What a wonderful post, Cathy! Congratulations on Shiloh – she's freaking adorable! I've been struggling with my novel revisions over the last few months, and this post really spoke to me. Thank you. Also - my son went through a Rubik's Cube phase a few years ago and they have many, many iterations now (cubes with 8 boxes per side, cubes that are actually hexagonal, cubes that are all silver) if you want to jump down that rabbit hole.
Thanks! I'm sorry you're struggling with your novel revisions! Any way I can help? Re: Rubiks--given my complete ineptitude with a traditional 3 by 3 I need to stick with what I know for now, though I think all my fiddling with Rubik's time has officially been coopted by Shiloh.
Yes - Rubik's cubes and new dogs don't seem to really mix! I guess when Shiloh is pooping you could whip out a cube to pass the time?! (Clearly, I do not have a dog.). Thank you for your offer. Your posts here are helpful! I thought my novel was ready to go out on sub but my agent had other ideas. I think she's right, but now the new thread that I need to weave in/changes I need to make seem so daunting that I can't seem to get myself in my seat to actually make the changes. This is rare for me, so I don't have a toolbox of tried and true strategies to make myself get down to work yet. I'm working on it! Thank you for your posts!
While Shiloh is pooping, one hand is full of treats I'm going to give her like she won the fucking lottery and the other hand is fumbling with a poop bag so the Mrs. Cravitz in the neighborhood knows I'm fully planning to keep it up and doesn't start screaming at me to do so thus scaring Shiloh off pooping outdoors. No time for Rubik's cube!
I think the first thing to do is ask yourself why you're daunted. If you're daunted because it's a giant task when you thought you'd crossed the finish line, that's one set of tools, but if you're daunted because some part of you doesn't like the way you've decided to handle whatever problem it is your agent wants to fix, that's another set of tools. And if you're daunted because you just came off of a very taxing school year and could use a break, that's another set of tools again. So ask yourself why are you daunted?
Ha! For some reason I'm picturing you asking me this in a Christopher Walken voice, gently (though kinda menacingly) swinging a bag of doggie poop in one hand... I think I'm daunted because of A and C here. Fortunately, I can see how the fix could really help the story. But I thought I'd crossed the finish line! And I'm tired!! I just want to snuggle with a cute puppy and let the book magically revise itself.
I love this so much--and only in part because YOU GOT A DOG! I love this line: "I’m not just a writer, and while your mileage may vary, I’ve found it’s dangerous to overidentify as a writer. " So true. And yes there is a whole life out there, and that's the whole point of writing--to live life and then, oh yeah, write about it. But live it. There's a great Richard Ford piece from a long-ago New York Times series. It's called something "Goofing off While the Muse Recharges" or something like that. Advocating the importance of NOT WRITING. And if it's for the sake of a PUPPY! Well, what more can one say?!
What a wonderful reminder. I've not overidentified as a writer, but I have chastised myself for not writing more times than fingers and toes can account for. I learned to stop that and ask why I wasn't writing, which invariably helped.
I'm leaning into my non-writer side this summer during the stretches when I am traveling which will be many. Aiming to enjoy and be present in those, and welcoming but not forcing the muse.
Welcoming not forcing is such a great mantra! When do you leave for Paris? Please go into Shakespeare and Company and take the stairs to the second floor for me. It's such a cool bookstore.
Heading to Amsterdam this week and from there to Paris next week. I'll try to get to Shakespeare & Co, and did not know about the 2nd floor. Probably not going to get to the better Van Gogh exhibit venue though. We've only got 4 days there. Thanks for your thoughtful recommendations, both!
What a wonderful post, Cathy! Congratulations on Shiloh – she's freaking adorable! I've been struggling with my novel revisions over the last few months, and this post really spoke to me. Thank you. Also - my son went through a Rubik's Cube phase a few years ago and they have many, many iterations now (cubes with 8 boxes per side, cubes that are actually hexagonal, cubes that are all silver) if you want to jump down that rabbit hole.
