The difference was that I went in with a plan the second and third time around. I'm not a big fan of detailed outlines because I feel that they stifle creativity, but having an idea of where a story will go beforehand is almost mandatory if you're writing on a deadline. I know the idea behind NaNoWriMo is to just write whatever comes out until you hit 1667 word each day, but doing that with no plan just leads to self-editing and constant worries about continuity and it takes longer and longer to get those words done.
Anyhow, I'm bringing this up because of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. I really evaluated my novel last night and decided that it just needs too much work. Rushing through the editing process just to submit it to this contest would only harm the novel. Just like the first year I tried NaNoWriMo, I just wasn't prepared enough to get this novel ready.
I always like to say that there are opportunities in failures, and there are definitely a few here. First off, I can get back to finishing the final edits on Holy Fudgesicles right away and start querying agents again. I can also go back to Gateway to Eden with a clearer head and give it the time it needs develop into the novel it should be, or shrink down the the novella it could be if that's where it takes me. I've also got that third novel running around in my head and would like to get it on paper eventually, so maybe I'll work on it sooner than later.
So I'm not giving up on Gateway to Eden at all. It's a good story and I just want to make sure I do it right. Who knows? Maybe I'll submit it to ABNA next year.
And, yeah, I know the song is about gambling, but damn it, the lyrics fit.
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