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Susan Signe Morrison's avatar

It takes courage and resilience to revise at this stage, as I well know! It's amazing what one discovers in returning to a beloved manuscript and seeing it with fresh eyes. You are a role model to me since I have to undertake some major editing in the coming months. Thank you for the honesty (including about leaving off the page numbers LOL!). Yes, you are a human and not a bot and will get kudos for that! :-)

Anne Kilfoyle's avatar

Best of luck with your upcoming edits! I'd love to hear how the process goes for you as you wade in.

Isn't it a strange kind of alchemy that we can "finish" something, set it aside, and later find it entirely changed by time? It's a really interesting way to mark the passage of time. The Writer's Clock, we should call it!

Susan Signe Morrison's avatar

Yes! That would be a great title: The Writer's Clock. Another book to write!!! :-)

Anne Kilfoyle's avatar

Add it to the list!! 📝🤣

Susan Signe Morrison's avatar

Just what you need, right????

Barbara Buckles's avatar

You deserve a hearty pat on the back for even attempting such a major revision at this point, meaning after years of finessing and finalizing. I wish I had your courage. I've considered not only a full restructure but turning my memoir into fiction, but so far I just can't muster the energy. Great way to start the year, Anne...my hat's off to you!

Anne Kilfoyle's avatar

Memoir -> fiction would be a big overhaul! What's cool is that it means you can work comfortably in both genres. That's what I admire!

Changing to fiction (or vice versa?!) is a really intriguing idea, though... I could see myself tinkering with just an essay or chapter, something shorter than an entire manuscript. Maybe that could be a way to test the waters and see how well it translates?

Barbara Buckles's avatar

An excellent idea...maybe this next one. Right now I'm working on a short (flash) creative nonfiction and debating on whether to write "I'm sure I gasped," "I gasped out loud," "I gasped," or just omit the gasp entirely. Only another writer can understand the agony. P.S. Does anyone even gasp these days??

Anne Kilfoyle's avatar

Ahhh yes, I'm very familiar with that type of endless, internal debate! The next phase, I believe, will be deciding how long is too long to spend in debate over gasping, a decision which will itself draw out....

I love writing.

Barbara Buckles's avatar

I have a love/hate relationship with writing.

Anne Kilfoyle's avatar

Oh and yes, in my home gasping is still alive and well! Usually it involves the dogs doing something they weren't supposed to do. 😂

Barbara Buckles's avatar

Mine usually has to do with you-know-who doing god-only-knows-what-it- is-this-time...and I'm not talking about my husband or my dog!