Wednesday, November 3, 2010

writing through

I'm back full into the revising process. And I'm both loving it and scared and stuck and free - yes, all at once. I love the ending which I just read out loud to Gwen - how else would I read it but out loud to another person, I wonder? She cried so that's good. But I do still have a sticky place a few chapters ahead of it. I want to describe this process so if anyone reads this who has a similar one I will feel better. I think.
The sticky place in the novel has shifted which is good. It used to be at the Pow Wow scene but now it is later in the novel - just a few chapters before the ending. Two metaphors keep coming to me - one is of myself as a small child of about four trying to sleep at night. I would push the wrinkles in the sheets away from my face and keep going until they curved over the side of the bed but of course they wouldn't really go away - they'd just be further along or they might seem to disappear but then there would be new ones formed near my face again. This was both a soothing and frustrating exercise.
The other image is that of untangling a long silver chain. If I struggle, even only in my mind, for a second, or use any sort of aggression - the whole thing gets worse. I need to go to the chain before and after the knot and keep loosening it until it suddenly, magically untangles leaving me with one long strand of connecting rings. Yes.
Thank you for listening - I'm ready to go back at it again.

The photos are from a photo safari I did from my bed last year...


5 comments:

Glynis said...

I like your idea of a safari. Very relaxing.

Roxy said...

At the moment, I'm in the process of revising two stories. When I get fed up with one, I switch to the other. Then I move over to blogger and read excellent posts like yours. Good luck on the revisions. We can both succeed!

Ann said...

The knotted chain strikes a cord with me. Good luck with further revisions.

Loved the photos!

Jan Morrison said...

Oh it is, Glynis - very relaxing and the only animals I see are my lazy dog and perhaps some sill flies!

Roxy - yep -that's how I do it too - keep my monkey mind occupied so stuff will get done! Thanks for the very nice compliment.

Where are you now, Ann? I think I'll go looking to see if you are in Ireland or North America at present. I like to imagine it. Are you working any revisions yourself?

Hart Johnson said...

I really hope it works like the silver chain--that when you loosen the pieces, finally it all will come out straight and smooth. The wrinkle process seems like you'd almost have to take off the sheets and start over, tucking clear under the mattress to be right... and NOBODY needs that much work.