all the pages from 10 years of off and on, working on this story (called Echo), taken out of notebooks, typed up, printed out, put in a binder, over 60,000 words, but there are also repeats in here, notes taken down about the same scenes over the years, emotional directional notes, garden observation notes, and a few pep talks. I sarted this process of notebook typing up, not this past summer but the one before. (like finding needles in haystacks, I used to write parts down randomly here and there in notebooks with all sorts of other things tucked in them randomly here and there)
because my notes are not in order, I print out a second copy of my notes, cut them up and place them on boards, and then I can arrange the boards sequentially. Only thing is, I keep getting more information, as time goes on, and then there isn't enough room on the boards I already have done, not a big deal you say, buy more boards, but these boards I can not find anywhere, and the whole thing used to be nice, it used to be color coded, by when, and who, and present or past, and now it isn't anymore.
Character pages. Funny thing though, the small white page is my main character, you would think I would have more down on him wouldn't you? But the really long one is the character who wants to be I, wants to tell the story.
Ah, and this is what I have to do today, cut and paste, and add the last of my notes, fold them into time. I don't want to do it. I couldn't do it without my ipod.
I hope to directly type in future notes, but I am sure there will be more notebook stuff.
Sitting here, with this stuff before me, I can see the beauty in the process of just jumping right in, in starting with a blank page and an open mind. Clearly that is not the path I have set out for myself. I feel like I have this world of words, that I have to wrestle with and somehow make it all flow and go together, pieces peices everywhere, on the floor, stuck in my hair, I breathe them in the very air. (oh yes sometimes with the glue stick and all, I do find I get pieces stuck in my hair)
It amazes me to realize- all this time, and work, I have put into this story already and no rough draft, none at all. I spook every time I try, and run away.
7 comments:
Your notes are beyond impressive! I have faith that you will be a typing manuscript machine shortly if you aren't already. It's all there, my dear, you just need to put it together.
I can't wait to read "Echo."
Songatrice,
Thank you (you are positive and optimistic, I like that).
Nope, no typing machine as of yet.
Just taking a frustration break.
First, I cut out all my papers, then moved downstairs to the formal living room, spread all the boards out in a line, (which will really upset Bob when he gets home later) and am now attempting to place all the little lines of words where they belong. Trouble is, some lines/notes just don't fit into one time, they say stuff like "oh such and such happens because such and such happened earlier and this effects such and such later", and then I have no idea where to put them. ?????
Wow, you really are positive and optimitsic if you can't wait to read it! :) It takes place somewhere I have never been Japan, the main character is a man (as far as I know I have never been one of those), there is a sweet little longhair Japanese Bobtail cat who wants to be the narrator (for reasons which he has explained to me, over and over again, and which I understand but if he tells the story my telling the story gets much harder to do) (oh and I have, as far as I know, never been a cat either).
Oh but there is a flower garden, and that I do know something about.
I don't know what genre it is. And it isn't a children's book, though at first I thought it was.
I hope your sunniness is serving you well in this process. GO SOGNATRICE!!! :)
Wow Taffiny you have a book there that just needs to be assembled. I am starting this NaNo with a blank page and I don't think it is any easier going (not that comparisons do justice to either of our plights). I'm falling back into autobiographical elements which isn't all bad but doesn't feel too brave. Enjoying the pictures of the last couple of posts.
Matthew
Matthew,
Hi. Oh I would be having a panic attack if I didn't have all this stuff already, but with it I feel overwhelmed by trying to manage it. You are right, no need to compare, ups and downs to both ways. I am so tired right now, just finished all the cut and paste business, took a lot longer than I could have imagined. I hope your writing is going well. Autobiographical elements sound good to me. No matter what I think I am writing about, I tend to find myself in it in some way.
am sure you will find that once you get going everything will fall into place. We never stop learning how to write - you have to be self taught, no one can show you actually how the mechanics work. It is a personal thing.
I don't plan a bean, I just write, and I am often envious of those with tidy minds that can find a way to organise their minds.
Good luck - go with the flow!
Minx,
Thanks for the advice. And I know you are right, I just have to go through it, and learn, and work it out as I go along, still, I can't help but wish there was another way.
My mind is not organized at all! Nor is my stuff. That is why I am having to go through this process, of organizing, so that I can think through it.
I think it is neat, that there are so many ways to go about writing. I just hope my way, turns out to be functional, or worthy of attempting to make work, in the end.
Thanks for coming by, to everyone. I hope I will get to make my blog rounds today, I missed everyone yesterday.
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