Am I Crazy?

Hello friends! I’m back.

I took a bit of a hiatus while getting the basics of the new book started. I had a lot of research and character development to do for this one. All in all it has worked out well. I’m three quarters through the novel, and should be finished by the end of March (if things go as planned.)

Then it’s a nice break before I go back and revise, edit, revise, edit, revise, edit. You get the picture...wash, rinse, and reuse.
Anyway, Chasing Clovers is doing well. I’ve received some awesome reviews, and great feedback from my readers. Thank you!!

Today, however I am taking a coffee break, or rub my eyes and rotate my wrists, break from the new book. I’ve been writing since early this morning, and I’m a bit frustrated. You see, things are happening in the book and moving at a quick pace. The writer in me wants to just get it all down while it’s fresh in my head. But the creator in me, or my husband likes to call it the perfectionist, wants to go back and read, rewrite, and revise the last chapter before I continue on. This is costing me a lot of time.

Yup, I’m in a pickle. I just can’t shut off the side of my brain that wants to revise what I’ve written the day before. I can’t seem to tell myself to leave it for the end and go back to it. It’s almost like a sickness if you will—a disease that pushes me to boarders of insanity, or perfection. I’m not sure which it is, but I know that some days are worse than others. Voices in my head call out, they shout, yell and on occasion whisper intent or dialogue I need to write. I can’t be bogged down with re-reading the last chapter.

But I do. I will.

Is it a writing quirk, or am I narcissistic? Do I need help, a shrink, a padded room? I can explain the voices in my head, but to some this would be considered OCD. Is it possible to be over obsessed about ones writing?

Why can’t I be neurotic with cleaning, I can hear my husband cheering for that one. Or how about relaxing, why can’t I make that a habit? Nope, instead I’m crazy about words—about the story that is bouncing around in my head. The characters that I’ve grown to love or hate, and the routine of my morning cup of Joe and my laptop.

I wonder what an old pro like Stephen King does with these types of problems.

Well, it could be worse. At least I don’t walk around my table backwards three times, adjust my seat, and chant unusual dialect before beginning my writing process each day.

But I have to say, and I’m whispering...the chanting does appeal to me.

Happy Wednesday!

Kat