Revision & Perspective

Revision can be more fun than writing. For me work either comes out fully formed or I have to sculpt it, chipping away to discover what beauty lies beneath and chuck what’s weighing it down. (I also start rewriting the plot halfway through but that’s another tedious, labor-intensive story).

In order to do this well, there comes a time to put the work away.

It’s too easy to stay in conversation with my intentions, too blinded by what’s in my head to see what’s actually on the page. Time and distance can help me regain perspective, and perspective is key.

 

From the Imagine Museum in St. Pete. The collection is well worth a visit.

 

 

Only when I fully transition from author to editor does each plot point, character, setting and scene settle into a story. That’s when I found it if was the one I meant to write, the one I discovered along the way, or something else altogether.

I have to say this is one way I find poetry, songwriting and multimedia narratives to be easier labors. They’re quite sure of what and where they are and most certainly where they’re going. Even when they come in pieces.

Each form has its own charm of course. What novels lack in ease they make up for in capacity. Few structures can hold the complexity or allow the same immersion. (Though I admit the challenge of creating stories off the page that can and maintain their grace is compelling.) But first, it’s time to open the box and look at the novel with a fresh perspective, one last pass.

Wish me luck.