Living (and Writing) the Questions

This post from Rachel Held Evans' blog absolutely inspired me today.

I especially love the quote she cited from Anne Lamott, who is also brilliant:

"The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later…Just get it all down on paper, because there may be something great in those six crazy pages that you would never have gotten to by more rational, grown-up means. There may be something in the very last line of the very last paragraph on page six that you just love, that is so beautiful or wild that you now know what you’re supposed to be writing about, more or less, or in what direction you might go—but there was no way to get to this without first getting through the first five and a half pages. "

The journey is a part of the process.

Definitely go read Rachel's post. And if you get a moment, read her whole blog. It's awesome.

Roller Coasters and Writing: Experiencing the Click

If you've ever ridden a wooden roller coaster, maybe you remember how it goes--first the car leaves the station with a hiss of releasing brakes and a slight jerk. Usually the track twists a little, sometimes there's a slight dip to get the cars moving a little faster, and then there's the incline. You begin to go up the first hill based on speed gained through gravity alone, and then ... there's a jerk and a click as the safety rachet engages, and then a clack clack clack clack clack as the cars are dragged to the top.

And then you're flying.

Sometimes writing a book feels a bit like a roller coaster to me. And I don't mean that in the emotional way--although it definitely has those aspects too--but what I wanted to focus on is that click.

I can't write the book until I experience it, actually.

When I first think up a story and all the elements--characters, setting, conflict, resolution--everything is jumbled up. I can't see how it all flows together. I fumble with the characters, sifting through their personalities, weaknesses, strengths, trying to understand what makes them tick and what motivates them. I ruminate on the world and what challenges the setting presents. Sometimes I get impatient and try to start writing, only to delete chapters of material later. See, I'm waiting for the click.

Once it happens, the story grabs hold of me and drags me forward. Everything (voice, emotional resonance, theme) rushes together in a moment of clarity, and I can really begin, because now it all makes sense. It's like being pulled up that first hill. Then everything starts moving really, really fast.

I'm not sure how this could be taught or learned, or even adequately described. It's very instinctive to me, and based completely on intuition.

Do you ever experience "the click?"

Brain Storm

About half of my writing is subconscious, I think. Whenever I'm doing some heavy plotting, or if I've mulling over a particularly puzzling or tricky aspect of the story--even when I'm not actively thinking about the story--my head feels like it's full of rain-saturated storm clouds. Flashes of insight or inspiration skitter across my thoughts like lightning, and occasionally I experience a rumble of exasperation like thunder. But mostly I just feel heavy, full of rain, anxious to drop down words onto the page but not ready quite yet to do so.

It definitely feels like a brain storm.

This might explain, at least in part, why I am so prone to staring off into space and dropping the conversational ball at times. Brain storms.