Comments on: Dirt-caked treasures http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/ "Hitch your wagon to a star." —Ralph Waldo Emerson Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:48:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Ben http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-47773 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:49:53 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-47773 Andy: And that's the key -- once you can shut off the internal censor, the words just come. Like a Niagara. It can get you into sticky social situations when you say more than you intend to, but that's the price we writers pay. :P J: LOL, I'm definitely counting on meeting my wife somewhere in a library. Or a bookstore. :) Shirley: I agree -- overthinking can kill the flower before it has a chance to bloom. It's the too-many-cooks syndrome, except we're all the cooks. Letting go is the answer. (But keep in mind I'm talking about first drafts here -- revision generally <i>isn't</i> about letting go.) Andy: And that’s the key — once you can shut off the internal censor, the words just come. Like a Niagara. It can get you into sticky social situations when you say more than you intend to, but that’s the price we writers pay. :P

J: LOL, I’m definitely counting on meeting my wife somewhere in a library. Or a bookstore. :)

Shirley: I agree — overthinking can kill the flower before it has a chance to bloom. It’s the too-many-cooks syndrome, except we’re all the cooks. Letting go is the answer. (But keep in mind I’m talking about first drafts here — revision generally isn’t about letting go.)

]]> by: Shirley http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46859 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:17:41 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46859 Like, Andy, I'm trying to see writing that way. I do love it when it happens, i.e. "...uncovering something along the way that I didn't know was there." But I still seem to be wanting to be in control and know most everything I plan to say before I say it. It really does work better the other way--I think it has something to do with just letting oneself be guided by the Spirit. Why am I not more trusting and believing? I've experienced it with talking too where I did not really know what I was going to say--how to word it, but it came out better in the actual doing of it then anything I had tried to think through all the way. Okay, I'd better send this before I over-fix it! Like, Andy, I’m trying to see writing that way. I do love it when it happens, i.e. “…uncovering something along the way that I didn’t know was there.” But I still seem to be wanting to be in control and know most everything I plan to say before I say it. It really does work better the other way–I think it has something to do with just letting oneself be guided by the Spirit. Why am I not more trusting and believing? I’ve experienced it with talking too where I did not really know what I was going to say–how to word it, but it came out better in the actual doing of it then anything I had tried to think through all the way. Okay, I’d better send this before I over-fix it!

]]> by: J http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46857 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:38:05 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46857 Coming from the experienced side of the isle, I can tell you that it is better to dig in the dirt and scrape off the shiny stuff before you get cake in the face. Sometimes the dirt is the treasure that warns you of pending doom. Looks like you forgot to pack your flip-flops for Vegas. Oh well ~ sigh..., at least your readers won't die of a broken heart. Seriously Ben, I hope that you had a marvelous time. Have a nice day window shopping. Perhaps the woman of your dreams will walk out of the dusty archives in the library when you least expect it. Coming from the experienced side of the isle, I can tell you that it is better to dig in the dirt and scrape off the shiny stuff before you get cake in the face. Sometimes the dirt is the treasure that warns you of pending doom.

Looks like you forgot to pack your flip-flops for Vegas. Oh well ~ sigh…, at least your readers won’t die of a broken heart. Seriously Ben, I hope that you had a marvelous time. Have a nice day window shopping. Perhaps the woman of your dreams will walk out of the dusty archives in the library when you least expect it.

]]> by: Andy http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46856 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:24:09 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2007/09/05/dirt-caked-treasures/#comment-46856 I'm trying to see writing that way too, which is a big shift for me because usually I'm kind of scared off from writing unless what I'm going to say is right on my fingertips. Hopefully this will help me to write more. I’m trying to see writing that way too, which is a big shift for me because usually I’m kind of scared off from writing unless what I’m going to say is right on my fingertips. Hopefully this will help me to write more.

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