On Writing

Part I of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World is finished! Today I started on Part II and spent the entire day–hours!!–bringing Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony together (Part I is alternating chapters from 1815-1850.) ECS, of course, has described it best, but I needed to neatly set up her quote! That’s what’s on my computer screen. From there, back and forth, and around I went trying to figure out where to go. I thought about a segue re bloomers (ECS was wearing bloomers). Then why SBA wasn’t invited for dinner. Etc. But–1. I write what seems to me to be a finished draft (probably be easier if I could write rough drafts, but I don’t); 2. what I write has to allow me to keep moving forward (if I can’t, how can the reader?)–and nothing worked. All day nothing worked! When that happens, the reasons are typically because: I don’t know enough, i.e. I need to do more research; and/or I haven’t thoroughly answered my key question: “What’s your point, Penny?” All day, I resisted distracting myself and stuck with my misery. I thought I had it when Linda arrived home. But it wasn’t clear enough to her–a fatal flaw. Happily we were able to talk it through–more like word-wrestled each sentence into shape!

#Quotations #Whatsmypoint