Hi friends. I have mentioned before that I often do my best thinking right when I wake up in the morning. That liminal state between sleep and wake is when I hear the purest, clearest voices telling me what I should be thinking about that day. It’s why I value my sleep so much — because it’s an important key to my creative self. (Honestly I will destroy you with lasers that shoot from my eyes if you mess with my sleep.)
“Turn it upside down!” Yes, absolutely. Right there, right now. Novel-in-progress in full headstand. It’s amazing the lose change that falls from pockets, the way a blouse rides down, hemline brushing the main character’s chin, her hair splayed on the floor. So much uncovered and revealed. Thanks, Jami! Happy Thursday!
“It needs tending to, though; even if I can get it to the next place, the end of this draft, it will need so much more work, layers of rich details, connecting of all the dots. I need time and perspective. I need to gaze at it from multiple directions.”
This is where I am. The book is written but needs polishing, brightening, dot connecting for interest and for integrity. I’m living the process. Thank you, Jami, for your inspiration!
I'm in a similar place - after reading this, I checked my word count, and it is (shockingly?!) the length I was aiming for, though definitely needs a LOT of work still. I'm curious (both Laura and Jami!) how you think about approaching this next step of figuring out what you have, what it needs, and how to keep moving it towards what it needs to be? Maybe an idea for a future post. And thank you, Jami - after a rough week, I did some journaling on this topic and that turned into ~1000 words I'm really excited about.
Emily, in my case this is a non-fiction book I’m writing with my husband. He drafts, I research and write and clean up. This requires lots of reading and re-reading as a READER, (not as a writer) to see if it makes sense, if it is interesting, if it offers enough color while staying on topic. It’s a book about boat building history.
“All the things that need to be written, they will be written…”
This morning I slept late—unintentionally late. But in that “liminal state between sleep and wake,” one of my book’s characters appeared in a short dream-scene in which apologized to her, telling her that I finally understood how hard she had worked all her life.
Not sure if this insight will end up in the book…it might. Who knows? I’m beginning to feel as though my characters are in control of the story, and not me. I love that that’s happening.
As always, moments of pure gold in the Craft Talk. “How I feel about my book is that it’s mine, it’s wholly mine….” —that is a phase to relish. And turning the book upside down: I cannot WAIT to do this!
I will do that today! Thank you! Day before yesterday, I had such a "bad"writing day; yesterday, I had a "good"one. So I think now is a perfect time to consider my "feelings" b/c they are clearly evaluative & full of "how'm I doing". The book probably deserves better--maybe I do, too. Your ability to come up with just the right thinking/writing tool is supernatural--did you get those skills in the mysteries of NOLA?
Thanks Jami for giving me the prompt I need today as I Re-enter my novel after a short break. I needed to getaway and rest, now I’m back and anxious to begin again. Today I miss my novel in progress so much I’ll drop everything to return to the page.
And, after some writing & reflecting, I will say that I have faith in, I feel faithful towards, this book I am, have been, writing. And I have time to be with it right now--write now--and try to find, & give it, what it needs to grow. Thanks again for this way in, Jamie!
“Turn it upside down!” Yes, absolutely. Right there, right now. Novel-in-progress in full headstand. It’s amazing the lose change that falls from pockets, the way a blouse rides down, hemline brushing the main character’s chin, her hair splayed on the floor. So much uncovered and revealed. Thanks, Jami! Happy Thursday!
“It needs tending to, though; even if I can get it to the next place, the end of this draft, it will need so much more work, layers of rich details, connecting of all the dots. I need time and perspective. I need to gaze at it from multiple directions.”
This is where I am. The book is written but needs polishing, brightening, dot connecting for interest and for integrity. I’m living the process. Thank you, Jami, for your inspiration!
I'm in a similar place - after reading this, I checked my word count, and it is (shockingly?!) the length I was aiming for, though definitely needs a LOT of work still. I'm curious (both Laura and Jami!) how you think about approaching this next step of figuring out what you have, what it needs, and how to keep moving it towards what it needs to be? Maybe an idea for a future post. And thank you, Jami - after a rough week, I did some journaling on this topic and that turned into ~1000 words I'm really excited about.
Emily, in my case this is a non-fiction book I’m writing with my husband. He drafts, I research and write and clean up. This requires lots of reading and re-reading as a READER, (not as a writer) to see if it makes sense, if it is interesting, if it offers enough color while staying on topic. It’s a book about boat building history.
“All the things that need to be written, they will be written…”
This morning I slept late—unintentionally late. But in that “liminal state between sleep and wake,” one of my book’s characters appeared in a short dream-scene in which apologized to her, telling her that I finally understood how hard she had worked all her life.
Not sure if this insight will end up in the book…it might. Who knows? I’m beginning to feel as though my characters are in control of the story, and not me. I love that that’s happening.
Thank you for these craft-talks, Jami.
As always, moments of pure gold in the Craft Talk. “How I feel about my book is that it’s mine, it’s wholly mine….” —that is a phase to relish. And turning the book upside down: I cannot WAIT to do this!
I will do that today! Thank you! Day before yesterday, I had such a "bad"writing day; yesterday, I had a "good"one. So I think now is a perfect time to consider my "feelings" b/c they are clearly evaluative & full of "how'm I doing". The book probably deserves better--maybe I do, too. Your ability to come up with just the right thinking/writing tool is supernatural--did you get those skills in the mysteries of NOLA?
Thanks Jami for giving me the prompt I need today as I Re-enter my novel after a short break. I needed to getaway and rest, now I’m back and anxious to begin again. Today I miss my novel in progress so much I’ll drop everything to return to the page.
And, after some writing & reflecting, I will say that I have faith in, I feel faithful towards, this book I am, have been, writing. And I have time to be with it right now--write now--and try to find, & give it, what it needs to grow. Thanks again for this way in, Jamie!