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fabiadrakeI’ve been working on some historical nonfiction recently, and my brain generally only has room for one writing project at a time so it has driven out all others for some months.
But on the train I reflected on the Kidd/Rosie fic I had been working on at some previous point, and I’ve written enough of it that it will haunt me if I don’t finish it.
And: I have not finished it. And the parts that are holding me up are still holding me up.
When I work on it I feel I want someone who will act as moral support and sounding board for characterisation, narrative shape, etc, and (most importantly) understand why I’m writing it and why I’m writing it this way: why this story, why this structure, why these two characters, why this reading, why this ending. Which is possibly something that can’t altogether be explained. I have a very reliable, astute proofreader, but occasionally we have our differences. (E.g. sometimes they don’t vibe with the story, or not until it’s written in full; sometimes they tell me to take out something I think integral to its whole architecture; sometimes they want me to add something I think unfitting. I’ve learnt to stick to my guns when I’m certain.)
Other than that, sometimes I want a poet, a door. Other things I’ve written have been inextricably, inexplicably linked to certain poets — E. E. Cummings, Anna Akhmatova. They help me to focus on the unnameable thing on which I must focus.
... And maybe this is not the magical fix I sometimes think it is, maybe I don’t really need them, but nevertheless: wot? no poet!!
(NB. Writer problems are stupid problems.)
(And please forgive my posting twice in one day; these occasions will be very rare, or this may even be the only one.)
But on the train I reflected on the Kidd/Rosie fic I had been working on at some previous point, and I’ve written enough of it that it will haunt me if I don’t finish it.
And: I have not finished it. And the parts that are holding me up are still holding me up.
When I work on it I feel I want someone who will act as moral support and sounding board for characterisation, narrative shape, etc, and (most importantly) understand why I’m writing it and why I’m writing it this way: why this story, why this structure, why these two characters, why this reading, why this ending. Which is possibly something that can’t altogether be explained. I have a very reliable, astute proofreader, but occasionally we have our differences. (E.g. sometimes they don’t vibe with the story, or not until it’s written in full; sometimes they tell me to take out something I think integral to its whole architecture; sometimes they want me to add something I think unfitting. I’ve learnt to stick to my guns when I’m certain.)
Other than that, sometimes I want a poet, a door. Other things I’ve written have been inextricably, inexplicably linked to certain poets — E. E. Cummings, Anna Akhmatova. They help me to focus on the unnameable thing on which I must focus.
... And maybe this is not the magical fix I sometimes think it is, maybe I don’t really need them, but nevertheless: wot? no poet!!
(NB. Writer problems are stupid problems.)
(And please forgive my posting twice in one day; these occasions will be very rare, or this may even be the only one.)
no subject
Date: Jan. 26th, 2026 23:10 (UTC)So relatable! Hehe, it may be a "stupid" problem, but it's a very real one!
no subject
Date: Jan. 27th, 2026 07:50 (UTC)😢