Time to Tinker
I just realized: I have time to write slowly. My writing speed slowed down drastically this last year, but only because I was so distracted by the studio and stress and life.
I write better if I “only” have to think about my story. Then I can get distracted, and I know where to pull myself back to. Before, if I got distracted, I had to spend time trying to figure out which task, out of the thirty-some on my list per day, I should pull my attention to.
Oddly enough, the realization that I have time to write slowly makes me want to write faster.
It’s that I want more time to tinker.
When I first wrote, I remember spending an hour tinkering with a paragraph, changing a word here or there, seeing how different word choices effected the whole. I remember grinning at my computer screen, I was having so much fun.
When did I stop grinning while writing?
I know part of it is that I’ve gotten quicker at picking the right word. But there are other things to tinker with, and I want to play again. I’ve been tinkering with plot a lot, lately, and my lines have suffered. It feels, sometimes, like I’m standing over my work with binoculars, going in and out for the small view and the big view. I need more time with the small view.
I used to love deadlines, but now I hate them. I want to get so ahead, that I never have to worry about them again.
So what have you been tinkering with, lately?
28 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
I’m tinkering with my nano novel. It’s worrying me because while I’m fixing sentences and paragraphs, and making sure I’ve chosen the best word (and not used the same one over and over) I feel like I’n not changing enough. Everyone knows NaNo is supposed to be about writing crappy first drafts, so where’s my crap?
I have a hard time believing that I just wrote that clean of a first draft, so now I spend my time worrying about my ability to objectively edit my own work. *sigh* I think I’ll copy and paste this into a blog post, lol.
I do have some larger issues I plan to address after I finish this draft (I still haven’t written the ending) so it’s not like I think it’s perfect, but I guess I feel like I should be doing more now.
Melanie, I sometimes create an outline, afterwards, in order to see the big picture. It’s tough, because I have to do both: go in and out.
I have a story that’s been at 45K for a year. It’s only supposed to go to 48K. I have NO IDEA why it’s taking me so long to get this thing finished! Some things are just like that.
I’m glad you enjoy tinkering. It’s either hellish or heavenly for me, depending mostly on A) how much time & effort I’ve already in the writing, and B) my thoughts on the writing up till that point. If I love what I’ve created, I’m more than happy to keep tweaking it nearer to perfection, but if I feel I’ve done a lousy job, I just want to be done. (Which, of course, is basically the worst attitude to have in that situation. XD)
In terms of poetry, although I now keep a running log of all my ideas, the only thing I’m tinkering with now is a #twitpoem. (Tinkering in 140 characters or less!) One that, I might add, contains some of YOUR own words.
With regards to the fantasy pentalogy that I’m now even more terrified to tell you about than I was a few months ago, I can vaguely say that I am tremendously pleased to have finally recalled (a week or so ago) a key plot thread that I left dangling some time ago, and which I can now continue in hopes of unlocking the entirety of the plot of Book One. Finally. (And yes, I treat the plot as if it’s something to be unlocked. “>> <<")
LOL, that’s funny, Joey. I hate all my work by the time it’s done.
I have found that the more I hate it, the more readers like it. So I guess if I work on it until I’m so sick to death of it that I’d rather throw up than look at it, then I’m in good shape. 
Why? Ohmigosh, Joey, I can’t wait to hear about your fantasy pentalogy!
Which words? My words? Ohmigosh, in your poetry? Way cool!
I feel honored!
I suppose you have a point with that, given how much my poem “‘Good Evening’”——which I hated writing, by the time all was done——was loved (apparently XD). Perhaps this is not so uncommon, then.
Yes, your words, because they are awesome The #twitpoem I’m tinkering with now involves your statement that “it was all black night and cornfields.” My first #twitpoem involved your observation about one of my poems that “some of that delight got stuck between the words.” The #twitpoem:
“i carved a rainbow from a rotting tree——your straight teeth smiled at me. some of that delight gotstuckbetweentheknifemarks?”
(As you can see, your words were more a launching point in this case.) But yeah, you should be glad to hear that some of your everyday remarks are very poetic! XD
I’m “even more terrified to tell you about” my fantasy pentalogy because now I know that you write fantasy! I had kinda guessed the same, but still! Like, gah! You actually know what you’re doing, and then there’s me, fumbling around on Book One!
But I expect I’ll tell you eventually. Probably via video tweets, actually. Because I’ll never be able to explain everything via text. :/
Oh how cool, Joey! You make me feel like I can write a couple words, LOL! But see, I could never write “i carved a rainbow from a rotting tree”
And I don’t really write fantasy! It’s just a subgenre, and I’d call it fantasy-lite. I don’t know a thing about it, honestly!
Oh, but you most certainly can write wondrously and poetically! If that’s how you write in your FB comments, I can only imagine how you write professionally!
As for “i carved a rainbow from a rotting tree” and the rest of that #twitpoem: you’re falling for the magic. (Which means I was successful, I suppose.) But it’s just that, and there’s really nothing behind it. The phrase just came to me out of a jumble of thoughts, and while it sounds cool, it barely even makes sense. This might work in poetry (which many [rightfully] suspect delights in being vague and making no sense while pretending to be deep), but it’s much more difficult to pick an appropriate descriptive phrase in prose when a greater (and yet, I guess, subtler) effect much be achieved. (Ugh. That was a very poorly worded statement; sorry!)
