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It won't shut off!


  • Valkyrie
    Jun 29 2:12 PM
    Reply
    Anyone else notice that, the more you write and edit your own stories, the less you can just relax and enjoy someone else's? I sit down with a freshly purchased novel, and I'm seeing style and element factors left and right, now, in a distracting sort of way! "That's foreshadowing. That's characterization, nicely done. That's a typo. That's a clumsy attempt at misdirection; I'd have worded it differently."

    Have I read too much? Written too much? Edited too much? Am I taking my own writing improvement too seriously? I used to adore reading, but it's hard to enjoy it now. It kinda sucks. How do I turn off this annoying editor in my head??

  • Marta
    June 29 ↑
    Reply
    I do the same thing--you should see my books, i now read with a red pen in one hand and the book in another. Lol. Even when i read someone else's work here i edit it in my head and sometimes, even rewrite whole passages. Sometimes, i even get up in the middle of the night to rewrite something that i have written. I wouldn't worry about it--you don't have a serious problem until you start editing what other people say out loud, then it's intervention time.

  • tonialoise
    June 29 ↑
    Reply
    Yes! People hate going to the movies with me because I over analyze everything! Now I do it with books too. It's getting worse. I can't just shut down and enjoy anything.

    I've always attributed it to my being an engineer as for the most part we're trained to do that sort of thing and it's pretty much a left brainer thing to do anyway.

    I wish I could help you with turning it off, but I've yet to find away. Even if I'm super tired I still do it so I can't even do a braindead activity like watch TV. Maybe going out and getting some fresh air, taking a couple days off or something will help?

    • Valkyrie
      July 1 ↑
      Reply
      But, but...I'm left handed. I'm a right-brainer! Maybe this will help.

  • the back row
    June 29 ↑
    Reply
    Yes. For awhile I was obsessively editing this one novel of mine (I'm taking a break from it now, I might cut some characters) and that whole time I was so skeptical of other writers. I'd finish a book and say, "Sucked".

    Granted, I still think some of them suck, so maybe it's just me personally.

  • kyew
    July 1 ↑
    Reply
    think of it like this: before you learned about editing, books were stories and adventures. once you started learning about editing, books became words and sentences, tenses and perspectives. and, after you've learned enough about editing, books will once again be stories and adventures.

    once the mechanics of writing become natural to you, you'll be able to enjoy a book again.

    • Valkyrie
      July 1 ↑
      Reply
      That's a happy thought. Let's go for this one, then. Kind of like my second childhood, literarily speaking.

      • kyew
        July 1 ↑
        Reply
        I remember it being the same way for me. it (the internal editing) sort of becomes background noise after a while

  • Ghost of a Siren
    October 16 ↑
    Reply
    Me too! But not only am I like that with books and movies, I'm also like that with vocals in music. lol. My dad gets so annoyed by it when I'm either watching a movie with him or listening to music. I can't help it, guess I'm just critical.

  • wolfcub
    October 17 ↑
    Reply
    ha, i analyse everything! I went to see Mother Courage at the theatre. Analysed the translatio from the German, the chacracters' individual performances, the interpretation of the play, the technical aspects AND the music! And it was very good. But it annoys me because I can't just sit down and enjoy something any more. Unless it's a TV programme with REALLY bad acting/storyline - people ask why i watch that sort of stuff. Answer: it's an escape!
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