'This book is ready for the world, I have other books to write.'
As for any intimidation some may feel with the title, I'd agree: BS! It's a great fit.
Think Karl Ove Knausgaard: "Min Kamp" which went on to six volumes and was read by one in 9 Norwegians.
I have read (lightly) your posts. My family also has a struggle with classic mental disturbance. My own brother, a year younger and my best friend in childhood, was a committed psychiatric patient from age 19 until he gave up the ghost two years ago.
Thanks for reading, Iam. I'm quite attached to the title, yes.
Every day I marvel that I'm here despite the struggles in my family. The life I have isn't the one I thought I'd have - but it's a good life, arrived at through my own challenges and struggles and never giving up on myself or kindness to the world. I've been called naive. I've been called a sucker. I've been called a sap for some of the things that have happened. But I've not become a cynic nor lost my wonder in the world and belief that there is goodness to be found in most people.
Hi Lee! I am thinking about the stories I’ve heard about the evolution of stories and books. It’s often not so linear. Sometimes people give up for years, then go back and do complete rewrites, because they now can see their story in a new, more revelatory light. I know you want to be done, but maybe you need to let it rest a while, keep reading, work on the new book, like farmers letting fields go fallow, allowing a refresh. Often we are too close to our own work to be able to notice it’s proper shape. Patience is a maddening virtue, believe me, but in literary endeavors it’s probably one of the more important ones.
Safe travels! Hope to meet you in the coming months!!
David - Hey thanks for the perspective here. I actually think I'm very close to done. My realistic sense of things is that I'm at the beginning of my writing career (though a late start in life). This book is complete - it's a whittle and polish job now. If I leave that door open for changing it, it will never be done. That's one thing I've learned in this composing process.
I took two long 6 month breaks during the writing of the book to figure things out. This past calendar year has been the most productive, from finishing it to then revising/editing 4 times.
This morning, I looked over the helpful EfW comments again - I'm on track for trying a few things, understanding that emotional connection needed between narrator and reader.
I also think The Waste Land is intimidating to the marketplace. Agents/editors may not wish to take a risk on this original work. I think that's bs - find the right agent and it'll find the right slow in the marketplace. But that's why I need to get the agents and editors to read it so they see that it's not built of the same kind of difficulty, the TWL provides resonance and structure, not impediments.
At one point I thought - "oh, the 100th anniversary of The Waste Land is in 2022, I can meet that deadline....." Well, that was a fleeting thought. I had that in mind for a while, but the publishing part of this endeavor is not within my control nor a quick process, so I had to let that go. Life timing has never been my strong suit.
Patience ... haha! .... you haven't read parts 3 to 5. It's my strong suit. (When I was learning about borderline personality disorder, I learned that most relationships involving someone with bpd are 3-6 months. Mine was almost 15 years. That didn't fit the pattern. When I asked a counselor why, the counselor said, "well, that has to do with you and your famous patience and rationality.")
I've learned when to keep the band-aid on and let things heal and when to pull that band-aid off.
This book is ready for the world. I have more books to write!
We are very excited for our travels. Looking forward to settling into the pacific northwest, getting on the water again, and meetng you as well! It's a new life.
lee,
'This book is ready for the world, I have other books to write.'
As for any intimidation some may feel with the title, I'd agree: BS! It's a great fit.
Think Karl Ove Knausgaard: "Min Kamp" which went on to six volumes and was read by one in 9 Norwegians.
I have read (lightly) your posts. My family also has a struggle with classic mental disturbance. My own brother, a year younger and my best friend in childhood, was a committed psychiatric patient from age 19 until he gave up the ghost two years ago.
Best endeavors once settled into new home.
Thanks for reading, Iam. I'm quite attached to the title, yes.
Every day I marvel that I'm here despite the struggles in my family. The life I have isn't the one I thought I'd have - but it's a good life, arrived at through my own challenges and struggles and never giving up on myself or kindness to the world. I've been called naive. I've been called a sucker. I've been called a sap for some of the things that have happened. But I've not become a cynic nor lost my wonder in the world and belief that there is goodness to be found in most people.
I'm ready for more adventures.
Hi Lee! I am thinking about the stories I’ve heard about the evolution of stories and books. It’s often not so linear. Sometimes people give up for years, then go back and do complete rewrites, because they now can see their story in a new, more revelatory light. I know you want to be done, but maybe you need to let it rest a while, keep reading, work on the new book, like farmers letting fields go fallow, allowing a refresh. Often we are too close to our own work to be able to notice it’s proper shape. Patience is a maddening virtue, believe me, but in literary endeavors it’s probably one of the more important ones.
Safe travels! Hope to meet you in the coming months!!
David - Hey thanks for the perspective here. I actually think I'm very close to done. My realistic sense of things is that I'm at the beginning of my writing career (though a late start in life). This book is complete - it's a whittle and polish job now. If I leave that door open for changing it, it will never be done. That's one thing I've learned in this composing process.
I took two long 6 month breaks during the writing of the book to figure things out. This past calendar year has been the most productive, from finishing it to then revising/editing 4 times.
This morning, I looked over the helpful EfW comments again - I'm on track for trying a few things, understanding that emotional connection needed between narrator and reader.
I also think The Waste Land is intimidating to the marketplace. Agents/editors may not wish to take a risk on this original work. I think that's bs - find the right agent and it'll find the right slow in the marketplace. But that's why I need to get the agents and editors to read it so they see that it's not built of the same kind of difficulty, the TWL provides resonance and structure, not impediments.
At one point I thought - "oh, the 100th anniversary of The Waste Land is in 2022, I can meet that deadline....." Well, that was a fleeting thought. I had that in mind for a while, but the publishing part of this endeavor is not within my control nor a quick process, so I had to let that go. Life timing has never been my strong suit.
Patience ... haha! .... you haven't read parts 3 to 5. It's my strong suit. (When I was learning about borderline personality disorder, I learned that most relationships involving someone with bpd are 3-6 months. Mine was almost 15 years. That didn't fit the pattern. When I asked a counselor why, the counselor said, "well, that has to do with you and your famous patience and rationality.")
I've learned when to keep the band-aid on and let things heal and when to pull that band-aid off.
This book is ready for the world. I have more books to write!
We are very excited for our travels. Looking forward to settling into the pacific northwest, getting on the water again, and meetng you as well! It's a new life.
Ok! Looking forward to your strong suit!