Thanks! I'm sorry you're struggling with your novel revisions! Any way I can help? Re: Rubiks--given my complete ineptitude with a traditional 3 by 3 I need to stick with what I know for now, though I think all my fiddling with Rubik's time has officially been coopted by Shiloh.
Yes - Rubik's cubes and new dogs don't seem to really mix! I guess when Shiloh is pooping you could whip out a cube to pass the time?! (Clearly, I do not have a dog.). Thank you for your offer. Your posts here are helpful! I thought my novel was ready to go out on sub but my agent had other ideas. I think she's right, but now the new thread that I need to weave in/changes I need to make seem so daunting that I can't seem to get myself in my seat to actually make the changes. This is rare for me, so I don't have a toolbox of tried and true strategies to make myself get down to work yet. I'm working on it! Thank you for your posts!
While Shiloh is pooping, one hand is full of treats I'm going to give her like she won the fucking lottery and the other hand is fumbling with a poop bag so the Mrs. Cravitz in the neighborhood knows I'm fully planning to keep it up and doesn't start screaming at me to do so thus scaring Shiloh off pooping outdoors. No time for Rubik's cube!
I think the first thing to do is ask yourself why you're daunted. If you're daunted because it's a giant task when you thought you'd crossed the finish line, that's one set of tools, but if you're daunted because some part of you doesn't like the way you've decided to handle whatever problem it is your agent wants to fix, that's another set of tools. And if you're daunted because you just came off of a very taxing school year and could use a break, that's another set of tools again. So ask yourself why are you daunted?
Ha! For some reason I'm picturing you asking me this in a Christopher Walken voice, gently (though kinda menacingly) swinging a bag of doggie poop in one hand... I think I'm daunted because of A and C here. Fortunately, I can see how the fix could really help the story. But I thought I'd crossed the finish line! And I'm tired!! I just want to snuggle with a cute puppy and let the book magically revise itself.
I can't help with the book magically revising itself, but once Shiloh's set in, I can totally help with the snuggling with a cute puppy front.
That sounds lovely!!!
Omg soooooo adorable!! And I’ve been wanting this book for awhile and you’ve convinced me.
Yay!!
Also, given what you said in your last post about your love of color, I think you will adore this book! So colorful!
It just arrived, and OMG this is amazing. I'm kicking myself for not getting it ages ago.
Right? I can't wait to tuck in!
I mean, clearly I _can_ wait given I've had it a year, but now that I'm ready to turn to it, I'm excited to finally be getting to it!
I love this so much--and only in part because YOU GOT A DOG! I love this line: "I’m not just a writer, and while your mileage may vary, I’ve found it’s dangerous to overidentify as a writer. " So true. And yes there is a whole life out there, and that's the whole point of writing--to live life and then, oh yeah, write about it. But live it. There's a great Richard Ford piece from a long-ago New York Times series. It's called something "Goofing off While the Muse Recharges" or something like that. Advocating the importance of NOT WRITING. And if it's for the sake of a PUPPY! Well, what more can one say?!
What a wonderful reminder. I've not overidentified as a writer, but I have chastised myself for not writing more times than fingers and toes can account for. I learned to stop that and ask why I wasn't writing, which invariably helped.
I'm leaning into my non-writer side this summer during the stretches when I am traveling which will be many. Aiming to enjoy and be present in those, and welcoming but not forcing the muse.
Welcoming not forcing is such a great mantra! When do you leave for Paris? Please go into Shakespeare and Company and take the stairs to the second floor for me. It's such a cool bookstore.
Heading to Amsterdam this week and from there to Paris next week. I'll try to get to Shakespeare & Co, and did not know about the 2nd floor. Probably not going to get to the better Van Gogh exhibit venue though. We've only got 4 days there. Thanks for your thoughtful recommendations, both!
No worries! I love leaving a place feeling like I could have used more time!