Tuesday 2 March 2010

Maple syrup and ideas running

mainly sunny, temps zero

It's a perfect late winter day. A little on the mild side - but perfect for maple syrup season. Apparently it's a great year so far for syrup producers...they need lots of snow (which we've had) - then days above freezing and nights when the temperatures dip back down.

We once considered tapping some of our trees but decided it was too much work... we'd also thought about getting bee hives and producing honey (notice we have not considered growing turnips or brussell sprouts - but maple syrup and honey. If we could grow gummy bears and hot cross buns, we would)...but it became clear that if you produce honey you also produce bears. We found this less attractive.

Fed the birds this morning - the off to Cowansville for breakfast while Deanna cleaned. We just get in the way.

Home by 11am, and right to work.

Just finished the pages for the day. 16-hundred words so far. Finished the first chapter. And made notes on thoughts for the next chapter. i find especially at the beginning of a book it's crucial to keep that momentum going - to always know where I'm going next. When I get back to the book the first thing I do is re-read the work from the day before...this helps get me back into it, and i can smooth and add. Did a lot of that today. I find I do more of that at the beginning of a book - because I'm getting more and more familiar with the story. Connecting with it. And so the details, the little turns of phrases, often come to me when I'm reading over the pages from the previous day. To be added.

Fun, and a bit of a relief, to be getting deeper and deeper into the book - in my head. To hear conversations, to see scenes. To finally heave BURY YOUR DEAD behind and move into A WORLD OF SIGHS.

As you see, I only briefly visit the 'real' world. It's such a fascinating, strange, life - being a writer. living so much in my head - trying to open my heart to inspiration - seeing things that don't actually exist. hearing voices.

As you see, I'm preparing the ground work in case I'm ever charged with a crime.

Speak to you tomorrow.

5 comments:

lil Gluckstern said...

So you made me laugh out loud again-writing it out, does that make me a troglodyte? I love the image of maple syrup and birds dotting the snow. You sure can write! I am enjoying your creative process again. Your title is already intriguing. Thanks for letting us share the journey.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious about your process....Do you have some sort of plot outline before you start, or do you just barge ahead and see where your writing takes you?

scribe said...

Do you have the whole story singing in your head when you start to write it? Do you know the ending and write backwards from it -- guess not, if you're writing Ch. One, but do you have the end in sight? It's so generous of you to do this for those of us wannabees. I also love the title. Thank you.

Diane said...

Your generosity amazes me - there should be an award given to those published, successful authors, like yourself, who reach out to those who are in the throes of creating their own works.

Kudos to you. If there were such an award, you would have my vote. Not back to my own WIP feeling charged. Diane

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi all,

So glad you're enjoying following the process - it can be pretty terrifying at times. Especially when it feels like I'm just spinning my wheels.

And yes, I always know quite a bit about the plot etc before I start.