I’d like to ask the question, What should you throw away? (Writing related only, please.)
I’ll start it off:
1) Nasty emails and unkind words. (These are very different from bad professional reviews.)
2) Feelings of inadequacy, unimportance and self-pity that come from rejections. If you let negative emotions hold you back, you won’t make any headway toward your goal.
3) Junk food snacks. I’m guilty of snacking on really bad things while at my computer desk. Buy only healthy snacks, and you’ll thank yourself later! If you have any healthy snack suggestions, please mention them here as well. I’m in the market.
Your turn…what do writers need to throw away or let go of?
I have a bad habit of keeping printed chapters, etc. that are revised and useless. Thow ’em away!
Healthy snacks? Frozen Junior Mints aren’t healthy, but they won’t kill a diet. No more than a small box, though!
Oh boy…the snack foods. . . I’m so guilty of eating bunches of M&Ms while writing. I like carrots too. The baby carrots. They’re crunchy and easy to have around. 🙂
Does chocolate count as a healthy snack? Because then I rock at healthy snacking.
The idea that you must write exactly like so and so.
Voice is too precious to borrow from someone else when your own has potential to come out strong.
~ Wendy
Amen to #2!
Writers’ answers will probably vary to this question, depending on what stage of their journey they’re in. For me, most of the extraneous papers I have are related to older versions of my WIP. I could probably stand to get rid of notes and charts that are completely irrelevant to the new version of my story. Though I will confess I haven’t tossed them. I just store them in an out-of-the-way place! But if I ever needed the room, they’d be the first things to go.
As far as healthy snacks go, I think nuts and dried fruit are good options. Nuts are high in fat, but just a handful will give you an energy boost. I like to soak them overnight in salt water, then slow-dry in a 170-degree oven for 12-24 hours. They get buttery and crispy and delicious. Dried fruit is very healthy if you avoid sweetened versions. Hmm… now I’m hungry! 🙂
Adding to Britt’s response, I have a bajillion draft versions saved in my backup files by the time I finish a story. How many should you save when you’re as sure as you’ll ever be that this is really, truly, the final copy?
Amen to all of this (except throw away perfectly good snacks).
I am so with you on getting rid of hurtful and unkind comments. They’re all-absorbing. I’ve added a handful of e-mailers to my “junk” list. There are always anonymous snipers ready to pull an author down. There is a very hot part of hell reserved for them.
In Christian love.
Bill
I enjoy a hot cup of something (usually tea). Just have to be careful around the computer with it 🙂
When it comes to our writing voice, I think sometimes we all need to throw out the opinions of others.
It’s so easy to be influenced by comments of friends or fellow critiquers and adapt ourselves to what they think sounds “better.”
I have about a million padded mailers (used) that I intend to re-use. I have enough to last ten years, but I hang onto to them anyway. They need to go!
Kristi Holl
Writer’s First Aid blog
I echo the same…have to get rid of all those drafts now that the book is printed and even won an award…yet I have a file full of old drafts. It sort of feels sentimental though. Weird.
I need to get rid of procrastination — maybe I’ll start tomorrow!
I think authors need to throw away their/ our worries. Worrying will get us nowhere, and we need to trust God! As for the snack…sunflower seeds. Love them!
-Jackie 🙂
Their/our. Stupid typos. Typos…that’s another thing authors should throw away!
Um, Bill? Your last two lines just sound wrong, for some reason.
Snacks… Good snacks. Slice a chilled cucumber, cut the slices in half, and open a can of black olives. One half slice with one olive makes a perfect bite. Yummy!
Jicama. It used to be they weren’t so easily available, but most supermarkets carry them nowdays. Look for a root vegetable that looks like a flattened, overgrown turnip–sometimes in the ethnic foods section. Peel the tough rind off (remove any brown spots inside), cut into sticks, and store in a plastic bag in the fridge with just a spraying of water to provide humidity. These are super-healthy, slightly sweet, and delicious. Also good eaten with olives–alternate between bites. Yeah, I like olives. 🙂
Apples. When in season, cut into slices and spread with just a little organic peanut butter (one that contains sugar).
Now I want another jicama…
1) I think there are still some benefits to the over the top, “Where did THAT come from” comments and email. I keep some around as reminders to write what I’m called to write, and of a lesson from my dad when I was young when a lady lit into me – “You’ll never please everyone, so decide whose opinion it is that matters.”
There is a good middle ground between throwing it away (gone forever) and staying too attached to it. Keep these where it’s available when you need a chuckle but not where it’s going to sit and taunt /discourage you.
3) OK, I’ll take a step towards’healthier’ snacks, but can’t go completely healthy all the way. Remember, that bacon makes our hearts stronger by making them work a little harder! No, my wife doesn’t buy that either.
Carne Diem!
Because He Lives!
Rich
Almonds, soy nuts, sunchips, baby carrots, dark chocolate … I also have plenty of Tension Tamer Tea and Sleepytime tea for those times when you have to relax in order to let the ideas flow … or get some much needed rest from the voices in your head 😉
Thanks for the reminders! Although, getting rid of junk food is hard to do. I can easily get rid of the nasty e-mails with my handy DELETE key. 🙂
Lynn, I’m not sure I can answer the question for you, but my best answer is that if you’re not out of computer space,keep the drafts at least until the book is published. You never know what you might regret throwing away in this case.
Thanks for all of the snack suggestions. Jackie, I LOVE sunflower seeds too!