Anyone else out there in the process of revisions? If so, how’s it going?
Most of my poetry is instant, written at the spur of the moment or at a whim. That means what I post here are mostly raw and/or rough drafts. Initially when I started writing, I never used to go back improving upon on what I wrote. I just left it at that. However, now I do go back, read each line, think in other directions and work on it like as if it is new. Many a times, the piece has been completely re-written, word by word, line by line.
My short stories have taken different path from what I initially wrote. I do have a start of a novel somewhere and I intend to finish it, re-read it, edit it and re-write it. Editing is all important. Only now I have come to realise that fact. Good editing can make a book and bad editing completely mars it.
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On a completely different note, I write this here. Lately I have been writing very short verses. Mostly inspired by a few fellow bloggers who excel in it, J. Andrew Lockhart, Ken Wagner, Lorraine, Bill and Borut. Not to forget Tikkis. (Infact it was like this with him, we used to post short verses to outdo each other a long time back.) A few I post as response to their posts in the comments, which comes instantly. I have even gone back, re-written those and posted on my blog. If anyone does it on my blog, it truly does not bother me. Infact I feel good that my post inspired it. And also if anyone else also posts a creative reply as comments in others blogs, it does not distract me. I read the comments (if I do that at all) after I post mine.
How about you? Do you think instant inspiration is ok? Should I or should I not post my instant response as comments?
10 comments:
I instant inspiration is great! All your emotion can go into something instant. With poetry I like to leave it as that instant inspiration because I don't know I feel like editing it takes something out of the emotion that goes with it. That is just how I feel though.
You should!
First response is always good.
Is inspiration ever not spontaneous?
The moment must be captured. Then - if necessary - shape it into something gorgeous.
Inspiration must assume it is welcome, until told otherwise. How else could it survive?
You've very neatly addressed two sides of the same question, really - instant inspiration is great, and often yields the best ideas. But there is definitely a time and place for revision and rethinking!
Blogging is the perfect place to post those "instant impressions," I think!
frozen view...
as sight spills from my fingers
this ink dries
_m
i edit/revise most of what i write before i post. i spent some time editing one which i sent to an on-line journal, and when it was accepted on the first try, i felt the effort was worthwhile. there are exceptions, the last post in my blog "Flight", was an "instant" write, hardly any editing, because the right emotions can only be captured at that moment. and i find that most of these spontaneous writings are the best.
i do editing for tenses, grammar (and most times still fluffed it ), look for a better word, even chop off entire stanzas. :)
Good post and interesting to hear about revisions from a poet's point of view.
Keep writing! I didn't know you were working on a novel. Woo!
lol well now, I know what you're talking about, I guess the best way to do it, as you say is to write first and then check the comments, still part of me feels like it's taking away from the art of the blog owner...
sometimes a verse inspires a similar response. and i think that's a good thing. why not share those...
When I leave a verse as comment, it is sometimes one from my files, but, more often, it's one I've written on the spot. Obviously, these often lack polish, but they are spontaneous and genuine (and, as you know, they are always friendly in intention). Often, I later work on these, and sometimes I post either the original or revision at my blog. In these cases, I refer readers to the blog where the original first appeared. This lets them see the context that gave rise to the verse. It also introduces them to the blog. Obviously, I regard both inspiration (or, anyway, intuition) and revision (or, anyway, reconsideration) as essential parts of the process.
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