Edit Sober

So four days until I start my writing retreat. (Though in all honestly don’t think I’ll get any work done for the first three days.) Am I ready? Yes and no. Dying to continue the story and get close to the end of it – I’m actually probably over half way now so it’s not impossible I’ll be able to see the end when I return (eeeek!). But I’m not so keen on leaving my life here for a month. Though I guess nothing will go away – at least not my confusion or the distraction. Just hope I can leave it all behind. 

I had planned to do some editing today – I have four chapters that just need a little bit of tweaking and polishing. My excuse for not doing this is it feels premature to make even these small edits before I get to the end. More things will no doubt change before then so at this point it’s almost a waste of time. No? No, you're right - I'm so lazy. 

It's the sober thing. Because I dread it. Editing. And to edit sober. I’m following Hemingway’s advice on this. Because not only is it best done sober, but it is sobering too. In a way, if you think about the Hemingway quote, “write drunk” doesn't necessarily have to be about being drunk on alcohol; it could be about being drunk on your craft, your words, your story and where that’s taking you. The losing control and allowing yourself to be taken to places where you'd normally not dare to go without a little courage, to explore, adventure. And to dream. Whereas when you’re editing you have to cast a sobering eye on what you’ve created, dreamed, during the drunken episode. And what if your dreams don't measure up in the hard, cold light of day and reality? 

So right now I feel a bit guilty and lazy; I really could at least look at the chapter I discussed with my mentor on Wednesday. There’s not even much to do, just straighten out some sub clauses and parenthesis that not even I can follow as they twist across a couple of pages. 

It’s just… I prefer the drunk part.