It’s been a good long while since I touched in with all of you. When last I wrote, I had just begun another round of major revisions on the story of Mary and community-supported dying. It was a productive few months and I finished that draft at the end of April. In May, Jules and Laurie, the other two members of Mary’s team, read it for the first time and gave me helpful feedback as to parts of the book that could be strengthened. In June, I went through the entire book again, incorporating their ideas, polishing sections, and trying to complete another draft for beta readers. Beta readers are test readers who will give me feedback from the point of view of an average reader. Then, I’ll go back to make changes in August before the manuscript goes to substantive editing in September.
It’s a process! Each round of revisions takes me through the story, but it’s less a circular process than a spiral—moving in and out of the story at different planes while still revolving around the main theme.
An interesting dimension of the creative process that I’ve been exploring is the relationship between “heat” and “space.” Heat is the fire I need to keep burning for the project. I need to keep a consistent simmer on it so that it remains a daily priority. Because I work alone much of the time, and set my own parameters for working, this heat adds an urgency that is necessary for me to get to my desk each morning. Without enough heat, the project stalls. But because the boundaries are self-imposed, I can sometimes tend to work too much. Usually, this ends up stifling the really fun and creative part of writing. I have to give the project space to breathe and air out and decide where it wants to go next. In June, with a deadline for the beta readers, I didn’t do this as much as I would have liked, and so I came to the end of the month with too much heat (a little burned out).
I’ve also been working on the fall offerings I’ll be involved with, so stay tuned! A retreat on community deathcare, a casket project, and more conversations are in the works. For more regular posts about end-of-life care, connect with me on my Facebook author site: https://www.facebook.com/byrneam/
With some deadlines achieved, it’s time to turn down the dial and give myself a bit of space so that I can come back to the work feeling fresh. It’s sometimes hard to find the balance between heat and space, and to trust that the spaces are also part of the creative process and a beautiful part of life. So it’s time to enjoy more space this month and a different kind of heat—summer!
How are you rolling into this next season? Do you need more heat or more space? Wishing you the balance you need. With gratitude, Xo Anna
Photo by Andrew Bradley, on Flickr at: https://flickr.com/photos/150510623@N05/
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