Friday, February 20, 2015

Seeing the Whole

Writing for me has been numerous rounds of building scenes, shaping characters, and forming plot lines. I work through bits and pieces and string them together. Then I let it all sit for awhile. Allow some time pass and come back to tackle it all again with a fresh eye. Maybe with a better understanding on how things fit together. Perhaps with a new insight or angle to explore.

During these breaks I’ll read something and a portion of it will stick out as perfect for me to use in my own work. It may be a word or two, something that isn’t in my working vocabulary. Sometimes it’s a clever idea of how a scene should go. Or perhaps a better way to strengthen a character or theme.

Something good always happens when I take the novel up again.

However, I’ve recently done two back-to-back readings and edits without any long breaks. It has given me a new feeling, a sense for the work as a whole. My novel has become familiar and friendly. Its own entity.

There is still much to do, all the fine finishing details, but I like the close, cozy feeling of experiencing the whole.

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