About a week ago I suddenly “saw” that an early scene in Tome Two could work in another way. However – and maybe that’s why the new vision struck me – I was on a run of trains, meetings, researches, visits, storytelling workshops and mightily sore feet.
I just couldn’t wait to get back to the unpicking. Started on it a day or two ago, and ooh blooming blimey! My very own Column of Infamy has raised itself before my eyes!
You see, back there on the train, the changes went so swiftly and easily. Pick up this person here and put them down there. Put these two together and let them have a really big falling out about something major, something that will drive the book along. Add this and that rather interesting incident. . . No, I won’t reveal more. It was all there in my mind, and wonderful.
So how come the actual Tome-work is so difficult? Think I’d forgotten just how much I had worked over and over the scenes before. Now the thread of the unravelled story seems full of kinks and twists. The colors in the wool look a little re-used, and unusual holes keep appearing where the story once went in another direction.
I keep working on, writing on, wanting to return to my once smooth and seamless surface. Occasionally I think I’ve almost made it, but then up comes a bit of pattern I’d once put in and that I really rather love. How am I going to manage this? It’s very much a head-down, keep-going sort of writing time.
In fact, there have been moments when I wish my bright idea hadn’t revealed itself. I’ve also – sssh! – had moments of being really rather glad that this is a renamed version, and the old document is still there waiting. Just in case I end up with an ugly lump of sows ear from my once silken purse.
Hope all of you writers out there are having a much better time!
You can also find me on my new blog, THE YEAR OF MOUSE.
4 comments:
I'm so glad someone else sees writing in terms of knitting! I do, constantly and am always going back to unpick stuff. Hope yours goes well...must go and find your new blog.
Thanks, Adele - and even better , the "knitting" is going much, much better today. I live in hope!
I know exactly what you mean, Penny. I have a book I know I have to rewrite and just can't find the energy to start the unpicking and re-knitting. One day.... Good luck with yours :-)
Oh, proper handspun wool too! Very nice indeed.
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