Ive been jumping around the timeline and revising. Just spruced up a chapter that sets up the vertical/horses near the beginning, and sets up the narrators way of navigating the world.
Next, Im going to revise chapter by chapter, and print them, to later figure out how to order them. Seems like that process would be easier in the physical world.
If all goes as planned, Ill have the first 10 pages as good as I can make it by the end of the year, and it will entice my brother's agent friend into reading the whole thing.
It’s been scary figuring out what needs to be added and what needs to be taken away. I’m trying to get over my inclination to treat my work like a Jenga tower.
I have so many different things that I want to write that I have to stop myself everytime I figure out how to fix a problem and stay focused on my current project for the week. I just make a note to myself so that way I can keep my thoughts organized and focused on the story at hand.
I've been reading Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones" and practicing non-judgement when going into a first draft. It's weird because I'm normally pretty disciplined and have an outline in my head before I start writing, so going sentence by sentence feels a little spooky.
I loved your appreciation for wacky folk art in the alley or wherever. I'm a huge fan of that sort of thing. People just plain making stuff (see also Burning Man).
As usual, I'm working on too many things in too many different genres, disciplines, and mediums/media. What is family, what is community, what is art, what is money-making? As usual, the lines can be blurry.
So. I'm working on the next episode of my nature walk and Tarot reading podcast, Burning Tarot. I'm working on an astrology reading (audio file) for a client in South Carolina. These walks and Tarot things and astrological readings feel an awful lot like art or writing. Channeling. Like poetry.
I'm also writing a bunch of stuff for a nonprofit farm and farmers market. And for the local newspaper, where I'm a columnist. And wondering whether the columns are maybe turning into a little memoir thing?
And I've just finished an essay that ended up looking more like a theatrical monologue, prompted by the theme "luxury" for The Sun magazine.
Meanwhile we are preparing for Drowning Rat, a mini-fest where we gather and costume and ritualize, and build a giant rat out of found materials while camping, and drown the Rat. We haven't done it in years. The planning collapsed under poor weather forecast for our reserved campsites over Memorial Day weekend. Certain young people involved are really really disappointed.
Everything is changing. It's ... annoying. But *something* will come of it and damn it, I plan to enjoy myself, even though I will now have to drive 3 hours for one short day of fun and art-making and musical shenanigans.
Still circling round 1994/1995, writing, revising, breaking out and breaking open, turning those two years, back-to-back storylines, around and around in my brain, letting the words spill out onto the page.
I am close, so close, to wrapping up an historical fiction comic. It's not terribly long, but it's been visually complicated. Exciting, but now I can't wait to get back to painting. I may've finally learned my lesson: I think the next book is going to be an illustrated, rather than graphic, novel.
I just re-titled my substack, using my established in 2007 blog name, and finally feel settled about it and enthused to post. After reading comments here, i think i'll dig up my essay about Writing Down the Bones and post it.
Big creative thing: launching and promoting my photography website.
I love hearing all of these projects-in-process! Keep going! xo
Ive been jumping around the timeline and revising. Just spruced up a chapter that sets up the vertical/horses near the beginning, and sets up the narrators way of navigating the world.
Next, Im going to revise chapter by chapter, and print them, to later figure out how to order them. Seems like that process would be easier in the physical world.
If all goes as planned, Ill have the first 10 pages as good as I can make it by the end of the year, and it will entice my brother's agent friend into reading the whole thing.
woo-hoo! yeah, i taped my book draft pages to a long wall--so helpful.
What am I working on? she asks. And how am I approaching it…
Why thank you for asking, Monica … 🥰 how generous of you.
working on revisiting my Substack drafts… All 56 of them…
i’m finding that stepping away from the work for a time… Be it through procrastination or life events or whatever we call it…
… Gives me a brand new perspective and appreciation…
“I like this writer,” I say to myself… He shows promise…
Or—
“Now why didn’t he keep writing?” I wonder. “This is really interesting”
Thanks so much for asking 🙏🏼
Interesting that you are revising your substacks. i can see myself doing the same.
I’m letting myself be humbled by revision.
It’s been scary figuring out what needs to be added and what needs to be taken away. I’m trying to get over my inclination to treat my work like a Jenga tower.
Humbled by Revision. I love it! Sounds like a craft book title...!
Ha! Trademarking it now
I have so many different things that I want to write that I have to stop myself everytime I figure out how to fix a problem and stay focused on my current project for the week. I just make a note to myself so that way I can keep my thoughts organized and focused on the story at hand.
Same! I hear this!
Uhg. Yep.
I've been reading Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones" and practicing non-judgement when going into a first draft. It's weird because I'm normally pretty disciplined and have an outline in my head before I start writing, so going sentence by sentence feels a little spooky.
Just finished her book myself, there was a good nugget for me about turning off my second/third thoughts
Both of you two would benefit from my impaired impulse control, at least a little bit 😉
I love that book...it's how i learned to write--and when teaching, i teach from it! so glad you found it, colton!
I loved your appreciation for wacky folk art in the alley or wherever. I'm a huge fan of that sort of thing. People just plain making stuff (see also Burning Man).
As usual, I'm working on too many things in too many different genres, disciplines, and mediums/media. What is family, what is community, what is art, what is money-making? As usual, the lines can be blurry.
So. I'm working on the next episode of my nature walk and Tarot reading podcast, Burning Tarot. I'm working on an astrology reading (audio file) for a client in South Carolina. These walks and Tarot things and astrological readings feel an awful lot like art or writing. Channeling. Like poetry.
I'm also writing a bunch of stuff for a nonprofit farm and farmers market. And for the local newspaper, where I'm a columnist. And wondering whether the columns are maybe turning into a little memoir thing?
And I've just finished an essay that ended up looking more like a theatrical monologue, prompted by the theme "luxury" for The Sun magazine.
Meanwhile we are preparing for Drowning Rat, a mini-fest where we gather and costume and ritualize, and build a giant rat out of found materials while camping, and drown the Rat. We haven't done it in years. The planning collapsed under poor weather forecast for our reserved campsites over Memorial Day weekend. Certain young people involved are really really disappointed.
Everything is changing. It's ... annoying. But *something* will come of it and damn it, I plan to enjoy myself, even though I will now have to drive 3 hours for one short day of fun and art-making and musical shenanigans.
Whatever all that is, I'm working on it!
P.S. : Drowning Rat was fantastic.
I’m 100 pages in to my cruise ship murder mystery first draft. Someone is going to end up dead soon, but which character? So many choices…
And I will start The Great Gatsby within the next week.
Still circling round 1994/1995, writing, revising, breaking out and breaking open, turning those two years, back-to-back storylines, around and around in my brain, letting the words spill out onto the page.
The piece you read the other night is SO GOOD! Voice, sense of audience, details, pacing...Keep going! I can't wait to read the book.
Oh my goodness thank you so much, Monica ❤️❤️❤️ Your kind and generous encouragement will keep me plugging away! 🥰
I am close, so close, to wrapping up an historical fiction comic. It's not terribly long, but it's been visually complicated. Exciting, but now I can't wait to get back to painting. I may've finally learned my lesson: I think the next book is going to be an illustrated, rather than graphic, novel.
I just re-titled my substack, using my established in 2007 blog name, and finally feel settled about it and enthused to post. After reading comments here, i think i'll dig up my essay about Writing Down the Bones and post it.
Big creative thing: launching and promoting my photography website.