I think I become cold blooded when I get my manuscript back from my editor and realize I need to change things. My warm blooded writer self wants to cry or throw it all away, but my cold blooded self says, OK lets fix this. Then I slash and burn ruthlessly.
One cold-blooded time is when I edit down a picture book. I, too, save the pre-cut draft and then I feel secure in slashing words away, and sometimes chunks. Interesting fact: I have never once gone back to the longer draft of a PB.
When it comes to novels, I find that I must be in a certain frame of mind to be cold-blooded. I must be feeling centred and focused. If I'm scattered or feeling insecure about the work, it becomes a quagmire. It being my mind.
Cindy, that "centred and focused"--do you know you're in that state before you begin the work... or do you find it in you as you work (or decide to walk away)...?
I must choose it. I am seldom centred or focused without working my way into being one or both. ;-)
I will say that sometimes I FORCE myself to dig in (it's always excruciating to do this, no matter how often I do it) and then I find my focus shifting and I find my centre. So perhaps this is another sort of choice?
Regardless, I have found that I can write when I'm feeling bonkers, but editing requires a calmer, more composed state.
Cooler... yes. I find I can't work as long then, too. I find there's a certain type of writing for which I last about 90 minutes, then need a walk or nap or break.
Then I heard a homework educator give a presentation to a group of teens and speak to how--apparently--our brains work from side to side--changing our type of focus--every 90 mins. (Someone here may know far more about this!)
I'm the heretic here; I don't like to slash and burn. Cindy has heard me say this before and says it's because I've got an organized mind, so my first thoughts are just fine. Not sure about that. I think I have a disorganized mind, so my first thoughts are just fine. Of course, they aren't really my first thoughts. I've been thinking about the topic or the book to review for days or weeks, and jotting down notes, but then when I'm ready, I just write - and generally I don't cut, I don't revise. First thoughts are best, I find: I mean the first thoughts conjured up by the creative mind when I sit down to write.
I don't mean those first thoughts when I'm note-taking, and if I think of any darlings there, those I let go. It's death to try to work some clever thought from before into a piece you're writing now. But when it's time for the actual writing, writing the review or whatever I go with what my creative mind brings me and if it brings me darlings, I definitely leave those in.
I find it so interesting, though, that you think it through before. I believe I think ON the paper. That does make a difference. I'm not good at holding things in my mind for too long--I need to see it in front of me. My memory has weakened, too, in the past half dozen years. So paper it is. Then the work begins.
Picturebooks are another world. I used to almost always begin with 2500 words that I know MUST be shaped into under 600. Now it begins with 1200-1500...but still must be halved.
ALWAYS good to hear from the heretics!
The process of mulling, both conscious and subconscious, is critical. Worthy of discussion!
Well, I don't think it through, if by that you mean plan what I'm going to say. I do think a lot about the book I'm going to review, say, while I'm reading it: I note down interesting material from the book, along with my responses. But then I put all the notes away and just write. If the writing is going well, the writing process just carries me along and all sorts of previously unthought -of connections emerge.
I misunderstood... though I think the note-taking (and even the putting away!) plays a role in the process.
When working on a lengthy work, do you end up doing more editing? I'm working on the longest novel I've ever written... which is no doubt where this piece grows from...
I've been thinking about how this process used to be, pre-computers. The longest I ever wrote on a typewriter was probably a couple hundred pages, maybe 250. And I certainly didn't do the editing I do now. So--are some us doing it as a result of this? I wonder.
And an element of this post is just getting stuff on paper, period, without over-thinking--Schulz's thought that the artist should be able to come up with SOMETHING, without belabouring. Coming up with an Idea.
Thank you, Alison, and yes, definitely the note-taking is part of the process (and the putting the notes away: I think I mentioned a story about Beethoven doing this: he'd write extensive notes, then put them away and not look at them when he actually wrote his symphonies). I'm not as strict as that: I do look at the notes, especially when inspiration flags, and then I think: oh, yes, I was going to mention that. (I know, I know, the outliners would be appalled).
When I wrote my novel, I didn't edit either - unless you count this: I started Chapter 8; it didn't seem to be working; I threw it out, and started a new version of Chapter 8.
Mostly I write shorter things: even my history of UBC, for instance, was a collection of years. I'd gather my material, make my notes for 1967-68, say, read over the notes, pull out the most important stuff, then put the notes away and then write the year. One time I wasn't satisfied: I hadn't said enough: so I went back and added some new paragraphs at the end, and I could do that easily because even within each year what I wrote were little snippets: This happened and this also happened; oh, and there was also this ...
But I avoid tinkering with what's written. Of course, sometimes it's unavoidable. That quotation is wrong, and then if I fix that, then the paragraph doesn't flow, so I have to rewrite. Or some fact was wrong, ditto. But I try to let my prose live as it came to me. I guess you can say I've exiled my inner editor. I don't miss him. He used to oppress me.
I think I become cold blooded when I get my manuscript back from my editor and realize I need to change things. My warm blooded writer self wants to cry or throw it all away, but my cold blooded self says, OK lets fix this. Then I slash and burn ruthlessly.
