On Quilting and Writing
Quilting consists of stitching together three layers of textiles - the back (generally a relatively boring piece of fabric), the batting (the middle layer, designed to add warmth and texture), and the top (generally a decorative "sheet" of fabric, pieced together from many other pieces of fabric.) The stitching can be incredible ornate, or it can be as simple as tying together the three layers with glorified granny knots.
At the end of the quilting stage, there's still work to be done to finish the quilt. Edges need to be attached (when working by hand, this requires two passes of stitching along each edge - one to attached the edge to the front of the quilt and one to fold it over, blind-stitching it to the back of the quilt.) Corners need to be turned; corners which are the most challenging part of the entire quilt, for me.
Novels are the same way. I sift the chapters together, piecing my ideas into an outline, then into a decorative top. I bind together the chapters, tying up the details along the way.
But there are still details to pull together. I need to make sure that certain standing jokes stand all the way through. I need to make sure that character quirks remain consistent. I need to make sure that the entire novel is *true*.
Just when I think I'm almost done, I know that I've still got a lot left to do...
Mindy, writing the last 3000 words, but rolling up her sleeves to work with 100K
At the end of the quilting stage, there's still work to be done to finish the quilt. Edges need to be attached (when working by hand, this requires two passes of stitching along each edge - one to attached the edge to the front of the quilt and one to fold it over, blind-stitching it to the back of the quilt.) Corners need to be turned; corners which are the most challenging part of the entire quilt, for me.
Novels are the same way. I sift the chapters together, piecing my ideas into an outline, then into a decorative top. I bind together the chapters, tying up the details along the way.
But there are still details to pull together. I need to make sure that certain standing jokes stand all the way through. I need to make sure that character quirks remain consistent. I need to make sure that the entire novel is *true*.
Just when I think I'm almost done, I know that I've still got a lot left to do...
Mindy, writing the last 3000 words, but rolling up her sleeves to work with 100K