01 October 2025

Uneven Feelings

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This month's optional question is: What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

That's an interesting question for me. Despite the fact that it's definitely not finished, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to publish it, and I haven't even worked on it a little bit for I don't even know how long, I just have to go with Uneven Lines. 

I mean, I might as well call it my magnum opus at this point. I started it in 2011 and it's still not done, and no other idea has ever been able to take its place. 

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this book. When I first started writing it, I was obsessed with it. I loved working on it, thinking about scenes, developing the voice. I really do think it contains the best writing I've ever done. There's so many intricate details and symbolism and themes and all that jazz that I just love. And if you've been here a long time, you know I'll always be obsessed with my main character, Jordan. He's definitely my character soulmate (even if he's abandoned me...). 

HOWEVER. It's been hard to find that passion for the story again. I do think a good 2/3 of what I have is really solid, but there's still so much to fix. I don't really have an ending. I've always thought I knew how the story would end, and I don't mind ending it that way, but at the same time, it feels like I'm forcing my characters into it. I can't figure out how to get them there, but I also can't think of an alternative. That's probably the biggest hurdle to finishing this book. 

There are some other little things that I'm just avoiding. There's a subplot that is really weighing down the last third of the book, but I don't want to cut it completely. I don't like most of the first chapter. I will probably be able to fix these things eventually, but it's hard to get that motivation and inspiration back to be able to do so. 

I also don't think anyone's going to actually want to read this story, so part of me thinks, what's the point? But I've put so much time and work into it already that I just can't give up on it. Even though it's been a few years since I've worked on it, I still don't feel like I've given up. I've just taken a pause. A very, very, very, very long pause. 

But yeah, it's still my favorite. 

9 comments:

  1. There will aways be readers who want to read your book. don't give up

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  2. My favorite story needs lots of work too. I may have to go back and fix it one day. Don't give up on your manuscript if you don't want to let it go.

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  3. My husband always says, "You put in all that time, you might as well get it out there so someone OTHER THAN YOU can read it." LOL! Have you tried working via a formula -- maybe from the end and go backwards? There are so many books on plot structure, that may help with bridging the gap. Sometimes it's best just to get SOMETHING down and then straighten out the mess. Wishing you success with this one!

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  4. Maybe bouncing the story line off some other writers will give you ideas on how to end it?

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  5. We often have work that we put effort into but it's still not going anywhere. Hopefully one day you will be in the right place to finish it.

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  6. I hear you. I still have a story that refuses to write itself, but I keep telling myself that one day it will! Keep going. You can do it.
    https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/

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  7. Your love of this story comes through clearly and connects with me for I am also at that stage of revising (and doubting) a complex story. Like you, all the elements are working, but something in the last part of the middle needs serious review. I was stuck until I read Jessica Brody's SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL. I printed out my entire story (hard copy!) and used Brody's beat sheet to simply read through and mark up surface and structural revisions still needed. And I'm truly recommitted to those revisions. I hope you will persevere.

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  8. Your love of this story has kept it going, and I think that if you feel so passionately about it, there is definitely someone out there who will want to read it, maybe many people. You won't know... until you know. But I love that you love this story.

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  9. I think you have to finish it and I believe in you. Sometimes you just have to get the story out before you can move onto the next thing.

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