Nut and Bolts, and Writing.
Last week was my husband's birthday. I really wanted to do a few nice things for him, but we don't need more 'stuff'', you know? After all, Christmas was just a couple of weeks ago.
So, instead, I decided to update some pictures around our house with the portraits we took last September. I gave it my husband and her loved it. But I still wanted to do more. We only get birthday's once a year and he deserved something nice.
We've had this small bookcase that we've been meaning to put together for a while to better organize the stuff in our coat closet. My husband is a huge fan of organized (he's cleaner than me, seriously) So I thought it would be awesome if I did it myself and surprised him when he got home.
There's instructions so it's no big deal, right? All I needed was a screwdriver and a hammer and I felt pretty confident in my skills with those. Even though I had never done it before, I had the tools a believed I would succeed.
Since I think about writing 58% of the time, I immediately wondered what I kind of metaphor I could compare this experience to.
Then it hit me. Sometimes I'm a little too confident with the craft of writing. Sometimes I just hit the page running and when I go to edit it turns out I've put on everything wrong. Which is totally true in my case, becasue it seems like every time I write I book, I have to re-write it.
If only we had instructions we could refer to for this writing thing! But all we have are basic tip guides to help us through, and we have to experience the trial in order to make our writing stronger. Just like I know I'll get better at putting furniture together the more I try, the better writer I'll become if I just keep writing and keep editing until I find out what works for me.
It might take me a few books, and my hands might get sore, but in the end I'll be a stronger writer becasue of it.
So, instead, I decided to update some pictures around our house with the portraits we took last September. I gave it my husband and her loved it. But I still wanted to do more. We only get birthday's once a year and he deserved something nice.
We've had this small bookcase that we've been meaning to put together for a while to better organize the stuff in our coat closet. My husband is a huge fan of organized (he's cleaner than me, seriously) So I thought it would be awesome if I did it myself and surprised him when he got home.
There's instructions so it's no big deal, right? All I needed was a screwdriver and a hammer and I felt pretty confident in my skills with those. Even though I had never done it before, I had the tools a believed I would succeed.
To make a long story short, I ended up building the thing, then re-building it becasue everything was on backwards and upside-down. I thought I followed the instructions well, but no. I had to learn through trial and error too.
Since I think about writing 58% of the time, I immediately wondered what I kind of metaphor I could compare this experience to.
Then it hit me. Sometimes I'm a little too confident with the craft of writing. Sometimes I just hit the page running and when I go to edit it turns out I've put on everything wrong. Which is totally true in my case, becasue it seems like every time I write I book, I have to re-write it.
If only we had instructions we could refer to for this writing thing! But all we have are basic tip guides to help us through, and we have to experience the trial in order to make our writing stronger. Just like I know I'll get better at putting furniture together the more I try, the better writer I'll become if I just keep writing and keep editing until I find out what works for me.
It might take me a few books, and my hands might get sore, but in the end I'll be a stronger writer becasue of it.
Comments
You're right, though.Writing and constructing furniture definitely have similarities!
Perseverance and practise are the key words - both in writing and furniture building.
Congratulations on 300 followers!
I like how you related this to the craft of writing. I read, read, read so many instruction books on writing and yet still manage to put my writing together incorrectly. No matter. As you implied, do-overs with writing are completely acceptable and in fact, probably a required part of the process. Still a "put slot A into tab B" would be helpful!
I hope your hubby had a good birthday.
But, here's too learning from our mistakes, a sure way to improve.
I'm a slow writer, made worse by the fact I'm a perfectionist and will ponder every word and sentence before I write it. I guess that helps, because editing isn't very difficult. Not that I like being the slow writer...
we could refer to for this
writing thing!" <==YES!
Sometimes when I write I think "this isn't so bad..." and then I step back, look at the big picture, reread it and I think "wow, that's terrible" and then I rewrite it.
What a great analogy and I really hope your hubby appreciated your efforts!
That's a great metaphor for writing too. How often does anyone get it right on the first try, right? :D
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
glad you got it done, i know he appreciated your hard work (and prob had a laugh w/you too)
Good to stop by and catch up on your blog a bit!
I get your analogy. So many authors that I respect and admire, say, "just write that first draft- get it done. Write it fast. Don't worry about what it looks like." I get the reasoning for it, but you're right, it often means a heck of a lot of revisions and editing.
Happy birthday to you and your husband. Mine is the 13th and my husband's is the 16th, so we are the same way about gifts, so soon after Christmas.
Hope the shelf turned out okay in the end. :-D
Sorry, didn't mean to ramble. I stopped by because of the healthy writers club, but will most definitely be back -- loved your piece!