The S Curve for Writers
The S curve makes its way into many concepts beyond its
origins in math to biological systems to innovation to change. Time we apply it to writing.
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| Riding the S Curve! (car pic by jeroenbeel via sxc.hu) |
The writer's S starts where all good things do - with an
idea! Hooray! A lovely ball of an idea! But then you have to do the work. This is the lower curve of the S, writing,
editing, plotting (that's how the pantsers do it at least.) Heading up the side of the S obstacles are
encountered and overcome, probably including a scathing critique that almost
makes you throw it away and a glowing critique that makes you fall in love all
over again.
At the top of the curve you are full of the adrenaline
associated with knowing it's ready. Print. Stuff.
Lick. Stamp. Mailbox.
After the manuscript is safely in the hands of your trusty
mail carrier (Is he really that
trustworthy? I certainly wouldn't let
him burp my baby, why would I hand him my manuscript? And did I see the address label start to peel
off as he put it in his bag? ) and after you are done hyperventilating,
then the wait begins.
You can just
relax now, sip some herbal tea, attack the mountain of laundry which has grown
over the last few weeks of final edits. Just
wait. And wait.
But it's even better to hop on another S. Otherwise, your writing skills and energy
start to fade, slipping down the top of the S.
If you wait, you'll be starting again from a lower point than you are
right now.
Even better- layer those S's, so you are writing one while
the other is in critique land - growing faster than would otherwise be
possible. Besides, it doesn't hurt anyone to turn their
undies inside out for a day or two, so Mommy can write!
I LOVE the idea of having multiple S's going at once. Otherwise, I get bored. I went from riding the top of the S wave into a bit of a stall on the wave. I'm still at the top- ideas brimming and plot mostly outlined (strange because I'm a pantser by nature), but haven't yet started that downward trend into furious writing to make my ideas come alive. What have I been sidetracked by, aside from my kids? Reading. As a writer, it's important to read, right? Where will it get me on the curve? Not sure yet, but anywhere in the direction of forward would be a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteThe idea part is so exciting and then comes...the WORK! I guess we just have to start trudging through the work and once we get going we'll start climbing up the side of the S! I've been reading a lot this winter too - in fact so much that I had to take a little break from trying to digest too much!
DeleteI'm riding on different S curves right now. I like feeling active by having one manuscript critiqued while working on another. Plus, I'm able to use different parts of my brain (writing vs. revising). Also, I get opposite social experiences (participating in a critique group vs. typing by myself).
ReplyDeleteVery true Jennifer!
DeleteNo one is a bigger believer in the writing process than I. But Dr. Seuss always attributed his success to a nice clean pair of tidy-whities. So get your priorities straight, missy!
ReplyDeleteGot it. Clean undies first. Writing second. I think if I buy a mega pack of undies (and socks) for everyone in the house, I can manage both of these goals.
DeleteExcellent advice, Lauri!
ReplyDeleteAnd that picture of you in the car is too flipping cool. :)
Thank you, thank you! I've been playing with Gimp 2.0 - it's like a free photoshop. It's a lot of fun - I even put my daughter's face in a Barbie picture for her birthday. Try it!
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