Wednesday, December 1, 2021

December Meeting of the IWSG and I'm late...

 I'm late...I'm late...words I'm living by.

And it is my favourite thing - to write a little post for the monthly meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

December 1 question - In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?

What stresses me the most in my writing? Uh, self-doubt.  I'm never much worried about the writing itself - I like my writing style - but seeing something like a novel all the way through and making sure the structure and story is both coherent and clear gives me a pain in the patootie. Right now I'm working on answering the first questions, comments and suggestions my editor made. I will have this first pass done by Friday but I worked on all the easy stuff first and am now faced with some of the muddles I need to unmuddle.  

What delights me most in my writing? Getting into a zone where everything else disappears and I'm lost in the story of it all. I love the revision process for this. It is where I can unloose the inner editor dog and have at it. Until I'm there it is all much too fragile. Now I can go in hammer and tongs. I know it is solid - it isn't going to go away leaving me with the memory of a dream - our relationship is good and can take a little rough. Then when all the barnacles are scraped off and the story line makes good sense I can polish and tinker with the language - go in and freshen up the metaphors, take out the repetitions - find the gold. All fun to me.

On another note I went to Labrador this past month for a couple of weeks - so lovely there and I was there during the same time as my novel is set. Here is a photo from a former time of me at a pal's cabin. 






6 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

No worries - late is when you post on Friday!
Look at that snow...
I prefer revisions as well.

Astrid said...

I don't think you're late at all. I posted my IWSG post later in my timezone than you did and often am much later in fact. I love the revision process too, it allows me to get lost in what I just wrote.

Margot Kinberg said...

I couldn't agree with you more, Jan, about the second-guessing and about the joy of getting lost in your story. That's what happens to me, too, and it's the most wonderful feeling! I'm glad you had a chance for a trip to Labrador!

Fundy Blue said...

Hey, NaNo Buddie! I love the photo of you at the cabin! I haven't been in Labrador in 10 years. 😓 I love revising too. Have a happy, happy Christmas and lots of productive writing in December!

newsstand pilgrim said...

There's nothing like getting lost in your story, even if you're revising. Congratulations on having your work in front of an editor! Hoping 2022 brings you much writing success!

Julia Quay

Elwaleed Ahmed said...
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