A subgenre of fantasy? o__O When I think of fantasy subgenres, terms like “high” and “low” come to mind, but I’m not sure I’d call them “fantasy-lite.”
Is it listed somewhere on this page? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_subgenres#Contemporary_fantasy
Perhaps this revelation will make me more comfortable——either way, though, I’m telling you eventually, since I’m just DYING to hear what you think! XD
Oops. I didn’t mean for that link to take you to the “contemporary” section specifically. My bad!
LOL!
You don’t know what I write? Gosh, Joey, I figured everyone just sort of knew and we all mutually understood that I’m too much of a prude to say it out loud, LOL! (Yeah, we writers have too much imagination, at times!) I’d be in the romantic fantasy section. Very romantic.
Although, I just don’t stick to fantasy, but I seem at my best when I get to create a world.
Speaking of poetry and prose, I went to Borders last night and had to force myself out without buying The Bell Jar. Have you read it yet? I think it can work in prose. Gosh, I was reading it, and I had to restrain myself from kissing the book and making love to the words. Damn, she’s good.
No, I haven’t read it yet, but I certainly plan to, especially since just recently anothering entering freshman at Midd placed it in her list of 15 books that will remain with her forever. That’s quite a recommendation!
Oh, so I WAS right, LOL! No, I didn’t have a clue about what you wrote until you said you wrote a subgenre of fantasy. As soon as I looked at that list, though, I immediately thought it was that one——I guess it just seemed perfect for you! Very cool!
I tried to put my series into one of those genres, but not one fits. (It’s kinda like high fantasy minus the moral absolutism, or low fantasy but not set in the real world, I guess…why isn’t there a term for this?! XD) I’m going to take this as a good sign, however, because I’m doing my very best to be original.
Oh, and since I’m tiring of saying “my fantasy pentalogy” and “my series,” I’ll take this opportunity to tell you its title: The Last Immortal.
Ooh! The title gives me shivers, Joey!
Yay! That’s the idea!
Although I’m not a fast writer, I find I write more quickly than I used to, and better, simply because I’ve learned to avoid making some mistakes in the first place.
Right now I’m tinkering with my brain trying to decide what to do next — doing research on different things, organizing notes, kind of tidying things up in the expectation that inspiration is coming to call.
Maybe I need some magic pixie dust. Clap if you believe in fairies.
Oh that’s too scary for me, Eric! LOL! I always have to have three or four projects waiting in the back of my mind. If I end a project without having turned the next one over in my mind a few times–or even knowing what the next one is–I get totally TERRIFIED that I’ll never have another idea again!
Geeze, just reading your comment is giving me heart palpitations! LOL!
Er, that probably didn’t help, huh? I am clapping for you! Fairies! Pixie dust! All coming your way, Eric!
Hey, I love your Tinker pic! My favorite fairy by far. lol. Well, I’m in the mulling, wading part of a new story. I’m doing revisions on my last novel in the p.m., and writing new pages in the a.m. only because they’re connecting stories!
We’re also taking a short trip to Alaska soon to visit our daughter, and I’m looking forward to the adventure! I know the break will give me a sense of renewal too. I’ll be leaving TN mug, and entering the fall weather up North. I plan on taking megga gulps of fresh air, and bringing home as much as I can!
LaDonna, isn’t she cute?! That’s really cool. I love sequels and series!
Alaska, really?! After all the time Glenn has spent in Alaska in the past few years, I still haven’t been! Oh please take pictures, will you?!
I am tinkering on needlework right now. Finishing off–finally!–a cross stitch that I finished stitching, but never outlined/embellished. You seriously do not want to know how long ago I finished it. It’s kind of relaxing and “mindless” in it’s way. I need mindless. School starts in 2 weeks.
Oh cool, Elizabeth! I brought my knitting along. I’ve been meaning to finish knitting a scarf for Glenn, but now that we’re leaving the cold behind… Still, it is SO relaxing in a mindless way!
Good luck with school! You’re awesome!
Tinkering is fun. I’m having trouble getting through each scene lately, not sure which way to go. I used to know the way I wanted to go. I don’t know what happened. But every once in a while, it flows, and I love it.
Edie, the flow isn’t happening for me as much as I’d like. I love it, too! This may sound weird, I kinda feel like the longer I write, the worse I get, LOL!
I’m fiddling around with recording an audio version of a friend’s book. It’s really fun. I’m totally into it. Thus, my writing is wilting away. . .
So cool, Robin! But… have you thought of recording an audio version of YOUR book? It’d be a hoot!
I’ve been working hard to try and improve my writing speed. I seem to be doing a bit better but overall I’m still a pretty slow writer.
Me, too, Charles. I don’t know. It’s so relative. I’m definitely slower than my goals, that’s for sure.
Ha! Coincidentally, I was fired from my audiobook gig today, and I am going to work on an audiobook version of Shrink Rap! You have psychic powers.
(In fairness, I wasn’t really fired. My friend lucked out and found a professional to do it in a real recording studio. I’m happy for her. Really. Kill. Kill. Stop that, Robin! Kill, kill. . .)
Oh awesome, Robin! That’s so cool!
Wow, a professional? That’s awesome, too!