I don't know if you can truly remain sane while writing a novel. I had my only swearing match with a smart good hearted lady, while I was writing a novel. The fight was more my fault than hers. I put milk in the cupboard instead of the refrigerator and money in the refrigerator instead of my wallet. The joke I wanted cold cash was indeed made. I have done some insane things while writing, but I know that sanity returns after I finish. It does not return if the writer walks away from the project mid sentence or paragraph or story! The truly insane never finish or started their novel(s). Girl Interrupted is a good example of how a book, a memoir in this case, can restore someone's mind.
So far I explained that to write a novel I needed to ignore my doubt, be true to my own unique words, and lose my mind. I have read the myriad of books on writing, the craft, the process and the techniques. They were helpful after I started writing! Before they can derail, confuse and discourage a new writer! Once I started writing I had the experience, limited, yes, but still, to recognize that advice and those tips that helped my writing and those that harmed it. Now to be clear a word of advice that would hinder my process, my writing path, may in fact help another writer on his or her way. As I wrote before writing is very individualistic.
I am reading my own words as I write. The argument could be made that novelists, and or writers that kill themselves are not sane, but I argue that in fact these suicides were the result of writers who indeed have NOT finished their work, their novels. These writers, poets, novelists, and or artists had more to write, to release. The words they most needed to put out in the world stayed trapped and it was that or those inner demons that never became fully formed paragraphs, chapters, that killed their creators, or rather caused the creators to kill themselves.
Also a true writer lives forever in his or her printed words. Look for Writing a novel, 3rd Lesson
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