Sometimes I get asked about the words I throw away, too. Where do I keep them, do I worry if I’ll need them again, do I think about them when they’re gone? Do I remember what I left behind?
I was awed (and a little nauseous) to read in this weekend’s NYTimes profile of Lauren Groff that she hand writes her first draft and then throws it away and starts from scratch, from memory, so that only the most powerful images make the cut. Faith!
When I read that your editor loved the new version I got a little teary because I’ve followed this journey. I know that sometime before I turn 70 I’m gonna get
A letter like this one. I’m 63 I have momentum and yes it’s hard work.
I’ve been following you for a couple of years, Jami. Read half of your books and donated the ones I bought to my local library (even the signed memoir I ordered from your NOLA bookstore!) I haven’t commented. But this reflection really spoke to me. Thanks for sharing so deeply with us. BTW, I voted for your book and pre-ordered 1000 words. You are a great cheerleader without being pedantic.
Coming from a poetry background, I used to hold each word, each line break, each period in my hand like a precious stone, ruminating and reflecting on each tiny little piece. But here on Substack, it's often better to say what you feel, even when it's messy and often incomplete.
You've described well what it's like to let go of characters and words, and how it feels almost impossible at first but then necessary. I recently posted the first paragraph of a story ion in comments
of a post by @amandabhinton where she offered up quick editd for readers, and wow, did it remind me how stuck in my own head I'd been all summer. Happily so, but perhaps not for the benefit of my writing quality. Your post was yet another reminder to let those bad boy edits flow!
I wonder if you'd enjoy doing something like that here?
"Peaceful and nervous, nervous and peaceful." Feeling this as I apply to writing residencies. Thanks for the reminder that we can't control how people react to our work— we can only control our own effort and commitment, and do the best job possible.
"That I had failed at my ambitions. That I hadn’t honored these characters and my choices. All those dreams watered-down and faded." Aghh...I so needed to hear this today as I dwell on the prospect of blowing up my novel and going in a new direction. Thank you, Jami ❤️
Are you a pantser? And do you consider yourself an “overwriter?” Asking because I’m still trying to figure out my own patterns and if I end up with a better book by using an outline or by just writing. I’ve tried both, but not yet sure of either.
Oh Jami, again, you wrote just want I needed to hear. Thank you so much for being there. You have no idea how much you help all of us scribblers out here, struggling to create, and then be having to willingly destroy, moving forward as you said with what we've learned from all of the iterations of our work.
I enjoyed your earlier post about stripping away words, and I'm glad you got the thumbs up from your editor. This week, I can't seem to do much writing except with my weekly Substack, which is my only stable routine at the moment because my book is one month from pub date and all is a flurry. But I did the stripping there--started with a post long enough to warrant "you've reached your email limit" from the program, then went in and used those ruthless techniques to cut it down to half. First page, gone. Middle trimmed. End changed radically. And you know what--another topic appeared for the post, much stronger than the one I'd been skating around. All because I cut away the dross. It does work to break up your words.
I do keep my throw-aways. I have an "extras" file on my desktop and scenes that I don't use go into it. More times than not, I've gone back and retrieved part of one, just what I needed for a chapter that was missing something.
I always am excited to see a newsletter from you in my inbox. My favorite topics are the craft-related things. Also, I just love how you include local photos of just regular life. Sometimes I try to make a "thing" out of picking just the right photo to go with a post, etc. and I've realized that I should just show what I'm seeing. Voted for your book and best wishes in that!
I'm so happy for you. I voted for you as requested, good luck! I hope you will continue your newsletters, I find them helpful. Just the other day I was wishing for #1000wordsofsummer to be year-round. I don't expect you to do that. What I appreciate about it most is the accountability I feel.
So many great snippets in this! Thanks for the reminder to be ruthless. I always save my cuts, but you are right. I never miss them or go back to them. I guess I save them to honor my process. =)
How do you get started on your next manuscript? I have a lot of snips of this and that. Right now, they don't make much sense to me but I know they all belong together in my next one but I'm struggling with how to do anything with them. It's like I'm staring at a messy, messy, disaster of a living room and being told to put it back together and I have no idea how to start.
“The real power comes from exercising your skills.” 💥
I was awed (and a little nauseous) to read in this weekend’s NYTimes profile of Lauren Groff that she hand writes her first draft and then throws it away and starts from scratch, from memory, so that only the most powerful images make the cut. Faith!
wow that makes me feel a bit nauseous too... I could not do that!
