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April 09, 2008
Lessons Learned
It took a paper landslide to get me to face the obvious: I really needed to clean off my desk. Tidy up my office. So I've spent the last few hours doing just that. And I was rewarded for my diligence. Not only can I now find my desk, I found all kinds of wonderful treasures heretofore lost to the world.
For instance, a small yellow lined notepad captured true wisdom from David Small, when he spoke to the Forum on Children's Literature in Orem, Utah: "Complaining and whining are a big part of my creative process. I think it' s the best way to start a project." David and I have a lot in common, in addition to being fans of Russell Hoban's A Mouse and His Child.
On the same yellow pad, I captured this unexpected snack tip from savvy YA writer Ann Dee Ellis: "Pour a layer of kernels in the bottom of a brown paper lunch sack and roll the top down twice. Zap for 1 minute and 20 seconds for cheap, tasty microwave popcorn."
Again from Utah, this time from editor Alexandra Penfold: "Writing is believing and this belief starts with believing in yourself."
Deeper down in the pile, I found a Valentine card from a new friend, met on my paperback tour for Hattie; a business card for a teacher in Wisconsin I was supposed to send a photo to; and some paperwork for a conference I'm speaking at in June. I sent the photo and tackled the paperwork.
Just as I sometimes need to clean off my desk to create elbow room to work, it seems I also sometimes need to clear out the clutter in my head, too. So even though I need to be working on the revision of Novel in Progress (or NIP as I've been calling it), I took time today to make space for that work by jotting down notes for a picture book that have been rattling around in my brain, demanding attention. I also spent some time working on a short story I've been mulling over. I can't tell you how good it feels not to have those two things threatening to topple over onto my novel.
If today's work doesn't help tomorrow's rewrite session, then I'll take my cue from David Small and do a lot of whining and complaining.
Posted by kirby at April 9, 2008 04:40 PM