Thursday, June 21, 2012

In the Weeds

I'm not sure exactly what that phrase means, in the weeds, but chefs who are in trouble use it repeatedly on Top Chef.  You'd think they'd use a cooking metaphor, like 'in the boiling water' or 'at the bottom of the pot of chili.'  Maybe not.

I'm still working on the ending of my current WIP, which has been the theme of most of my posts since mid-May. 

I had three chapters to go the last time I posted here.  Then I wrote four chapters.  One was hand-written in a doctor's office while I was waiting to drive a friend home after a procedure.  My daughter was with me and worked on her summer assignment for one of her AP history classes.  She kept interrupting me to ask questions about history, questions I couldn't answer. 

Despite the interruptions, I got it done.  I made a change to the previous chapter and finally got to the climax.  Now I need to write two more chapters to close it.

Last night at writing class, I read chapter two of my previous manuscript out loud to my small group.  They only laughed a little.  The chapter isn't especially funny.  It isn't meant to be.  But there's one thing missing in this chapter, the one thing that, when fixed, will make the novel much better.  I didn't see it until I read it last night.  My impulse today is to put my WIP on hold and make the change to my previous ms.  But I won't.  I can't.  I need to write those last two chapters first.

I need patience, lots of patience, a quality I don't possess. 

So I declare myself in the weeds, not in trouble, just busy, too busy to look up.  I promise I'll visit and comment when I get it done.  I don't think it will be today.  Hopefully tomorrow.  Maybe next week.

13 comments:

  1. I know how you feel! I am closing in on the climax of my WIP. I also want to revisit and revise an old completed manuscript -- but I can't take my mind off the WIP.

    Plus, I'm having a flair up of pain in my left wrist, with my right wrist threatening to join in. I don't want to aggravate this problem to the point of needing medical intervention -- but how can I write without my hands? Wah!

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    1. My back is bothering me, especially if I sit for a long time.

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  2. You can do it! Keep up the hard work and good things will come.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  3. Holy crap, I finished it! 82,400 words. Time to celebrate!

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    1. Yay! That is something to celebrate. Wow, I wish I could write as fast as you. I think I'm beyond the weeds and into the swamp area. :P

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    2. Swamps are terrifying. I'm sure you'll make it out of there. You impress me as being very persistent.

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  4. Write the change on a post it and slap it to your monitor. That's what I do. Finish the last chapters first. I'm trying to finish my WIP, too. The final chapters seem to always grow. Four more chatpers! I write 5 more & still have 4 left. lol

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    1. I think it's from my programming background - I have a need to fix known bugs before moving on. :) Got it all done. Yay!!

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  5. Don't worry but I see you finished writing it after scrolling through others' comments. Good for you!

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  6. I've never heard "in the weeds", but I also don't watch Top Chef. Patience is a tough one. Finishing the current one will give you such pleasure that you'll rock on the "fix" that you have to put off until later.

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    1. I've heard that phrase used on other cooking shows too.

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