It's just a suggestion. Mostly for those of us who would go in with a scalpel -- or a chainsaw -- without a little distance from it. But if you had a clarifying idea, then yeah, go to town, I guess.

I don't know anything about rules, though the leave it alone thing sounds like a good one. I would say don't open the file, but jot down all your ideas so you have them for when you do go back in. Of course, I have no idea what I'm talking about, so take this with a grain of salt.

(X-posted with someone who does know what they're doing, naturally.)

I'm actually anxiously awaiting when I can go home from work so I can write, because I have some ideas flying around myself. Unfortunately I have several errands I have to get done after work, which makes me even more anxious.

I think it's just that once I got past the exhaustion and the angst, being told to put away the book for at least a week, but preferably two or more, with six being the ideal number, was having a Don't Think of Elephants effect on me.

with six being the ideal number

Who said that?!

I think Stephen King recommends it, though he's not about Absolute Rules of Writing, IIRC. But I'm pretty sure that's his advice in On Writing, and I've had it quoted at me a few times.

And I figure six weeks only even works if you're unpublished like me, or are Stephen King and can turn in your books when you damn well please.

And I figure six weeks only even works if you're unpublished like me, or are Stephen King and can turn in your books when you damn well please.

Well, no. I mean, you could be starting your next book now, and working on that while waiting to edit this one. And six weeks might be optimal -- who knows? Whatever works.

I must have skipped that part in the book.

I think Stephen King recommends it, though he's not about Absolute Rules of Writing, IIRC. But I'm pretty sure that's his advice in On Writing, and I've had it quoted at me a few times.

This is why I have never yet looked inside a book about "how to write", by anyone, any time, anywhere.

Tell me something's a rule and I immediately break it.

I've stopped reading writing books, mostly. Although besides "Bird by Bird" I also like this one by an editor called "Forest for The Trees". Anyone else here read it? It has a lot of stuff in it about what editing is like and what editors think when they reject stories...war story stuff In my case, taking multiple weeks before looking at mine has helped me look at it and read it again, as opposed to scanning the pages somewhat blankly and thinking of everything as being foregone. I was thinking I'd be finished by now, but at least Deb will not have to wear down her machete when she gets the newest version.

In general, I'm fine with advice given in the tone of, "Here's what works for me; take it or leave it." (Which King's is, IMO.) I take a lot of it, because I'm still a newbie at all this. But once you tell me this is the one and only way to do something, I immediately become determined to prove that it's not. I wonder if that's the ex-fundamentalist in me coming out--the more gushing, glowy, and religious in fervor a method's proponents are, the faster I run in the opposite direction.