a chunk of drabble
Seated in front of the computer at work. Headphones on. Heavy thumping bass, ballistic drums, razor wire guitar riffs. In the groove, fingers nimble on the keyboard. This is why I love this job, I can settle into my own world and look at all I've accomplished at the end of the day.
Sudden grip on my shoulder, shadow swooping down on me. Heat and breath and something moving. I react automatically.
Thankfully the yearly reviews were two weeks ago. Elbowing one's project manager hard in the belly does not lead to glowing write-ups in the folder. But, hey, my team leader knows to stand out of arm's reach.
Ah, the poetry tour went down succesfully, and I'm ready to return to the columns again. It was WONDERFUL to see so many people out in California!
About the column:
As I've been readying the next installment of "How to Succeed As A Failing Writer" for its return in a week or two, it's occurred to me that I'd like to know what YOU want me to write about, so now's your chance--please send me questions about writing to victor@quantumredhead.com, and I'll try to answer some every few weeks. I can't guarantee the answers will be good, but, eh, we'll see. 8)
Please put the phrase "Failing Writer" in the subject line, so I can filter it all to the correct mailbox.
See you soon!
Remind me that it's OK to write a shitty first draft.
Oh man, Susan, is it ever okay to write a shitty first draft.
It's just frustrating. I usually don't have this much trouble even getting close to what I'm looking for. I'm just plowing through and making notes to myself about what I want the scene to accomplish so I'll know how to edit it. And what really sucks is this is coming just days after I was totally in the zone. I changed POV characters--a totally necessary change, I think--and the whole thing ground to a screeching halt on me and has been limping along ever since. And I don't even think it's that I don't understand the character or anything. It's just not working.
Well, leave those notes and let the scene simmer until you can attack it later in a few days. Some time away can work wonders.
Not really a big believer in time away. Not in cases like this, anyway. Time away makes a rusty writer. It's not like I'm dealing with writer's block or stress in other parts of my life. It's just a tough scene, and I feel like all I'm putting down is the bare skeleton of what happens. I'm going to have to layer in everything else--the emotion, the sensory details, everything. And I'm not good at that kind of editing. But I need to learn.
What about this? It sounds like you were "in the zone" writing from another character's POV. Can you continue the story in the POV you're working well in, and come back to this difficult part later on? You may fall into that character's POV more naturally at a different part in the story, and while "inhabiting" that character this tough scene may not be as tough. Just a thought.
Well, I'm almost done with the scene now. I think I'm going to push through tonight, rough as it is, until I get to the end. Tomorrow I doubt I'll get to even look at it till late at night--we're having company for dinner, so there's a house to clean, and I have a potluck with my RWA chapter for lunch. Hopefully with 24 hours rest I can start building in what needs to be there. And if past experience is any guide, it's probably not so horrible and soulless as I think it is.
Whew. Done. And I think I actually hit some decent notes toward the end. Now I'll give myself a break until I start typing it in tomorrow after dinner.
