Quick Quotes
August 3rd, 2011 § Leave a Comment
The summers are always busy for me, and this one is no exception. Since getting back from our vacation, my time has been divided between spending time with family members here for their annual visit and the major clearing up and out that promises (whenever I get finished) to bring order, once and for all, to the study.
Because of all that, I’m not just behind on my blog posting, but my blog reading as well. With 147 posts waiting to be read, I’m beginning to wonder if I should cull some of my subscriptions! While getting caught up the other day, I came across a couple of quotes I really liked in a recent post from one of my favorite blogs: From the Mixed Up Files of Jennifer Bertman. I love her peeks into the workspaces and work habits of writers and illustrators.
A couple of things from her recent profile of writer JJ Johnson really resonated with me.
The writer Robert Olen Butler says everything you experience goes into a compost heap—everything you think and do and see and feel gets thrown in there, and breaks down into rich, fertile soil. That’s what you grow your novels in.
I’ve learned to respect the time it takes to think up a novel. A few months of busy daydreaming—repainting the house, teaching myself to reupholster furniture—that’s when stories coalesce. My house is filled with things I’ve made while “baking” my novels.
I could really identify with this, as my stories often need a lot of time to grow before I write. This is quite timely for me too – since I’m busy rearranging and sorting and cleaning and filing. In fact, just a couple of days ago I realised I needed to make a tiny tweak to the action in a scene of my MG Fantasy. It’s a matter of a few words – maybe one or two sentences. But it’s a significant one that will make my character and her motivations clearer and more consistent.
I also loved this final thought from JJ Johnson:
A fellow author once told me, “Your words are medicine for someone out there.”
Such a heartwarming truth.
How’s your summer going? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