I've heard this too, about other writers. I'm trying to imagine it.
When I read that your editor loved the new version I got a little teary because I’ve followed this journey. I know that sometime before I turn 70 I’m gonna get
A letter like this one. I’m 63 I have momentum and yes it’s hard work.
You will. As I get older, sometimes I feel I'm so late with everything... I'm glad you have momentum, so have I. Happy writing!
I’ve been following you for a couple of years, Jami. Read half of your books and donated the ones I bought to my local library (even the signed memoir I ordered from your NOLA bookstore!) I haven’t commented. But this reflection really spoke to me. Thanks for sharing so deeply with us. BTW, I voted for your book and pre-ordered 1000 words. You are a great cheerleader without being pedantic.
Coming from a poetry background, I used to hold each word, each line break, each period in my hand like a precious stone, ruminating and reflecting on each tiny little piece. But here on Substack, it's often better to say what you feel, even when it's messy and often incomplete.
You've described well what it's like to let go of characters and words, and how it feels almost impossible at first but then necessary. I recently posted the first paragraph of a story ion in comments
of a post by @amandabhinton where she offered up quick editd for readers, and wow, did it remind me how stuck in my own head I'd been all summer. Happily so, but perhaps not for the benefit of my writing quality. Your post was yet another reminder to let those bad boy edits flow!
I wonder if you'd enjoy doing something like that here?
I suppose I should have edited this post for typos, but it's another example of just letting go :)
"Peaceful and nervous, nervous and peaceful." Feeling this as I apply to writing residencies. Thanks for the reminder that we can't control how people react to our work— we can only control our own effort and commitment, and do the best job possible.
Applying to residencies opens up our possibilities, doesn’t it? A thing exists that didn’t exist before.
"That I had failed at my ambitions. That I hadn’t honored these characters and my choices. All those dreams watered-down and faded." Aghh...I so needed to hear this today as I dwell on the prospect of blowing up my novel and going in a new direction. Thank you, Jami ❤️
Are you a pantser? And do you consider yourself an “overwriter?” Asking because I’m still trying to figure out my own patterns and if I end up with a better book by using an outline or by just writing. I’ve tried both, but not yet sure of either.
Oh Jami, again, you wrote just want I needed to hear. Thank you so much for being there. You have no idea how much you help all of us scribblers out here, struggling to create, and then be having to willingly destroy, moving forward as you said with what we've learned from all of the iterations of our work.
I enjoyed your earlier post about stripping away words, and I'm glad you got the thumbs up from your editor. This week, I can't seem to do much writing except with my weekly Substack, which is my only stable routine at the moment because my book is one month from pub date and all is a flurry. But I did the stripping there--started with a post long enough to warrant "you've reached your email limit" from the program, then went in and used those ruthless techniques to cut it down to half. First page, gone. Middle trimmed. End changed radically. And you know what--another topic appeared for the post, much stronger than the one I'd been skating around. All because I cut away the dross. It does work to break up your words.
I do keep my throw-aways. I have an "extras" file on my desktop and scenes that I don't use go into it. More times than not, I've gone back and retrieved part of one, just what I needed for a chapter that was missing something.
Those words helped you tell “the core story.” I love that!
I always am excited to see a newsletter from you in my inbox. My favorite topics are the craft-related things. Also, I just love how you include local photos of just regular life. Sometimes I try to make a "thing" out of picking just the right photo to go with a post, etc. and I've realized that I should just show what I'm seeing. Voted for your book and best wishes in that!
I'm so happy for you. I voted for you as requested, good luck! I hope you will continue your newsletters, I find them helpful. Just the other day I was wishing for #1000wordsofsummer to be year-round. I don't expect you to do that. What I appreciate about it most is the accountability I feel.
So many great snippets in this! Thanks for the reminder to be ruthless. I always save my cuts, but you are right. I never miss them or go back to them. I guess I save them to honor my process. =)
Yeah honoring the process is great for sure!
How do you get started on your next manuscript? I have a lot of snips of this and that. Right now, they don't make much sense to me but I know they all belong together in my next one but I'm struggling with how to do anything with them. It's like I'm staring at a messy, messy, disaster of a living room and being told to put it back together and I have no idea how to start.
How I needed to hear this...I never return to the “deleted words” Google Doc I keep.
I feel this topic also relates to letting go of people ❤️🔥
never!! we never go back to that doc.