Sometimes writers are misunderstood.
People believe if we're not putting fingers to keyboard (or pen to paper) that we're not actually writing. They don't realize the amount of writing that gets done in our heads throughout the time we're not actually at the computer (paper). When writers get that far away look in their eye, one of two things is happening. Either she has realized something vitally important to her story and is trying to figure out how to fit it in. Or else she may have left the water running in the bathroom and is trying to remember if she will come home to a lake or not. Case in point, I haven't spent a ton of time actually physically working on my manuscript this week. However, I've had one person reading the first 8 chapters for me, and I've been figuring out in my head how I might incorporate those changes. Then last night while at dinner, I was asked if I've gotten any more work done on my book. To which I answered, "Yes, but it's all in my head." Needless to say, I got that strange "You're full of it" look back, followed by an "Uh-huh. So you've done nothing."No! I haven't done nothing. I've been trying to figure out how to pull an entire subplot out of the story and what to replace it with, b/c when I do, I'm going to lose some serious page count.
See? Sometimes we're just misunderstood.
posted by Erin @ 9:24 AM
2 Comments:
I can relate. Most of my engineering breakthroughs came when I was away from the computer. Of course, no one was ever all that interested in what I was doing anyways. (At some point, when someone asks you what you do, tell them that you do computer chip research. They'll instantly turn and stop speaking to you.
Good writing reflects good thinking.
David
You are so right! That's one of the things my husband never understands. I can be sitting in front of my computer staring at my fingernails and he thinks I'm procrastinating. Actually, I'm doing the all important mental part of writing!
Post a Comment
<< Home