Comments on: Writing in Slow Motion

By: Penny Thornton

Penny Thornton — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:47:36 +0000

Slow and steady wins the race and all that sort of thing but in these days of instant communication everything seems to need to be “in the moment” etc. That doesn’t actually make it better – just faster.

I think you can tell when care has been taken with a book. And care takes time.

By: CherylK

CherylK — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:28:54 +0000

This is so appropriate on so many levels. I’m so slow at lots of things and I often wonder if I just analyze too much or expect whatever it is to be perfect the first round. Now I feel as though I’m not the “odd duck”. So thanks for that! By the way, the Lily Tomlin quote has always been a favorite of mine. What a woman…

By: Linda C. Wisniewski

Linda C. Wisniewski — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:14:45 +0000

Thank you for this. I’m working on my first novel, at the age of 62. (Okay, I’ll be 63 next month.) Anxious this morning reading about another ‘new’ writer who has yet another new book out. I knew her when. She is older than me. But darn it, I want to write a good book. I guess that will be my reward. Because I WILL finish.
Have a lovely, slowish fall day!

By: genny from jersey

genny from jersey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:50:02 +0000

People seem to be wishing their lives away with all the push to “get it done”.

We’re getting ready to head to the gym. We try to concentrate on doing slow, controlled motions when working. I see others working on machines as fast as possible. I wonder what they feel they have actually accomplished. I guess they could say they spent time at the gym–but did they really benefit from it?

I know there are many authors that seem to crank out books almost like a pez dispenser. I think it shows in the quality of the work. Sometimes it seems that publishing companies are more focused on their own bottom line than the quality of the work they publish. Good writing is worth the wait.

By: paretsky

paretsky — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:19:39 +0000

Bag Lady–I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. The constant pain is just hard to climb over. I send many many hopeful thoughts your way
Sara

By: the Bag Lady

the Bag Lady — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:15:44 +0000

Sara, I agree with you one hundred percent. Everyone must write at their own pace to achieve their best possible effort. I have been chided many times for being the last to finish my meal… but that is because I am savouring the food (either that, or I had far more on my plate than anyone else… nah, that can’t be it!)
My hubby had a similar problem with his neck – he was injured in a car accident many years ago and was paralyzed from the waist down for a month until the swelling finally went down. He was extraordinarily lucky to recover the use of his legs. Recently, his neck has started bothering him again, and an Xray showed degenerative disk disease in 7 vertebra – he goes for an MRI tomorrow to find out if there is anything they can do surgically to relieve the constant pain he now finds himself in.
It has certainly caused him to slow down (to the point of not being able to work at his chosen occupation.) Take good care of your neck!

By: Fencing Bear

Fencing Bear — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:27:26 +0000

It’s funny, I was thinking much the same thing yesterday when I was caught in the traffic going downtown: what’s the rush? We spend so much time “rushing,” we’re missing out on life.