I found a great translation of a quote that I love on
"In the eyes of those who anxiously seek perfection, a work is never truly completed- a word that for them has no sense- but abandoned." Paul Valery
I have been editing and rewriting and editing and rewriting some more, and the more I do, the more I see that needs to be done. Sort of like cleaning the house. If I start scrubbing places like under the fridge and in the corners of the window wells, I find more and more dirt until I eventually realize I must either abandon all other pursuits in my life and devote my entire existence to housecleaning, or go to bed and give up on the project entirely. I'm not ready to abandon this novel yet. There are still things- the written equivalent of wiping off the kitchen counters- that simply must be done. But it is truly impossible, I am convinced, for any mortal to ever "Complete" a work of fiction. One word could always be better, one phrase more enlightening.
sigh.
I keep writing.
=)
3 comments:
Yay Mom! You can do it!!! =)
I always remember a comment an art teacher once said: "The hardest part of art sometimes is knowing when to stop". Is it ever 'done'? Probably not...but that doesn't mean it isn't really good. :)
In creative writing class our teacher told us about a guy who had read a book that he had really liked. One day he saw a guy with a copy of the book he had really liked crossing things out and writing in the margins. He was appalled that someone would try to change such an well-written book. Then he found out it was the author, who still wasn't satisfied with his story, even though it had already been published.
I thought it was funny, because it's so true!
I'm sure you're book will be amazing once you're ready to abandon it! :)
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