Channing Fridays - Writing Is Hard

Someone once asked me what the writing process was like and while I started to explain, I couldn't.

Because, and I know we always say it, but writing is hard. Really hard. Indescribably hard. How do you describe just how hard it is to someone who has no idea what they are getting themselves into when they decide, "I'm going to try to write a book"?

So, naturally, I thought, "Maybe Channing can help!"

Let's be real, it usually starts after being rejected from a manuscript you've sweated and slaved over. So the whole process starts when you're like this.

Even the idea of writing another book makes you want to laugh, then puke, then laugh some more.

But, eventually, if you have good writer friends or an awesome agent or a supportive family, they will listen to your whining and wallowing for days weeks months, and convince you to give it one more try.

So you cleanse yourself, release the bad energies from that last dead-in-the-water manuscript. And you come up with an idea.

Then you take what's left of your bleeding heart and throw it in front of your writer friends and agent. 

...And they approve.

And for just a minute, you're like, "This is it. This will be 
The One." 
Representation. Publication. Sales. Awards. It will all be yours!

And then you sit down at your computer and feel like an asshole.

Because every word you write feels like "oh my God, I have no idea what I'm doing! What am I doing?! I'm doing all this wrong, aren't I? I AM! I AM DOING THIS WR--oh. Wait."

Eventually, you find your groove. And the words show up and decide to party.

You even feel a tiny bit smitten with your project. Because, even though that last one hurt you, this one is kinda cute. 

Who are you kidding? This project is NOTHING like that old one. It's adorable and awesome. And...Nom nom nom.

Then you finish writing it, and you realize you have to send it out for people to read.

And they send you feedback.

And you revise.

But the manuscript is better and stronger and then you hear:

Then your project goes out into the world, either on submission or to be published or whatever. And you divorce it. You let it go.

And then the whole cycle starts again.

So, there it is. Basically, writing is hard and gut wrenching and full of ups and downs. But it's also ridiculously awesome. Just like this gif of Channing feeding a puppy. Because OH MY GOD, CHANNING FEEDING A PUPPYYY!

And this, my friends, is why we have Channing Fridays.

Get Your Channing Friday On

I know. I know...it's been too long. And you know what? This was one of those weeks that we just need to...

CHANNING FRIDAY!

Because I don't know about you guys, but I was STRESSED this week. Like, really, really stressed.

Because writing is hard, and sometimes putting our work out there feels a little like this...

No matter if it's a contest or an agent request or a submission, sending our manuscripts off into the world is SUPER scary.

And we'll spend hours hovering our cursors over that SEND button.

Because rejection feels horrible, like agents and editors want nothing to do with what we have to offer.

It makes us jumpy. So every time we hear our inbox ding, we feel like this...

And then, after we read it, this...

Things like that rough us up. Really, they do.
Because the thought of revising...again...is enough to make us want to vomit.

And the idea of shelving the book of your heart and starting something new is devestating.

Sometimes it's not even you. Sometimes it's our critique partner who gets roughed up and even though we try, there's nothing we could do to help.

It's hard dodging writer stress, and it happens to us all.

I may have even pulled one of these around Tuesday. (Because, yes, I AM A FRAGILE FLOWER!)

But seriously, we can't wallow. Good things happen, and we have things to celebrate this week! 

Let's do this, Channing! 

Because I heard there were some book sales this week (*ahem* Megan Miranda, Dahlia Adler, Nikki Urang, Victoria Aveyard, and Krista Van Dozer)!

Okay, yeah, and Dahlia? You know you get one all for yourself. (CP Love!)

And The Writers Voice started this week and I just know some of you are about to be paired with an awesome coach! (I am SO a fan. #TeamMonicaFTW)

And I hear that some awesome kissing scenes were written (FINALLY!)

And there were some birthdays this week (Oh hey, Jodi Meadows, Rachel Simon, Jessica Shea, Barbara Ellingson, and Erin Harris!)

And I hear Jodi Meadows is giving away an ARC of the last book in the Incarnate Trilogy.

And some lucky people got to go to RT13 to frolic with all their favorite writer friends.

The point is we have to celebrate all the things, big or small. Because otherwise you'll drown in the stress...

Anna Banks is right. Good or bad, no matter how hard it gets, we're in this together...

Because eventually someone's going to want our work and take us home.

And until then, we've got Channing Fridays.

 Now and forever (or just on Fridays. Whatever).

Want more Channing Friday? Clickity click right here.

It's That Time - Channing Friday Time

When best non-writer friend Kelly called me up and said, "can you come up here to New York and watch all the Channings with me?" I nearly combusted. Really? Who would ask such a silly question??

So we were all set for Channing-Thon and then the unspeakable happened. We had to cancel.
You have no idea how bummed out I am. Because, I'm not going to lie. It was a crap week for me. Seriously, I had a rough go of it. And when you have a crap week there's only one thing to save it...CHANNING FRIDAY!

Because sometimes no matter how awesome you think you are on Monday...

Sometimes things just fall apart.

And you try and flail and still everything STILL goes wrong.

So you decide to throw down. 

But ultimately, sometimes you just have to throw your hands up and be like, "okay, crap week. You freaking win."

And you let it crap all over you.

Until you're just like this.

Or, if you're totally crazy, this.

But you know what can save a crap week?

CHANNING.

So when you feel like this...

Just remember this...

And this.

Or if it floats your boat, this (I so won't judge).

And...this...

And no matter what. No matter what crappy thing happened this week...even if your Channing-Thon got canceled because of pink eye. (Yeah, let's not talk about it.)

And also