Back to the grind
I didn’t write at all yesterday. I was too busy sitting on the couch and feeling sorry for myself. I missed the Rosh Hashanah services and missed my friend’s surprise 40th birthday party. My foot’s hurting more today because I’m still learning how to limp properly. The house is really going to take a hit for awhile — everything takes a lot longer. Maybe I’ll get better at this and it won’t be so bad in a week.
Enough whining.
I’m rereading Writing for Story because Jon Franklin is one of the presenters. I’m trying to familiarize myself with most of the books written by the presenters. Anyway, I was reading what he wrote about outlining because the part that of writing I’m working on now is structure. This is where I think a lot of otherwise good writers fail — being able to structure. It’s the difference between a writer who writes pretty stuff and a writer who writes great stuff. It’s certainly my biggest downfall.
Jon Franklin writes:
An outline … is simply a scheme, or a set of procedures, that you use to sort out your thoughts and analyze your story before you sit down to write. In telling yourself you can’t outline, what you’re really saying is that you can’t think your story through… Integrity in a story is something you just don’t get unless you did a workmanship job of thinking your story through in the first place.
… A story is not a line of dominoes, it is a web, and tugging on any filament causes the whole thing to vibrate.
The longer the piece is, the more you have to make sure you’ve got your structure in gear. Same goes for a more complicated essay or article.
Brett says that when he listens to me talk about something I’m working on he’s reminded of putting together a puzzle. That’s what it feels like to me, too. Sometimes I can’t tell that the pieces I’m trying to shove in don’t actually work with that particular puzzle. I’m still learning how to figure that out and I’m still learning which tools make things go more easily for me. It helps knowing that I’m on the right track.
I like this quote–but I’ve always been more of a plotter than a “seat of the pants” writer.
I’m sorry about your toe. My broken foot sends its best wishes for a speedy recovery, lots of chocolate, and comfortable crutches
you know, i love your writing on adoption,
but i equally love your writing on the writing process. as an (want to be?) artist myself, it is encouraging in a strange way to hear others write of their /own/ experience with the artistic process!
Dawn, thank you for this. It is really helpful as I rise once again to try and write this essay that has been SO kicking my butt, and the deadline is looming, and it is such a mess. This is what I need. Structure.
Once I finish this #*@(%! essay, I will be able to get to a certain Op-Ed piece I’m dying to write.
And: I’m sorry about your toe! Sounds like a terrible owie.