Foot Planning
In the poem called 'Words' for Lucy in Don't Let them Tell you How to Grieve, there are these lines:
one foot in front of the other
and don't forget to breathe
They are the last lines in a poem which is full of the words of comfort that people send to a grieving person, and they are so very apt. The poet says that they are the lines she clings to.
But I also think that, in happier circumstances, those words can be applied to the planning of a novel (or the planning of anything). So, today, I have begun writing the chronological stories of my two main characters, one foot in front of the other, breathing when I don't know where I'm going (but not diving off into a haven of frenzied research) ... and I shall continue, one foot in front of the other, until the end of the plan.
It sounds simple, I know. But the temptation to veer off the road into writing a full-blown scene, or into frenzied research (procrastination, so often) is gigantic.
Wish me luck, please.
3 comments:
Rather belated wish of luck, here!
In my less able way, I've been trying to plan a scene. In my head it was simply "oh yes, this bit will be dialogue", before realising that I didn't know what they were going to talk about or how it would contribute to anything... As with essays, planning is painful and easy distracted, but probably A Good Thing...
Oh, and I've tagged you for a meme, if you fancy it!
Thank you for your empathy, Simon. Planning is A Good Thing, but like all Good Things it's often one that you long to avoid on your way to the Result.
However, I'm standing by my word and putting one foot doggedly in front of the other ... and breathing. Hence not many posts for a while! But I shall do your meme later ... .
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