Gold in Them There Drawers
Seth Fleisher
6 Comments
Earlier this week I was putting the final touches on a story rewrite when I remembered a line I'd written for another piece. I'd shelved that other story a couple years ago after at least half a dozen failed attempts at getting it to work. But this one line--it was exactly what I needed for the current piece I was finishing.
So I dug around in my archives, located the errant story, and scoured it to find the line. Here's the thing: as I leafed through the pages, I suddenly knew how I could fix the whole piece. And how well it would work as the final story in the collection I'm wrapping up. Hot diggedy.
So if you've been wrangling for a long time over the same story--or novel--doing your damndest to wrestle it into submission (pun intended) to no avail, I say shelve it. Give it a month. Give it a year. Give it two. I'm officially a believer now. Time is the writer's Visine. (Or something like that--you know what I mean).
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Reader Comments (6)
I find that walking away from something to work on another something is the best way to get the first something into shape.
Almost makes you wonder whether there's an endless potential return here. I mean, if you take a really weak piece and stash it away long enough -- say, for a decade -- is it guaranteed to come out blooming? :)
I love coming back to pieces I once threw down in disgust. I find that if I ignore them long enough, they realize I mean business and whip themselves into shape.
Yes, yes. We must treat these errant pieces as young children who need to be civilized. Seems like a very good form of discipline.
Thanks for the tip. Me and my memoir are "on a break" right now. Maybe I won't throw it in the garbage afterall?
Found you on Pat Wood's blogroll. My son is a Seth so I had to click on you.
Hey Michelle, thanks for stopping by. Sorry to hear about the break -- hoping it's not permanent. Definitely don't throw away. And say hi to Seth for me if you get a chance :)