Most of my talks clock in at an hour's speaking time. This translates to a text of about twenty pages, in outline form, fourteen-point Garamond, double-spaced.
My talk on editing and self-editing?
Forty pages. Not including all examples. And I still have to write a conclusion.
The irony is killing me.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
It's Like Rain on My Wedding Day.
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Ahem. Excuse me while I indulge in a well-deserved snicker.
ReplyDeleteWell, once you pare down all those extra pages, you can do like some authors do, and post "outtakes" on your blog.
ReplyDeleteBut the editing process doesn't start, you see, until you have a DRAFT, right? So, now you can get your editing pencil out and cut and hack and snip and tuck away. I think you're just noticing the difference between editing your own writing and someone else's, that's all. Writers have to go through this all the time BEFORE you even see their mss. Then you suggest even more nips and tucks!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's rich! Richer than chocolate! I'll spare you the smirk I'm wearing at your expense and suggest you try my method when I'm trying to decide what to leave in and what to leave out:
ReplyDelete"It's good...But is it necessary?"
Thanks, Cheryl. Now I'm going to have the Rolling Stones in my head all day singing "Sympathy for the Devil!" while I sit at my computer trying to do my work.
ReplyDeleteIf it gets too hard, you could always serve up some SQUID for a healthy distraction...
Ironic? Nay, tis justice. Mwoo-ha-ha.
ReplyDeleteWoah, sorry 'bout that, my evil side just slipped out there (kinda like a Freudian slip). ;)
I understand that you HAVE to cut it down for time restraints, but I for one wouldn't mind reading every last bit of it when you post it on your site. :D
Best of luck to you as you "murder" your darling.
How about keeping every word and insist they let you speak for two hours this time? :)
ReplyDeleteMake like Herod on those innocents!
ReplyDeleteplease tell me that you know that that song is describes nothing that is actually ironic, right (save maybe one instance)? especially not rain on your wedding day.
ReplyDeleteYes, Anonymous, sweetie, I do know that. It was one of the big hits of my senior year of high school or thereabouts, and there were several news articles documenting the fact that the technical term for Alanis's ironies was "bummers."
ReplyDeleteAnd comic strips, too; I remember that "Over the Hedge" was kvetching about it.
ReplyDeleteThat's just what happens when you try to blog while listening to the i-Pod.
(I've got "War" by Edwin Starr right now, myself.)