Past the Point of No Return

It is a lovely Friday to behold!

I am still in love with my novel. It feels perfect and wonderful and I have a great feel for the voice of my characters and love the story. Needless to say, I am approaching the middle. Soon I will be posting dark thoughts about burning the book and dancing on it's ashes, but for now, the romance is still young. Ahh young love.


I have been getting migraines recently, which is hindering the writing process. I have really bad TMJ problems as I have previously mentioned and I am working with an oral surgeon to correct the problem. In the meantime...migraines!


Writing is helping me in the sense that it gives me something to focus on other than the feeling that I have mistakenly placed my head in a vice. Sort of like a two for one: I get a novel, and a distraction from my headaches. 

I am really enjoying writing steampunk. It's my first foray into the genre, and I have to tell you: it's a lot of fun. I've also woven some gothic elements into the novel, which seems to fit really naturally with steampunk, given the Neo-Victorian era was the time frame for both. 

I really enjoyed Rachelle Gardner's post today. She talked about coming to the end of herself, and just when she thought she couldn't go on, she found that she had more to give. Writing is like that for me. I start the book, excited about the plot and characters but eventually I loose steam (see what I did there? Huh? Huh? Anyone? *cricket*). 

I worry about the characters, the setting. I think that it's the worst thing I have ever written and no one could ever love it. I should go back to doing...something else (my inner critic has a hard time with this insult because I have always wanted to be a writer. I have my day job to support my writing. So there's really not a profession for me to go back to. But that doesn't stop her from insulting me!).


But then I reach down deep into myself and realize that there's more to give. I am invested more than ever in this story being told. I find the strength to continue on. This strength helps me through the revision process, it helps me through the critiquing process, and it's going to help me through the query process.


Oh yeah, the Rejectionist has this post today with a funny cat video. I have watched it a bajillion times already. I keep rooting for that cat...


So, have you ever reached a point where you thought you couldn't go on...and then discovered in fact you can?