And I am a writer, writer of fictions
Feb. 1st, 2011 09:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
timerippleI am the heart that you call home
And I’ve written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
Finished this round of revisions, at last. (I started titling every new file That Damn Paper [insert date here]. I have a lot of files that start with That Damn Paper now.) Admittedly I have not exactly been losing sleep over them, but it is good to be done. I can have fun again! I can watch the rest of Avatar! I can allow my colleagues to tie me to a chair with duct tape and force me to watch more Slings & Arrows! I can watch drama upon drama upon drama WITHOUT SHAME OR REMORSE.
The past 24 hours’ work was accomplished on nothing more than half a plastic cup of Thai iced tea and an enormous quantity of Gatorade. I am hopeful (probably in vain) that Gatorade has replaced chai as my writing drink of choice. It probably has about the same amount of sugar, but it also has actual nutritional value and is much, much cheaper.
There comes a time in the writing process when I simply have to turn my brain off and type. Otherwise I never get anything done; too much thinking about it prevents action. I re-wrote this paper in my head at least five times before I finally sat down last night and got it going, chai or no chai. I was ruthless. I cut out enormous chunks of things, said things that I didn’t think needed to be said, hung paragraphs together on a whim and hoped my transitional sentences held. Then I succumbed to my growing migraine, went to bed, got up this morning, and did it again.
I always tell people that no, I didn't go to grad school to be a writer. Joke's on me, I guess.
And if you don't love me let me go
And if you don't love me let me go
And I’ve written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
Finished this round of revisions, at last. (I started titling every new file That Damn Paper [insert date here]. I have a lot of files that start with That Damn Paper now.) Admittedly I have not exactly been losing sleep over them, but it is good to be done. I can have fun again! I can watch the rest of Avatar! I can allow my colleagues to tie me to a chair with duct tape and force me to watch more Slings & Arrows! I can watch drama upon drama upon drama WITHOUT SHAME OR REMORSE.
The past 24 hours’ work was accomplished on nothing more than half a plastic cup of Thai iced tea and an enormous quantity of Gatorade. I am hopeful (probably in vain) that Gatorade has replaced chai as my writing drink of choice. It probably has about the same amount of sugar, but it also has actual nutritional value and is much, much cheaper.
There comes a time in the writing process when I simply have to turn my brain off and type. Otherwise I never get anything done; too much thinking about it prevents action. I re-wrote this paper in my head at least five times before I finally sat down last night and got it going, chai or no chai. I was ruthless. I cut out enormous chunks of things, said things that I didn’t think needed to be said, hung paragraphs together on a whim and hoped my transitional sentences held. Then I succumbed to my growing migraine, went to bed, got up this morning, and did it again.
I always tell people that no, I didn't go to grad school to be a writer. Joke's on me, I guess.
And if you don't love me let me go
And if you don't love me let me go
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-02-02 02:29 am (UTC)Oh, and for putting That Damn Paper XX-XX-XXX behind you, too. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-02 02:37 am (UTC)I figure the worst that can happen is the journal says "Nope, still don't like it, you blew your chance to fix it, better luck next time!" In which case I still win, since I won't have to deal with That Damn Paper any more!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-02 02:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-02 05:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-03 02:39 am (UTC)Colleagues who tape you to a chair for the purpose of Slings and Arrows are to be cherished.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-03 05:23 am (UTC)Yes they are! I love my colleagues so much. The other day this happened:
COLLEAGUE: *scribbles alternate lyrics to various songs*
ME: You should write stuff for Da Vinci’s Notebook.
COLLEAGUE: *busts out with “Title of the Song” in the middle of the sales floor*
ME: *jawdrop*
BOTH: ...and my resultant lack of sleep and appetite!
BOTH: AWESOME.