Mini-Musing 3/18/2015 ~ Can You Really Go Home Again?

I’ve mentioned previously that I haven’t written as of late.  I just haven’t felt like it, waiting for word from Tinderbox. I know that’s the absolute worst thing to do — not continuing to write that is. Have you ever had so much faith in a work that you don’t want to stick it into that awful box and start something new?  That’s how I’m feeling right now.

As some of you may know, I graduated from college!  The first person in my family.  My Big Brother is so proud!  Well then so am I!  I was so antsy about not passing the last class that the stress levels were very high.  And now I received the email today that my degree is on the way! Boo-Yah!! So that’s one less thing stressing me out.

I still haven’t heard about the promotion yet, although I did get the your application is still under consideration email.  I was calm about it, now I’m climbing the walls again.  Time for some deliciously fortified wine.

OK, so one stress inducer is gone, as for the second, there isn’t much I can do about it.  And the third…

Well, I’ve mentioned the writing defeat I had which was about a decade and a half ago. I’d written a young adult book, the wrong publisher got their hands on it and everything went to hell in a hand basket.  I got both good and bad reviews and a write-up in a major magazine, receiving a five star review when another more famous writer received a two-star for their first YA. But I simply haven’t been able to write like I used to since.  Well I’m thinking it’s way past time that I stopped letting that incident control my muse but on the other hand…it’s hard to kick those feelings to the curb.

While I await word on Tinderbox I’ve wondered, should I have a go at that YA again?  I’ve been doing research into what YA’s read.  It all seems to be dystopian and futuristic, which quite frankly I think is being played out (no offense intended) and that’s not what I want to write.  I noticed quite a few that followed the path of The Hunger Games and Divergent — places where the world is divided into four or more sections and someone is trying to change the balance of power — usually a young girl.

Mine is a good old fashioned YA heroic fantasy along the lines of the works of Tamora Pierce (whom I incidentally must start reading again, it’s been too long!) and authors with a similar style.  I’ve seen a few books like it but not many.

I would have to do extensive rewrites and major changes even right down to the character names. And I’m still a bit antsy about doing that.  Also that science-fiction idea keeps trying to force its way out of my brain and onto my keyboard.

I’m not going to go back to school for my Bachelors until this fall so I have a good six months to myself.

But as the title suggests — can I really go back?  Can I really make the tale into something exciting? I’ve got eleven years of additional practice and experience since then.  I’d like to think I’ve improved. Hell, I KNOW I’ve improved by leaps and bounds if you’ll pardon the cliche.  Whenever I think of it there’s that annoying nagging doubt.

So I’m not sure what I want to do right now,  Any thoughts?

Peace~

CJ