I have a hat that I started crocheting back in January. It’s not an overly complicated pattern—though it does require some focus and attention to stitch count—so it was something I expected I’d be wearing within a month of starting the project.
I honestly can’t remember why I didn’t end up finishing it; but when I picked it up the other day, I had no idea what stitch I’d left off on, and I wondered if I should try to figure it out or unravel it and start again. Perhaps, I told myself, I’d have a better go at it this time around.
Confession: As I type this post, the hat is still sitting in my yarn basket, abandoned, and only a quarter of the way completed.
Have you ever taken such a long break from a project, you don’t know where you left off or whether it’s really worth starting back up again?
Maybe it’s an unfinished manuscript that you haven’t found the right ending for. Or it’s a story you’ve written from beginning to end, but haven’t been able to finish polishing. Or it’s polished, but you’ve put off querying for so long you don’t know if you could adequately describe it without reading through it again…and possibly embarking on yet another round of edits in the process.
And now NaNoWriMo is approaching and you’re asking the question, “Do I pick up where I left off, start over, or start something new?”
If this is you, here are a couple of questions that might help you decide how to move forward:
1) How passionate are you about this unfinished/unedited/unsubmitted story?
If a story thief were to break into your office tonight and try to steal your file off your computer, would you go after him with every weapon in your arsenal?
I’m talking brandished fountain pens (you’ve seen the ends on those babies, right?), unstoppered bottles of India ink, unabridged dictionaries and encyclopedias, and the water you just boiled for your coffee or tea.
2) How often do you think/talk about this story?
If a fairy gave you the choice to relinquish your story (never to speak or think of it again) in exchange for a $500 gift card to your favorite book or craft store, could you take her up on her offer and continue on your merry way without looking back?
3) How willing are you to make sacrifices for this story?
If your dream agent contacted you out of the blue and said that you had one month to submit a polished manuscript to the publisher of your dreams, would you chuck every other idea aside and cancel every conference call or virtual coffee date in order to focus on this specific story?
If you answered No, Yes, No, then that story probably isn’t the right story for right now. If you have another concept that’s captivated you to the point that it’s the only thing you can think of, explore that idea and consider the shelved project a practice draft that you used to learn some new skills.
But…if you answered Yes, No, Yes, then it sounds like you’ve got some work to do!
There’s a reason this story has gripped you, and maybe one of the reasons you’ve set it aside is because you’re afraid of somehow messing it up. Don’t let that fear stop you. Set aside some time to refamiliarize yourself with the manuscript. Read it like a reader. Not a writer. Not an editor. Let the characters speak to you. Once you’re all back on the same page again, you’ll be ready to write, revise, and submit.
Happy writing!