Don't skip past this because it sounds boring. It's helpful to your writing. Plus, there are pictures of clotheslines. And I know you've been waiting for those.
A little over forty years ago I enthusiastically began photographing washing hung out to dry. I must have amassed at least a hundred photos :: washing on hills hoists, washing strung on lines in meadows, washing spanning alleyways in France and Italy, washing flung across fragrant hedges. Ironically, the entire collection was ruined in a flood, and not just any flood. It happened that the dugout (a kind of cellar attached to the two room asbestos shack we lived in on the fringe of the Andanooka Opal Fields) filled with water on one of the rare occasions we were absent. The irony was multi-fold. Firstly that the slides were damaged by water, secondly that it happened in a region where the mean annual rainfall was 4 inches, and all of it had decided to descend in one day. I wish now that I had kept those damaged transparencies … the abstract prints from them could well have been things of beauty.
Oh my! What a fabulous project! I'm so sorry that the slides got damaged. Now whenever I see clothes on a line I'm going to think of you, India. You have the most interesting projects!
I just have a mind that wanders off at the slightest opportunity. I try to keep a firm hold on it when out in public, as who knows where it will dash off to if I don’t keep an eye on it….
Whee! Okay I am giving myself a gold star. My first novel (in a drawer) had that sagging clothesline thing going on, along with the uncomfortable fact that if you asked me why my MC did anything, I had no clue. Oh, and my "elevator pitch" was only slightly shorter than the time it would take to read the entire manuscript. So for my current manuscript, since I detest outlines, I did a timeline, which - is amazingly akin to ... an outline. And it worked. I wrote down the main plot points, which characters were involved included the POV character - and then went through the SO WHAT, WHO CARES, WHY YOU? grilling of myself. That, made a huge difference. ~ J.
It's so funny how things become painfully obvious...but only after lots of stewing and obsessing. Novel writing is not for the faint of heart! And I loved that your elevator pitch was only slightly shorter than the manuscript itself. I feel that pain--writing longer is easier, isn't it?
A little over forty years ago I enthusiastically began photographing washing hung out to dry. I must have amassed at least a hundred photos :: washing on hills hoists, washing strung on lines in meadows, washing spanning alleyways in France and Italy, washing flung across fragrant hedges. Ironically, the entire collection was ruined in a flood, and not just any flood. It happened that the dugout (a kind of cellar attached to the two room asbestos shack we lived in on the fringe of the Andanooka Opal Fields) filled with water on one of the rare occasions we were absent. The irony was multi-fold. Firstly that the slides were damaged by water, secondly that it happened in a region where the mean annual rainfall was 4 inches, and all of it had decided to descend in one day. I wish now that I had kept those damaged transparencies … the abstract prints from them could well have been things of beauty.
Oh my! What a fabulous project! I'm so sorry that the slides got damaged. Now whenever I see clothes on a line I'm going to think of you, India. You have the most interesting projects!
I just have a mind that wanders off at the slightest opportunity. I try to keep a firm hold on it when out in public, as who knows where it will dash off to if I don’t keep an eye on it….
That’s what makes you you! And thank god for that.
I completely agree that the concept is simple but the execution difficult. But it’s a total game changer!
And it is time-consuming. I should have added that. But every second spent on it is worthwhile! Hope your novel is going well.
This was immensely helpful, Charlotte, thank you! I appreciate your love notes of guidance and direction regarding our beloved craft.❤️
I'm glad you found it helpful, Linda!
Whee! Okay I am giving myself a gold star. My first novel (in a drawer) had that sagging clothesline thing going on, along with the uncomfortable fact that if you asked me why my MC did anything, I had no clue. Oh, and my "elevator pitch" was only slightly shorter than the time it would take to read the entire manuscript. So for my current manuscript, since I detest outlines, I did a timeline, which - is amazingly akin to ... an outline. And it worked. I wrote down the main plot points, which characters were involved included the POV character - and then went through the SO WHAT, WHO CARES, WHY YOU? grilling of myself. That, made a huge difference. ~ J.
It's so funny how things become painfully obvious...but only after lots of stewing and obsessing. Novel writing is not for the faint of heart! And I loved that your elevator pitch was only slightly shorter than the manuscript itself. I feel that pain--writing longer is easier, isn't it?
Totally. I’m a 737 not a Harrier. I need a nice long runway. 🥰
Love that metaphor!