Wednesday, July 25, 2012

stuck in the middle?

The middle is relative. The middle has advantages and disadvantages. Middle age, middle range, middle of the pack, soft in the middle, middle of the road, etc.

If you look at the process of putting a book out there...
writing, editing, editing, editing, querying, querying, querying, publishing, publishing, marketing, marketing...
Querying seems to be in the middle before the climax of publishing and the ending of marketing.

If you just look at finishing the book...
1st draft, edit, synopsis, betas/cps, edit, betas/cps, edit, edit, query, betas/cps, edit, query...
The middle is the endless editing, because when are we done? when I see it in print!

Anyone else feel stuck in the middle?

Here's my lament to the middle for Sensational Haiku Wednesday...

Not the ecstasy
of a brand new beginning
or ending's triumph

Not the fresh feeling
of exciting encounters
or sad conclusions

The middle is smooth,
steady sailing. Stay too long,
it's monotony

Time for me to get out of the rut! I'm still querying, but I'm also ready to start a new story. One week to Camp Nano!

27 comments:

michelle said...

The 'middle of the spectrum' always seems to connote the normal, by-the-way, boring, humdrum, plodding along, monotonous, neither-here-nor-there...
Great haiku writing which captures the essence of "middle"!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

At the moment, I'm stuck at the beginning.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I'm in the middle of my Camp NaNo novel...but I think the end is in sight. Sort of.

Good luck with yours in August!

Bubba said...

Most of life dwells in the middle... extremes are usually uncomfortable places.

mshatch said...

I've just begun revising after a brief affair with a shiny new toy I hope to return to.

anthonynorth said...

Enjoyed those - especially the last.

M.J. Fifield said...

Yes, I do feel stuck in the middle. Not only am I a middle child, I'm also stuck in the editing doldrums.

All three haiku are great but I particularly love the one in the middle. Somehow fitting...

carol l mckenna said...

Very creative haiku with different takes on 'middle' ~~ namaste, (A Creative Harbor)

Jennie Bennett said...

Ugh. I totally feel stuck in the middle, great way of putting it!

Cassie Mae said...

Reminds me of the Jimmy Eat World song, In the Middle. Perfect way of describing it!

Anonymous said...

I like to step into the middle to coast and rest. Gather me bearings. Observe. Then I'll jump back into a lane and start to mix it up again with whatever life offers, or throws, at me.

joanne said...

I love what you said about the middle being relative....makes me feel better about living there....

Laura S. said...

The middle can feel so long! It's the intense anticipation of knowing you're close to the end. :)

Morgan said...

Starting a new story is the BEST thing you can do while querying! Seriously... I know it's helped me a TON in the past! ;)

Victoria Lindstrom said...

Great post, Tara. I'm about to enter the editing stage - not quite to the middle. Love your Haiku!

Hope Roberson said...

I am the definition of middle, I swear! Middle child, middle size, middle age (well, sort of), middle everything! I'm even in the middle of my WiP and am struggling to figure out how to get to the end.

Your poetry skills blow me away!

Samantha May said...

I think being stuck period is pretty awful, but the middle can for sure be rough!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Love this! Can't wait for Camp Nano and new material.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Although I sometimes get stuck in the middle, I never stay too long there. It is, as you point out, monotonous!

M Pax said...

At the moment, I'm having a big push to try and finish. I'm making myself nervous ...

Sheena-kay Graham said...

The middle can suck but you need to make the best of everything in life.

Kathy Reed said...

Who wrote the song "Stuck in the Middle Again"? Now it's stuck in my head..nice haiku all around..

DL Hammons said...

I'm the middle child...so being there comes naturally to me! :)

Tara Tyler said...

the middle has so many perspectives!
thanks, everyone!

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
The middle is indeed scary.
Been there done that.
I truly enjoyed it.
Wishing you well.
hugs
shakira

Mine is here

Jennifer said...

I'm so excited to find your blog! I look forward to hearing lots more about writing. Thanks for stopping by mine!

Aaron Utt said...

I think being stuck period is pretty awful, but the middle can for sure be rough!

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