So for the month of November I’m going to try to post once a day. Not just “I’m flying to SF today for the day job” (though that is what I’m doing today.) No — I’m going to try to express some of my thinky thoughts on things. The chances that I’ll actually succeed at blogging every day are next to nil, particularly given how much I’m traveling this month. Still, I’m going to try.
This Sunday I did the Big Clean: I move smaller furniture out of a room, then sweep, swiffer and wash the floor. I also dust, put stuff away, file, etc. It takes me 6+ hours to do. I only do this level of cleaning twice a year (don’t judge me! It’s taken me a long time to accept my shortcomings.)
The reason I did it now, instead of waiting until January, was because my building was tuck-pointed this summer (the mortar drilled out between the bricks and replaced.) Also, the old paint was sanded off around all the windows (the tin work) and repainted. So there was construction dust that I really needed to clean out of the window jams.
However, when cleaning out the living room, I didn’t move everything out. I tend to be a completist, and this bothered me. It was quicker, but I moved furniture back too quickly, and left smudge trails.
This got me thinking about the novels. I realized when I started the second novel that I really couldn’t finish one novel at a time — I had to write all three together. Then I’ll have to revise all three together — I have to see the whole house, be able to easily move the furniture from one room to the other while I finish that final, last Big Clean.
I know that other people do it differently. I’m sure they clean just as thoroughly as I do. Maybe they lay out the rooms more appropriately for conversations and flow then I initially do. Maybe they see colors better (my color choices are good but pretty unconscious.)
I suspect that if I ever decide to write another trilogy I’ll end up doing it in the same method — all three books at a time. I love it but I’m tired of it at the same time. (New project so shiny and pretty!) I’m just too much of a completist to do them one at a time.
I know George RR Martin is the latest example of this, but haven’t a number of multi-volume stories bogged down in complexity because the author didn’t plot or work everything out in detail ahead of time? Maybe more large works would be completed if they followed your approach. ;>
Thanks for the encouragement!
I think it’s great that you deal with the big picture. Not everyone can hold all the plot threads in their minds at once, but then, with judicious editing, one doesn’t really have to “hold” for very long, eh?
It’s interesting dealing with an entire trilogy in my head instead of two novels at a time. Though actually, it’s the entire trilogy plus the new novel. . .
I know George RR Martin is the latest example of this, but haven’t a number of multi-volume stories bogged down in complexity because the author didn’t plot or work everything out in detail ahead of time? Maybe more large works would be completed if they followed your approach. ;>
Thanks for the encouragement!
I think it’s great that you deal with the big picture. Not everyone can hold all the plot threads in their minds at once, but then, with judicious editing, one doesn’t really have to “hold” for very long, eh?
It’s interesting dealing with an entire trilogy in my head instead of two novels at a time. Though actually, it’s the entire trilogy plus the new novel. . .