Probably, indeed, the larger part of the labor of an author composing his work is critical labor; the labor of sifting, combining, constructing, expunging, correcting, testing. This frightful toil is as much critical as creative. ~T.S. Eliot
The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish. ~Terence McKenna
Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences. ~Anne McCaffrey
The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. ~Robert Cormier
If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then probably what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. ~ John Irving
Sometimes making stuff up feels a lot like Coyote* running across the empty space between one rocky pinnacle and the next, and as long as you keep moving you're fine. When you stop and look down, it's suddenly all too apparent that there's absolutely nothing underneath and that you're keeping in the air by a peculiar effort of will.
And then a good day comes, and you start running through the air once again, and, if you're smart, you resolutely don't look down. ~Neil Gaiman
I will finish the revisions tonight if it kills me. It may kill me. I don't care. They will be done.
Tomorrow is officially the last day of teaching for this school year. Tomorrow, I officially begin my sabbatical, which will last until August. Tomorrow, I no longer have to check my campus email, no longer have to answer phone calls. I will be a ghost. Tomorrow is perhaps one of the most beautiful days on the planet.
In a few days we will depart for the dysfunctional family Christmas (okay, it's pretty functional, but I just broke the news to my mother that I don't really share her religion and she's, well, sorry for me and I'm sure all efforts will be made to bring me round and keep me from tainting my children). Here's the thing. I like dysfunctional family Christmas. I will be with family and I will get to cook and I will get to hang out with people I haven't see in a long time, and did I mention I won't be prepping any classes for next semester? Did I mention that?
Right now, I am not stressing. Not freaking. Not panicking. How cool is that? I mean, given I still have a chunk to go in the revisions and just hit one of those scenes I need to add and it will be a good 4-5 pages scene at least.
I have mailed no holiday cards, nor given out any gifts to friends I want to share with. I will do that late, in January, and my friends will totally understand and sympathize and more than that, they will not expect any different. After all, January is just as good a time for thinking about and caring about your fellow humans beings as December. Perhaps better. It's more unexpected.
Hang strong. Only a few more little things before the deep breathing can be a regular thing! I love sabbaticals. Man, do I love them. I wish you the best possible sabbatical EVAH.
Well, I guess we're both off in January!! :) Of course, mine will be a drug-enduced ride of wonder, but still... my vacation this year sucked b/c it was spent in pain. I'm hoping that I get to write though. Rapunzel is almost done, then I want to start back on the Hand. Oh how I miss it!! :)