awash in words

Editing had once again become a dance I so enjoy to be a participant in. It was a bit rocky getting started but now that I’ve found the rhythm I’m having so much fun. 


In the beginning self doubt came for a visit. It was unwelcome but I gave it space to teach me what it might. Turns out, ‘time doth make the heart grow fonder’ is not always true, sometimes it simply makes it dull and one must choose to become sharply in love once again. So it took my years of perseverance and learned self discipline to pick the pen up the second day. But pick the pen up I did and I had the most fun awash in the land of words and imaginings. 


I’ve officially lost count of how many times I’ve fallen in love with my book and its story. It seems that every time I come back after a break no matter the distances I rediscover my love for the story. Which could come from two places that I can think of, either I’ve got a healthy view of my own art and can love it flaws and all, or it just may be a good piece and so it is not so hard to love. Either way I think I’ll remember this book for all my life, even if it is never published. Because they say you never forget your first love, and I suppose that applies to first novels as well. 


I’d still say I love the first draft part better, its more fun I think. The writing process is enjoyable to me at all stages but that first draft is full of so much potential and freedom, there’s little else like it. To some I could see how it would be daunting with all its blank pages and the like. But to me those empty spaces are simply more space to make magic with, more space to do with what I please. 


But alas I am awash in edits, revisions, and continuity corrections, all of which could probably keep me busy for a life time if I let it. So it will be most important to know when to stop, to know when I’ve hit the point that it’s good enough. Because mostly all art never has an end place unless you choose it yourself. At least thats how I’ve found it to be. It could always be “better” or more refined, more polished; but the cracks, smudges, lose ends, plot holes, and leftover crumbs, they signify the beauty of art thats come for the human heart. And truly I haven’t met a piece of art that came flooding from the heart that I couldn’t love. 


So back to the dance of editing I return, awed by the beauty of the human heart and that which flows forth from it. 

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