Saturday, July 09, 2011

The End of the Tunnel (AMENDED)

AMENDMENT: I've been caught red handed spreading salacious falsehood! Below I make this lovely analogy about Ferdinand M. sailing around the world and the feeling you get when you finish writing a novel. "Ferdinand Magellan didn't make it around the world. He was killed in battle in the Philippines. A fraction of surviving sailors did, however, complete the voyage. Your Magellan Theory works well for them." -- Writes a savvy reader. Sorry, folks. I do blame this utterly on my small town Texas education.

Oh, I read over for over 60 hours in the past two weeks and then I wrote 20 articles. I also revised an entire novel from end to end. I've got seven more articles to plow through and then I'm going to treat myself to fab reading jag. I really need one. I'm going to buy some new pajamas, and I'm going to sleep extra.

Someone asked me if I was "a lady of leisure" yesterday. Small town Texans always wonder what to do with me, not many writers live on this part of the prairie. I'm even working in the doctor's waiting room -- writing emails. I'm not exactly sure why so many people think I don't do anything because I'm a writer. Will someone explain to me how that rumor got started?

Anyway I've been trudging through a tunnel of work and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I call this that "Magellan feeling", you know the one he got when he came into port for the first time after circling the world in a wooden ship. You got to know every book journey is like that. The thing inside you is true and real but it takes a monumental effort to get it out of you into the world. Be sure to dance when you finish a project because it is a good reason to celebrate.

I hope that you keep at your projects. I hope you don't listen to voices that mock you or discourage you, wherever they may come from. I hope that you focus on that imagine burning so brightly within. Open up and let it shine out to us all.

See you next week with more of the good stuff. Seize the day!

This week's doodle is "Deer". This is my interpretation of a photo I saw a long time ago. But I did see a real deer just on Tuesday.


It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end. Ursula K. Le. Guin

8 comments:

shelley said...

Hi Molly--Congrats on the revision. I miss you up here in the PNW. I'm right behind you with revising my novel, and feeling like I see some light. Here's to good, hard leisure:)
Shelley Seely

Sumel said...

There is no such thing as a "lady of leisure". The very name Woman implies work. Women work. We can't help it, whether it be running a household or running a business. We can't help it.

Molly/Cece said...

Oh, Shelley, so good to hear from you. I do hope this will be the novel that finally breaks through for you. I miss everyone in the Pacific Northwest. I miss the rain. We have a drought here.

Sumel, I'm really a Fredrick from that children's book, but I do run both a household and business. I'm treating myself to sleep this weekend. See you Monday hopefully. :)

Janet Lee Carey said...

Glad to know you're seeing light at the end of the tunnel -- and Ha! Ha! to "Lady of Leesure!" We writers are worker bees.

I'm in the first draft tunnel right now -- up to page 250ish with Jackrun and enjoying spelunking this tunnel as I dig through. Big revision comes next, but I'll take your advice and dance when I reach the end of the first draft, Molly.
Which book did you revise? Was it Plumb???

Molly/Cece said...

Hi Janet.

I am now finishing Plumb. I just finished a draft of Jimmer. There is just a little more to do on Plumb, one more big scene to add in.

I'm glad to hear that you approaching a first draft of Jackrun. I'm look forward to that one!!!

Dance! Hugs! Oh, I miss you. Sometimes I get teary eyed.

Vijaya said...

Holy smokes! Congrats on the revisions and articles. You make me look like a lazy bum ... but my lazy summer just got busy. We're mooooving ... to SC. Hey, I'll be closer to TX :)

I need prayers during this transition time. But we are mucho excited. I'm already imagining the warmth.

Molly/Cece said...

Whoa! Vijaya! Where in South Carolina? That is a big change! You will like the heat and the sunshine.:) That's big exciting news! Yay! Come to Houston! We can go to the Houston SCBWI conference together, or maybe both head down to the Florida conference or something.:) I could go to South Carolina. I've thought to go a big journey across the south since I've moved here. Happy for you and your family.

Vijaya said...

Charleston! A conference would be great. I have lots to figure out though. But we'll be making road trips for sure ... Excited, happy and busy. Praise God!