Wednesday, April 1, 2020

IWSG and A to Z of Revising - A is for attitude and My Mum

Yep, it's another meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. As well, it is the first day of the A to Z Challenge 2020!  I didn't do this the last couple of years because of this and that, but thought this would be the ideal time to jump back in. Thirdly, it is the 28th anniversary of my mother's death, and I remember her here too.

But first - the IWSG

April 1 question - The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?

Ah, how are things in my world? Well, the first thing that comes to mind, is that I cannot think of this as my world, even for a moment. We have been reminded, in no uncertain terms, that this is one world, the world, or maybe, if we include all phenomena, from the grass in the field to the mountain tops to the deer in my garden to we feeble humans, we can call it our world.  

Now that we've got our semantics straight - the thing I can talk about is me. I'm okay. I'm not sick, not even a little bit, but I'm being very careful. As a senior with a set of dicky lungs, I do not want to get this thing. And, ever since my fella and I had a five year sojourn in Labrador, I developed a longing for solitude. I don't work very much, and being a psychotherapist I had already had a practice that included skype calls, so that works out. I'm right in the middle of a revision and have 48 days to finish it - so perfect. I spend the rest of my time connecting online with family and friends, doing my Buddhist practice, quilting, and hanging out with my dear fella and dog. I can walk with Bella in the woods near our place so I'm getting daily exercise. I am worried about some of my younger connections. Their lives have been disrupted - money and safety are both issues. 

My daily meditation practice helps me with keeping my thinking clear. I'm not scared, and I can see that this might have some very long lasting benefits for our world, if the human element can learn some new (very old) tricks. The interesting thing for me is that there is no one to blame, ultimately (though people will blame) and no reason to feel that any race, gender, religion, country, political affiliation, has been hit any harder than any other. Yes, there are more vulnerable people - I cannot imagine the depth of fear in refugee camps for instance - but the disease is like the weather - it is affecting us all.

I'm sending out posts more often - I write on another blog Sojourner in Nova Scotia and email it to a list of folks - and I find I'm posting more regularly on that site as I know people like to hear.  As a writer, I'm paying attention to how people respond - in that way it is influencing my writing. I see how so much anger originates in fear, and how fragile some human systems are. I also am seeing how much kindness people have - the reaching out of people to others is tremendously touching. 

And nature heals. This morning there was a yearling in our back yard and it was there poking about for ten or twenty minutes. So pleasing. On my morning walk with Bella I saw several more deer on the road. They move like woodland dancers.

A to Z Challenge 2020

What shall my theme be? I can never think of it until I start - no theme reveals for me, as it hasn't been revealed to me. I've done short stories by picking a word in the dictionary; women writers who have influenced me, writerly tips, and I don't know what else. As this is my writing blog, I do like it to be linked to my crazy writing life in some way. I know - revision tips! That's what I'm doing at present and it might help others. I love revising so why not? Okay...

PS:when I labelled this I realized I'd done this a few years back...well okay!

The A to Z of Revising

A is for Attitude

Attitude, you say! What is attitude when it comes to revising? Everything! I really like revising - I think that is where the real writing in writing lives. Sure, I can get caught up in the white heat of laying down a first draft, but it is when I'm revising that my words begin to match the vision in my mind. So, my attitude when revising is cheerful curiosity. Or, at least that is the attitude I want to keep. Sometimes I get bogged down - what did that pesky writer mean by writing this heap of undistinguished words? But, I remember that as well as being the reviser, I am the pesky writer, and let my patience come to the fore. That is another virtue I must encourage when revising - patience - as it is needed in great amounts. I write hot and revise cool, so I need patience and a sense of detachment.  What attitude do you need to do your work?

My Mum

My mum, Beatrice Beulah, was a red-head with plenty of attitude. She was kind to the vulnerable, impatient with the ignorant, and loved to get lost in a good book. I have been thinking of her quite a bit during this pandemic. I know she would have considered what others might need at this time - whether it was a phone call or a pan of brownies.  I don't have that many photos of my mum as she was a photo-fobe - but I just found this one and I like it because she looks like I remember her - hair done, nails done, face on!













5 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

It sounds like you're all set up for sheltering in place...doing skype therapy is great for so many right now.

Love the picture of your mom! She sounds like a kind person who was a lot of fun, too.

Liza said...

I so prefer revising to writing and will look forward to reading your tips. Stay well. Love the picture of your mom.

Margot Kinberg said...

Thanks for sharing about your mum, Jan. She must have been a wonderful person. And I'm glad you're finding ways to deal with the strange situation we're all finding ourselves in right now. I love your view of revising, too - cheerful curiosity. It's a positive way of looking at that phase of writing.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

It's like the weather - now that's a good analogy. And may something good indeed come from it.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
Reading what you do and all, it seems like you have a plan that you're following and it is working for you. That is great.
Much luck with your revision, and I hope you meet the deadline.
Take care, be safe, and all the best with A to Z.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange