I suppose I’m an outside in person - I faff about making my surroundings orderly - outside circle first - moving physical (and emotional) objects out of my way before nestling into the epicentre for the Big Writng Moment. I call it Cha Cha-ing with the Muse. Happy New Year and Good luck with all the movings.
Ah, the word "faff"--my S. African flamenco teacher uses that word when we're not really doing what we're supposed to be, but something else--which happens as we learn the steps! The knowledge grows.
Good of you to point out the emotional piece, too, and the preparation around that--so true! Sometimes we're not quite there to begin, and patience with our selves is key.
As often happens, what you write really resonated. I am starting the research for my next historical mystery, which using your terms means I am currently using the outside-in approach. Eventually I will need to switch to inside out--getting specific details down (what is the crime, who was the villain, in what month in 1883 will the story be set, what was the latest dress style, who was the chief of police that year, etc. But right now I am reading widely, newspapers, a tedious book on engraving, articles on certain styles of painting, the history of the secret service...looking for my plot to emerge. A good deal of what I am reading (and learning) will never show up in any obvious fashion in the final book. But right now I don't really know what will become important...nor do I know how long this part of the process will take, so I am trying not to be impatient. But having done this enough times (this will be the 9th novel in the series) I have faith that when it is time to switch to the inside out writing I will know it.
That's such a wondrous and terrifying place to be--the gathering, the "tedious book on engraving"--ha! So good. Enjoy the wallow!! Yes, you've been through. You know it'll happen. But still terrifying. Will it happen yet again? It will. Still wondrous!
Always good to have a glimpse of where you're at--thank you!
As a poet, I find I am haphazard, which is probably true of my cleaning process. I start on one area and then as I clean I find things I meant to put in their proper place, which forces me to stop what I am focused on to put things in their right place. Same with poetry. I start with an idea and then off to edit or write something else before returning to the original idea.
Serena, your words carry that reality of moving back and forth, from task to task, much as I work. Then the return, or the settling in, which projects ask of us at some point.
"putting in proper place"--yes. Haphazard, yes, too. But it gets done.
I suppose I’m an outside in person - I faff about making my surroundings orderly - outside circle first - moving physical (and emotional) objects out of my way before nestling into the epicentre for the Big Writng Moment. I call it Cha Cha-ing with the Muse. Happy New Year and Good luck with all the movings.
Ah, the word "faff"--my S. African flamenco teacher uses that word when we're not really doing what we're supposed to be, but something else--which happens as we learn the steps! The knowledge grows.
Good of you to point out the emotional piece, too, and the preparation around that--so true! Sometimes we're not quite there to begin, and patience with our selves is key.
Thank you, Anne Marie!
Here's to '25 and moving and faffing!
As often happens, what you write really resonated. I am starting the research for my next historical mystery, which using your terms means I am currently using the outside-in approach. Eventually I will need to switch to inside out--getting specific details down (what is the crime, who was the villain, in what month in 1883 will the story be set, what was the latest dress style, who was the chief of police that year, etc. But right now I am reading widely, newspapers, a tedious book on engraving, articles on certain styles of painting, the history of the secret service...looking for my plot to emerge. A good deal of what I am reading (and learning) will never show up in any obvious fashion in the final book. But right now I don't really know what will become important...nor do I know how long this part of the process will take, so I am trying not to be impatient. But having done this enough times (this will be the 9th novel in the series) I have faith that when it is time to switch to the inside out writing I will know it.
That's such a wondrous and terrifying place to be--the gathering, the "tedious book on engraving"--ha! So good. Enjoy the wallow!! Yes, you've been through. You know it'll happen. But still terrifying. Will it happen yet again? It will. Still wondrous!
Always good to have a glimpse of where you're at--thank you!
As a poet, I find I am haphazard, which is probably true of my cleaning process. I start on one area and then as I clean I find things I meant to put in their proper place, which forces me to stop what I am focused on to put things in their right place. Same with poetry. I start with an idea and then off to edit or write something else before returning to the original idea.
Serena, your words carry that reality of moving back and forth, from task to task, much as I work. Then the return, or the settling in, which projects ask of us at some point.
"putting in proper place"--yes. Haphazard, yes, too. But it gets done.
It does.