When you realise you're not a good writer
I've been gone for exams (I scheduled a bunch of posts but beyond that I haven't really seen the light of day. *shivers*) BUT I AM BACK (for like three weeks and then I disappear again).
So for the first time in about two or three months, I went back and took a look at my old manuscript that I'd been working during my summer vacation. It's really, really, really bad. Like objectively bad. Like I am a bad writer, guys.
For some reason, as this half-finished draft was sitting in the back of my head and in the depths of my laptop, it somehow magically got better and turned into a half-decent novel. However, for some reason, that was not the case. The dialogue is cringy, I don't seem to know what a voice is or even what genre this thing is supposed to be. And what is a character? Or a plot? Or words??
I'm not 100% sure where to go from here. Should I abandon the book? Forge on? Give up altogether and take up llama farming?
Give me some ideas for alternative careers in the comments below!
Ha. Why does this title apply to me so much?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if your question in bold was sarcastic or not but I believe you're doing STEM subjects rather than Arts and Humanities. So in that case, you can find a job much quicker than arts people who cannot do those subjects aka: me. I'd say do that career and be an author at the same time if you REALLY wanna get published.
Why not both, you know? As long as you have time.
Right now, I'm just trying to fix up my writing skills but languages are my priority because I need to have a stable job. I just can't put my dream of getting published above languages, unfortunately.
As for the question about the education system in Ireland:
In Ireland, we have an average of five years in school (the fourth year is usually optional as it's more about work experience and going on trips and stuff. Not an exam related year at all). When you're in 6th year (whether you did the optional fourth year or not), you have to do exams on each exam subject. When you are graded, you are aiming to get points (of course, the more As and Bs you get, the higher your points will be) that belong to the course of your choice of whatever university.
If you don't make it to university, you can retake the test by taking an extra year at school or retaking the test at a College of Further Education. These colleges are not the same as university. They have less years (a lot have only 1-2 years courses) and can be direct pathways to uni or maybe the workforce. I don't know if you have community college in Canada or Australia but that's basically the closest definition I can give you.
I did not pass the first college I went to because I freaked out and messed up and realised too late that I didn't like any of the subjects of that past course. I'm hoping to pass the college I went to this year and go to university. If not (and I really hope not because I'm sick of going to colleges...) then I will go to another college again.
Did I explain it well?
Also, do you get emails when people post comments on your blog? I haven't been getting any emails recently. Checked a blogger forum and other bloggers have this problem.
YAY I'M NOT ALONE!
DeleteHahah yes, it was sarcastic because I'm so deep in student loans that I can only go through at this point, not back. And that's my plan, I figured if I have the career and money to put food on the table, I can always write and get published in my spare time.
That's so cool! Do you want to be a translator or something?
That is so interesting, it seems way more complicated than it is in Australia. I hope you're able to get into another college, although I'm sure you will because from what I've seen of you you always seem to work your butt off.
I'm having that problem as well, I thought for a long time that no one was commenting on my blog and I looked today and saw that I have tonnes of comments I need to reply to. Not sure what's going on, do let me know if you find an answer. I wonder if it's a setting that's reset somewhere?