Tuesday, August 14, 2012

My house of writing

I'm sitting here in my old nightie thinking about my crazy writing life. Right!
No, I'm not.
I am sitting here in my old nightie but I'm not thinking about my crazy WRITING life - just my crazy life. Every room in this house is in chaos. Every room. There is no sanctuary here.
I have today and tomorrow without appointments. I told Gwen she could come out but there'd be no writing from me (other than this). My plan today is to get everything that is packable in the spare room - packed and out of that room. Then it will become the room I start to put things that we'll be taking to our temporary abode in. So that I can have some sort of system. Let's see, what other goal do I have for today. I think to make the kitchen as clean as possible - we're having company for dinner!!! Ha ha ha ha! Yep, a dear old pal of my fella's is in town from out west. He'll understand and we'll have a lovely time. So, clean up the kitchen - pitch the junk somewhere (in my car to take to the Sally Ann I think), put the big garbage out for tomorrow. If I could just finish one or two rooms completely my head would feel better. That's hard though because we have to still live here for ten or so more days. But I can do it.

I think, as far as writing goes, I'd feel better if I made some goals there too. Because my writing life also feels chaotic right now. So many projects partly done or needing my attention to go further. As if each room in my writing life is also chaotic.  Walk with me as we enter each of those rooms and I declare some sort of plan:

True - yes, I know. I thought this one was done but it turns out I was kidding myself. It needs another rewrite. The comments I got from the jurors on the prize I entered are percolating inside my composting type brain. I'm not sure how long it will take but I want to make this one a priority. Like my home, I'd like to have at least one room that is done and ready.

The Rock Walker - Sadly in need of another pass through. It is nearly there but not quite. If I spent about three weeks on it it would be done.

Bright Angel - I don't have a complete first draft. I'm very close but I'm still zooming in on the climax and haven't quite figured it yet. When that happens I'll have a first shitty draft. I am still loving it and will feel good to be able to start revising it - after the other two??? Good question and I don't have an answer.

The Poetry Room - hmm...this is an interesting room. It is an attic and has lots of old trunks strewn around with old poems and poetry projects started but not finished. It also has a bin with sixty new poems in that need work. Nothing is quite sure of what it is in here - like old rocking chairs without their rockers, or a basket of half-done knitting. I am thrilled to climb into it though. I have this feeling that I like and I'd almost forgotten. Also in here is the plan to go back to school and take a poetry class from my pal Sue. That is so exciting.

Feckless - the first novel I finished. I had a bit of a look at it yesterday. It would love some attention. It has some great ideas and some lousy writing so maybe I should get at it.

Becoming Invisible - This is a play that I started ages and ages ago that I also looked at yesterday. I like it. Will I tackle it again? Not sure. It isn't nearly finished but I love the premise.

Okay, I think that might be all the rooms. Yep, chaos in each one. Oh well. I feel better just thinking about all of it. How about your house of writing? Is it in chaos or all nice and orderly? I'm going to get dressed while you think about it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jan - What an interesting thing to think about - chaos in one's writing house! I think I spend a lot of energy (perhaps more than I ought to really) trying to prevent my writing house from getting too chaotic. I ought to free myself a little to let the chaos in. From chaos can come creativity..

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Oh I cannot tolerate chaos but it's such a constant in my life!

rental mobil said...

Nice article, thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I love the idea of the projects being rooms in a house!

I was where you are a few months ago with disorganization--and it was driving me nutty so I spent a few weeks this summer pulling things together to give away and things to throw out. Now it's a lot better (for a while, anyway!)