There is nothing like working with a solid and inspiring editor who gets both you and your work, and remembers which is which...
Exactly. I am very lucky as I have a good one who does just that.
One cold-blooded time is when I edit down a picture book. I, too, save the pre-cut draft and then I feel secure in slashing words away, and sometimes chunks. Interesting fact: I have never once gone back to the longer draft of a PB.
When it comes to novels, I find that I must be in a certain frame of mind to be cold-blooded. I must be feeling centred and focused. If I'm scattered or feeling insecure about the work, it becomes a quagmire. It being my mind.
Going now to write for 10 minutes. ;-)
Oh, very good note about the longer PBs--yes!
Cindy, that "centred and focused"--do you know you're in that state before you begin the work... or do you find it in you as you work (or decide to walk away)...?
I must choose it. I am seldom centred or focused without working my way into being one or both. ;-)
I will say that sometimes I FORCE myself to dig in (it's always excruciating to do this, no matter how often I do it) and then I find my focus shifting and I find my centre. So perhaps this is another sort of choice?
Regardless, I have found that I can write when I'm feeling bonkers, but editing requires a calmer, more composed state.
Cooler... yes. I find I can't work as long then, too. I find there's a certain type of writing for which I last about 90 minutes, then need a walk or nap or break.
Then I heard a homework educator give a presentation to a group of teens and speak to how--apparently--our brains work from side to side--changing our type of focus--every 90 mins. (Someone here may know far more about this!)
I'm the heretic here; I don't like to slash and burn. Cindy has heard me say this before and says it's because I've got an organized mind, so my first thoughts are just fine. Not sure about that. I think I have a disorganized mind, so my first thoughts are just fine. Of course, they aren't really my first thoughts. I've been thinking about the topic or the book to review for days or weeks, and jotting down notes, but then when I'm ready, I just write - and generally I don't cut, I don't revise. First thoughts are best, I find: I mean the first thoughts conjured up by the creative mind when I sit down to write.
I don't mean those first thoughts when I'm note-taking, and if I think of any darlings there, those I let go. It's death to try to work some clever thought from before into a piece you're writing now. But when it's time for the actual writing, writing the review or whatever I go with what my creative mind brings me and if it brings me darlings, I definitely leave those in.
As to cutting afterwards, well, I don't do that.
I find it so interesting, though, that you think it through before. I believe I think ON the paper. That does make a difference. I'm not good at holding things in my mind for too long--I need to see it in front of me. My memory has weakened, too, in the past half dozen years. So paper it is. Then the work begins.
Picturebooks are another world. I used to almost always begin with 2500 words that I know MUST be shaped into under 600. Now it begins with 1200-1500...but still must be halved.
ALWAYS good to hear from the heretics!
The process of mulling, both conscious and subconscious, is critical. Worthy of discussion!
Well, I don't think it through, if by that you mean plan what I'm going to say. I do think a lot about the book I'm going to review, say, while I'm reading it: I note down interesting material from the book, along with my responses. But then I put all the notes away and just write. If the writing is going well, the writing process just carries me along and all sorts of previously unthought -of connections emerge.
I misunderstood... though I think the note-taking (and even the putting away!) plays a role in the process.
When working on a lengthy work, do you end up doing more editing? I'm working on the longest novel I've ever written... which is no doubt where this piece grows from...
I've been thinking about how this process used to be, pre-computers. The longest I ever wrote on a typewriter was probably a couple hundred pages, maybe 250. And I certainly didn't do the editing I do now. So--are some us doing it as a result of this? I wonder.
And an element of this post is just getting stuff on paper, period, without over-thinking--Schulz's thought that the artist should be able to come up with SOMETHING, without belabouring. Coming up with an Idea.
And I always enjoy your perspective, Sheldon! Good to see you here--
Thank you, Alison, and yes, definitely the note-taking is part of the process (and the putting the notes away: I think I mentioned a story about Beethoven doing this: he'd write extensive notes, then put them away and not look at them when he actually wrote his symphonies). I'm not as strict as that: I do look at the notes, especially when inspiration flags, and then I think: oh, yes, I was going to mention that. (I know, I know, the outliners would be appalled).
When I wrote my novel, I didn't edit either - unless you count this: I started Chapter 8; it didn't seem to be working; I threw it out, and started a new version of Chapter 8.
Mostly I write shorter things: even my history of UBC, for instance, was a collection of years. I'd gather my material, make my notes for 1967-68, say, read over the notes, pull out the most important stuff, then put the notes away and then write the year. One time I wasn't satisfied: I hadn't said enough: so I went back and added some new paragraphs at the end, and I could do that easily because even within each year what I wrote were little snippets: This happened and this also happened; oh, and there was also this ...
But I avoid tinkering with what's written. Of course, sometimes it's unavoidable. That quotation is wrong, and then if I fix that, then the paragraph doesn't flow, so I have to rewrite. Or some fact was wrong, ditto. But I try to let my prose live as it came to me. I guess you can say I've exiled my inner editor. I don't miss him. He used to oppress me.
Printed off the 12 Options exercise for reference and using it today. Thanks, Alison!