I have discovered a basic fear in the process of writing a book. Oh, there is the obvious, what if no one likes it? All that work to fail? That kind of reasoning has never stopped me before, mostly I just do it and learn as I go. So far I have just written the first short chapter and my problem is I do not know where this is going? Part of me says to outline it first, develop the story and discover the characters.
Surely the Author needs to know what is happening! I do not know. I don't do metal work that way.
I'll give the client a very rough sketch of the project but always tell them that it is only the measurements that are important and I don't guarantee the final product will resemble the sketch at all. What is important to me as the metal artist is that the final piece belong. Comfortable where it ends up and looks as though it belongs there, might have always been there. I seldom weld on a table and perfer my work to be fixed horizontally, fixed between steel posts in my shop. Much like a painter I can stand back to examine and see what needs to be done. Seriously, it talks to me.
The trick for me will be to keep the passion going, not get hung up in rules or regulations or even the order of things. Much of this tale I spin will be out of order but it is a first draft, unedited and we can make sense of it later, right? There will be "real facts" to this story but I will change them to make my life and the telling easier on me. The girl involved is somewhere in Europe and I don't even have a passport so I will put her closer to home where I can be a bit lazier and my Tom-Tom will be of some use. Parts of the story will be easy, ideas right out of the newspapers. I just have to find a connection.
I really, really want your comments and feedback, ideas and contributions. It is not the story of an ex-cop or a navy seal guy. The blog world will have a lot to do with it. You are my investigators and my resource. When I discover mysterious things washed up on the beach, maybe you could suggest what it is that I have found and where the story needs to go?
So I am throwing fear out the window and begining Feb. 1st on my new blog:
mybook-stonepost.blogspot.com/ we will begin. There really is no fear. What is so cool is if this doesn't work we can just click "delete" and it will all go away!
Surely the Author needs to know what is happening! I do not know. I don't do metal work that way.
I'll give the client a very rough sketch of the project but always tell them that it is only the measurements that are important and I don't guarantee the final product will resemble the sketch at all. What is important to me as the metal artist is that the final piece belong. Comfortable where it ends up and looks as though it belongs there, might have always been there. I seldom weld on a table and perfer my work to be fixed horizontally, fixed between steel posts in my shop. Much like a painter I can stand back to examine and see what needs to be done. Seriously, it talks to me.
The trick for me will be to keep the passion going, not get hung up in rules or regulations or even the order of things. Much of this tale I spin will be out of order but it is a first draft, unedited and we can make sense of it later, right? There will be "real facts" to this story but I will change them to make my life and the telling easier on me. The girl involved is somewhere in Europe and I don't even have a passport so I will put her closer to home where I can be a bit lazier and my Tom-Tom will be of some use. Parts of the story will be easy, ideas right out of the newspapers. I just have to find a connection.
I really, really want your comments and feedback, ideas and contributions. It is not the story of an ex-cop or a navy seal guy. The blog world will have a lot to do with it. You are my investigators and my resource. When I discover mysterious things washed up on the beach, maybe you could suggest what it is that I have found and where the story needs to go?
So I am throwing fear out the window and begining Feb. 1st on my new blog:
mybook-stonepost.blogspot.com/ we will begin. There really is no fear. What is so cool is if this doesn't work we can just click "delete" and it will all go away!
5 comments:
liking this idea of yours more and more
I know exactly what your talking about. I've tried with and without an outline and you always run into the same problem the story takes on a life of it's own outside the box you put it in and can take off in many different directions. The fear of whether to stick to what you first had or allow it to go in one of the many directions it can go is sometimes overwhelming. But like you said it's a first draft. The bones of a story. And that's where the story actually begins is with the bones of it in the rewrite.
The first draft is where the passion is but also where most give up. I love the idea of blogging it and asking for input. I think this will help to keep it alive for you. And will be fun for those of us reading along.
Yeah, Tiffiny and Kay, I've got an investigative team put together already! We will start out innocently enough and see what happens!
Ok, Jer...your last line made me cackle aloud. (As I've aged, I imagine I no longer have the dulcet laugh of youth! Cackle Cackle!) Anyway, I think the "fear" as you've outlined it doesn't sound like fear as much as it does EXCITEMENT!!! I love the way you describe your approach to art and methinks a book approached in the same way is going to be ever so much richer! As if the characters and life situations have a life of their own! I can't wait!!
Glad to see you're on to a new adventure. Keeps you young and looking forward - no matter the outcome. We need renewal don't we. Well at least I do. I get bored easy and must rotate around a lot. Look forward to reading your story. Writing is something I could never do - but you.... well obviously you have a lot to say! So WRITE ON!
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