If you watch the video, you'll see it's a super-awesome acoustic version. The lyrics that have me all wrapped up go like this:
Stop ignoring that our hearts are mourning
And let the rain come in
Stop pretending that it's not ending
And let the end begin, oh yeah...
Trying to be perfect
Trying not to let you down
Honesty is honestly
The hardest thing for me right now, yeah
And let the rain come in
Stop pretending that it's not ending
And let the end begin, oh yeah...
Trying to be perfect
Trying not to let you down
Honesty is honestly
The hardest thing for me right now, yeah
And it made me think about how hard it is to admit that something is over. No matter how bad it may have been, letting go is always hard. Sometimes devastatingly hard.
Breaking up with your WIP is no exception. But does there come a time when you just have to part ways? Admit that you had some good times, you learned how to be a better writer, but in the end, it just wasn't meant to be?
And if so, how do you know when that time has come?
I'm currently pondering this question because I'm so "in love" with my current co-written story line, that I've considered walking away from my first baby. The one I swore I wouldn't leave behind because I was not going to be one of those authors who couldn't hack it the first time out. (I know, insert major eye roll, right?)
But at the same time, I worry that I'd be giving up on my first love too easily. We had something really special. And even though no agent has felt it's right for her yet, I've gotten some really nice compliments about it. Plus, Maggie Stiefvater posted this on her blog last week, about having perseverance and never giving up. As she said, "You have to choose courage." So where does that leave me?
That's right, marital counseling. Just kidding.
But seriously, how do we "stop pretending that it's not ending" and be honest with ourselves about our work? Does that time ever come or is there always room for growth?
