Writing journey
Change is a given
Late last year I wrote about receiving a bicycle for my birthday and my challenges in learning how to ride. My comparison to that and writing garnered some interesting and thoughtful comments. It touched on something that many of us feel. Failure and our lack of capability.
Fear can drive many other emotions: vulnerability, insecurity and critical thoughts. Also swearing, lots of swearing. As opposed to writing, I had to look at form Instead of style, instead of plot destination, instead of characters it was all about me. And now, like writing, the time had come to reassess.
So perhaps you are wondering how things are going? It all came to grinding halt one afternoon after another fruitless session with a sudden realization. As a chronic migraine sufferer dizziness and mild vertigo are a reality I have to deal with. Whiplash from many years ago does not help.
Therefore, my reality is that there isn’t a hope in Hades I am ever going to balance on my beautiful bike.
When you are writing work-arounds are necessary. You have a scene planned out and then your research tells you that it’s improbable. Continuing down the path of an unlikely scenario will be off-putting for your readers. Riding my bike seems highly improbable and to all intent, impossible.
How can I make it work? By adapting. Just like writing, adapting is necessary. When our beta-readers make valuable points we adapt. When an editor tears our manuscript (MS) to shreds we modify. When our readers make constructive criticism we tailor.
So I have adapted the bike to meet my needs. I’ve added support wheels that are the adult version of training wheels. While I could have used them as trainers I decided to have them level with my bike’s wheel so that in effect I’m on the road with four wheels. Three in the back and one in the front. My super tricycle is pictured below.
The modifications make the bicycle hard to turn so I will have to master that but hey, I’m upright and moving along. Maybe that is totally like writing. Sitting up in your chair, feet firmly planted and a gleam in your eye. Excitement at what is ahead is a given.
What strategies do you use to make your MS work? How important is environment to your writing? What puts the gleam in your eye?
~ June Lorraine
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