Editing Kinda Sucks
GAH! For the readers that hate writers who can whip out the rough draft quickly, there is The Great Equalizer…the edits. I admit I’m jealous of the steady personalities who edit at the same pace they write and do equally well with each of them.
That’s so not me.
Rough draft? Easy peasy. Edits? Um. I have to clean the kitchen. And the car. And the den. After that, I have errands, and a great new book to read and…
I need to team up with a writing partner maybe, or pledge to do something disgusting if I don’t meet my deadlines. I know, I know, some writers really struggle on the front end, while I blow past. But there they go now, running at a nice, ground-eating jog while I limp along.
However, I do have some progress to report. I’m on the third round of edits, and I think chapters one and two are done. All the names and small details are fixed, one big plot issue resolved, and the first cliche/adjective check is done. The story isn’t as loose as I feared it was, and I still like Lillian a lot. I wrote the rough draft in August. It’s only taken me five months to get this far…ahem.
I am glad I left it to sit for a while, though. The work is easier for it and I’m less emotionally attached. I even wrote another rough draft in November. I know I sound pathetic, but this is my one area of procrastination that is not under firm control.
Do you know of any encouraging posts/articles on edits for writers like me?
The Irony of Fictional Characters
Have you experienced the same irony of characters that I have? When you want one, or at least want the one you’ve got to be…well, more than they are…it seems characters can be hard to find. On the other hand, if you’re writing hard or working on another project or even just trying to sleep, your mind fills with crowds of characters.
Perhaps this is similar to the old Irish fairy stories in which you can see the fey in your peripheral vision, but if you look at them straight on, they can prevent being seen. I look hard at one project, and characters crowd into my side vision.
Problem is, I usually forget all about this truth when I am lonely and looking for a character. If I would just look hard at an art project or even the dishes, they’ll crowd my shoulders soon enough.
Inspiration – A friend’s home
An acquaintance that is developing into a nice friendship was the source of an invitation to a holiday open house at the unique residence he shares with his partner.
The house is a museum.
My friend sold and brokered art for 24 years. His love of portraiture shows. I lost count on the stairs alone. In addition to antique and more modern portraits and paintings, beautiful antique furniture from several eras fill this home. I could identify Empire, Art Nouveau, Queen Anne, and Rococo…I wish I knew more about antiques so I could have fully appreciated what I was seeing.
I listened to stories about the 77 year old house, stories of some of the pieces in the house, and stories of how some were acquired. His partner and I discussed preferences for decorative glass and different eras for furniture. I learned what a luster was and admired a full set of depression glass dinnerware (missing only the oil lamp). We talked about architecture, renovation versus remodeling, and probably a hundred other topics that evening.
I couldn’t help the concepts for historical or supernatural stories that could feature this armoire or the girl in that painting. Even the house would be a strong character with its stone facade and interesting corners. Much more than these, however, were stories centered around people who dealt in antiques for the love of it and were drawn to old things for reasons they didn’t understand. And just how far would a collector go to obtain the perfect set of pink lusters?
Where’s the most inspiring location you’ve been to?
Inspiration – Rusty Money
I count money as part of my day job. A few weeks ago I ran across a ten dollar bill that was stained with rust. The red and orange coloration ran up the bill in the creases and lay across the bottom, as if it had wicked up the color from rusty water.
Oh, how frustrating to not have a moment to jot a note. A story idea came, but was gone by the time I could write it down.
Surprisingly, it came back in full force as soon as I saw the ten again. Two characters and a location came to mind. Over the next few hours I kept paper close by as the plot resolved itself and small details began to fit in. A heist, a betrayal, a murder, and a hiding spot that remains undiscovered for some time…yup, quite a lot from a bill with a reddish stain on it, even knowing blood would stain the bill brown, not red.
I’m currently developing the concept into a novel-length work titled Blood Money.
What’s your craziest source of inspiration so far?
