Rewrites

Everything that I have written to date needs to be rewritten, several times, so really I haven't even scratched the surface! Check it out...

Deep in the shed (four months later!)

Back in 1989 or 1990 jazz pianist Marcus Roberts released an album called Deep in the Shed. Before going out on his own, he played with Wynton Marsalis. I never owned the album the title rings true for me-some 17 years later. I did own his inaugural album The Truth is Spoken Here which was amazing.

I am deep in the shed. It means to be deeply involved or engrossed in study or practice. For the past month I have been re-writing my travelogue on South Africa. I was in denial about having to re-do it. I should know better. Not only that, I am truly committed to becoming a better writer. If that means re-writing my 279 first draft (started in June 2005) then so be it. I actually faked on three people last weekend. I was in the zone. I hate doing that and didn’t’ do it on purpose but when it’s flowing like that, I need to take advantage.

That draft will serve as the way to get the book out of my head and onto paper. The version I am working on now is being crafted. Big difference. My editor introduced me to putting things in scene and told me to think of the book as a movie when I write. As a result, an incident that I wrote about in two or three paragraphs is now five pages. It’s a much more involved process and requires more skill and imagination. It is my attempt at putting the reader in the experience instead of just telling them about it. It’s a challenge and different from how I am used to writing but I believe it will make for a better book. I also realize that not everything that I am writing will end up in the book, its part of the process (like the first draft) of getting to the ones that will be used.

So far I have written thirty-five scenes ranging from two or three pages to ten. I knew I was nowhere near being done but didn’t know exactly how much more I have to write until last night. I am a list keeper so I had a bunch of pieces of paper with lists of things that need to be re-done in scene. I put them all on one piece of paper and its forty-one incidents/events. It sounds overwhelming but not only can I do it, I WILL do it. I am committed.

I now realize that I must have been smoking crack to think I would be able to make my initial deadline. For now, I am just going to write my heart out. Of course everything I have written thus far (approx. a hundred and sixty pages) is a first draft and will need to be revised many times over.

In the meantime, check out Flowers of the Nation by Sandile Memela. Fred Khumalo’s novel Bitches Brew is supposed to be available on April 1st. If his fiction is as good as his nonfiction, you are in for a treat. His memoir Touch My Blood was off the hook. Loved it. I don’t think you can get it here but try, you won’t regret it.