Shameful Books part II

Many moons ago I wrote that I couldn't think of a single book I'm ashamed to love. Allow me to quote myself:
The reason is simple, I think:  if I love it, I really think it's good and am therefore not ashamed to love it. It doesn't matter who it was written for, written by, or how it was written. If I like it, it's good.
You see that? Doesn't matter who wrote it. If I love it, I love it. End of story.

EXCEPT, my list of favorite books now includes one that I'd be ashamed to say "Oh, I LOVE this novel. It's compelling, exciting, emotional, and the writing is fantastic!"

What's different about this book?

I wrote it.

I've been trying to edit my own novel. I say "trying" because I think I'm missing a lot. Oh sure, some scenes I change quite a lot. And I did a bit of patching up while I was writing. But I find myself getting so engrossed that I can pore through scene after scene without changing anything but punctuation.

I say things like "Dang, did I write this?" and "Sometimes I amaze even myself."

And usually no one's around to say "Doesn't sound too hard."

Somebody say that. Please. My hats are already too tight.

Comments

  1. I hear you. I love my own book to the point of distraction. I guess this is why they say "kill your darling."

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  2. I think if I don't love my book more than anyone, than I won't be able to really sell it to agents/publishers. You've got to believe in it(it seems like I should say "man" next for some reason). I can't help but read my own and think the same things- like, this book is awesome. And I think that's ok because it helps on those days where I think it's just garbage and no one will ever like it.

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  3. I LOVE it when that happens!
    (I totally blogged this) but when my husband read my book to me, I was like - wow, I wrote that? FREAKING AWESOME!
    And then I just felt a little egotistical, but seriously? There are enough downs in novel writing to justify a few moments of ridiculous ego stroking =)

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  4. I tend to do this more with scenes rather than my whole book. Like, anything I post on my blog (with a few exceptions)? That's my best work.

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  5. Yeah, it's true. There are always parts that I think are mediocre or even terrible. There has to be something to keep me going.

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