As I wend my way through a particularly challenging batch of revisions, I was brought to mind of the Kubler-Ross model on the stages of grief, which is all too apt in chronicling the reactions of your average working writer.
1. Denial - Surely, the editor doesn't mean my masterpiece! This must have gone out to the wrong author by mistake.
2. Anger - What the (insert strongest, vilest expletive that comes to mind)? Who do those stupid hacks think they are, screwing with me like this? Are they @#$! blind? (Ranting continues, either in the form of silent fuming or a epic hissy fit. If you're very lucky, no phone calls or e-mails to the involved parties originate during this stage and your loved ones have learned to ignore you at this point.)
3. Bargaining - If I change just this one little thing, that'll make it sort of okay, right? You surely didn't mean to imply I have to rewrite the whole, entire...
Oh, no you didn't.
4. Depression - I clearly suck, and everyone else has just been too kind to tell me. Or maybe they're all winking and laughing behind my back. There are septic slugs with more talent, deranged dabblers who smell of old potatoes who write better. I am vile, useless... (reaches for Help Wanted section of paper and checks out listing for fast food clerks.) Writer's block ensues, sometimes for long periods when writers get stuck in this stage.
5. Acceptance. Oh, all right. I guess I'm going to have to do it, so I must as well dig in and make a decent effort. Hey, wait a minute. These changes really do make the story better, and you know, it's getting good here. I'm getting waaay into this again! (Remainder of world peels away as writer falls back in love with his/her own story.)
I'm not sure if it helps knowing we go through these stages, but at least I'm getting a good laugh - at myself and my process.
Comments
Thanks for cheerfulness!
Sylver
I don't know how wise you'll think me after you read my blood-raw synops revision, Jo Anne, but my fingers are crossed!
Good luck, Jen, and I know you'll get there, Sylver. It's the "sweat equity" part of the equation.
Currently in Stage 5, thanks for asking. :-)
TJB
Meanwhile, just how good are those Starbux bennies? :)
Is health insurance one of the Starbucks bennies, TJ?
I would argue, though, that if you want to be faced with LESS such feedback in the first place--because you wrote something better to begin with--you should also incorporate this model into the way your characters react to the events of the novel.
There's an article about using the five stages to create emotionally believable character responses here:
http://bit.ly/lJXzV
So watch your footing and keep at it.
Beth, you're welcome to repost if you include both credit and a link back to Boxing the Octopus. Thanks for the kind words and thanks, too, for asking!