Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Calling in from revision land …



 Hey all! As predicted, revisions are keeping me busy, busy, busy. Lots of tightening of scenes and some big fat tranches of wholesale re-writing have ensued since last I blogged ... and I *think* I’m on track to make my May 31st deadline, but boy, it’ll be tight. 

And if all this busy scribbling is not clue enough that I’m deep into revisions, the fact I suddenly have the urge to clean - me, for whom even the mere thought of housework sends a cold chill snaking down my spine - completely confirms it. And I'm not talking about wanting to do a quick tidy up here and there; no, what I find myself itching, positively itching, to do, is to clean every single window of the house inside and out. Even the six, second story windows! As we are about to head into winter and its attendent window-dirtying weather, this urge of mine is particularly insane. And smells suspiciously like procrastination to me. I will not cave. I will not!

On the whole, I'm pleased with how this round of revisions is shaping up. I've even had a few of those magical days where I was right in the "zone": you know, where your plot twists excite the pants off you, and your dialogue is snappy and your descriptions are rare gems of perfection and the words flow effortlessly from your finger tips … which had me pondering (OK, bemoaning) why these days don't happen more often. Why can't writing be like this all the time? Life would be so much easier. 

And then I thought about that some more, and now I'm not so certain. 

Imagine being that switched on, all the time? The mental and physical drain of it! You'd be a wrung out mess within a week, I'm sure. And without the many (many many) crappy writing days we endure, how on earth would we ever recognise - and be so grateful for -  the good ones when they finally come round?

It makes you think, doesn't it?

Anyways, enough of my ponderings. I'd best get my nose back to the grindstone ... and speaking of noses,  I'll leave you with this interesting little video - all about what makes old books smell the way they do. Mmm, I  really love that smell. I wonder if anyone's bottled it ....

Until next time!

5 comments:

  1. What a fascinating parallel to the nesting urge that comes before a baby is due :) Certainly must be a sign that the arrival is imminent! Write on!

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  2. Rachel,
    I thought of nesting, too! And I've never been pregnant. ; )

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  3. Ah Rachel! Being in The Zone is such a rare and lovely place to be. Enjoy!

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  4. Ooh, sounds lovely Rachel. Hope some of that vibe rubs off on me. I'm sort of stuck in an "I suck and I'll never finish editing" mode...

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