3 S.R. Johannes: Sunny Sunday: Rebirth - The Joy of Starting Over

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Sunny Sunday: Rebirth - The Joy of Starting Over

Here's my Sunny Sunday kickoff to Monday's Project Perk.

(don't forget to check out Suzanne Young's blog and Robin Mellom's blog for more "perky" posts on Monday!)

Today, my thoughts are around rebirth. Rightly so.

I have been working through suggested edits that totally changed my book's direction. When I first got the feedback, I was petrified to go back to the drawing board and changes some key things in my book.

But I realize that writers don't need to be afraid of starting over. It is not the death of a book or your writing, it is a rebirth. Something new out of something old.

Sometimes a rebirth is necessary.

A renewal of hope.

So with that in mind, here is a poem I found about that summed it up for me:

"Starting Over" by Denis Martindale:

OK, why don't you start again?
Just give it one more go!
What happened was beyond your ken,
Perhaps you'll never know!

But try to make it work out right!
And fix things if you can...
You'll suss it soon with some insight
And then fulfil your plan...

When things go bad, when things go wrong,
You've got to end the doubt!B
e resolute! Be firm! Be strong!
And sort the problem out!

Adapt, update and pray like mad!
Then strive for all you're worth!'
Cos when it's done, you'll feel so glad
Your joy will fill the Earth!

Happy Easter!

4 comments:

Tabitha said...

Great poem. And you're so right. There's no death, just new life. So often it feels like death, until that next draft is complete. :)

Hope your revisions keep going well!

Katie Anderson said...

Beautiful Post!

Robyn Campbell said...

What a great poem with great advice. I too am struggling with the rebirth thing in my novel. I had to write a new first chapter. UGH! But I think it's better now. I actually liked the old first chapter more but it made sense to write the new one. Good luck, Shelli!

Jessie Oliveros said...

Great post. Still working on "birthing" the manuscript in the first place.