16,000 words and counting

The book is growing day by day. I've set myself the target of at least 1000 words a day and so far I've exceeded that each day. I need a sharp target because I have a low attention span (see how quickly I put the poetry down!) and my back, quite frankly, isn't up to long times at the computer. back to the life writing in the BRB and to the poetry, I'm just hoping my back stands up to the day school on Saturday.

I've worked out, poetry wise I can now generate useful phrases (well, I could do that before!). Now I can pick the good ones out from the other ones (trying not to call them crap, here) and can arrange them in some sort of order. I can get a sort of easy read rhythm out of them. Then my efforts to edit sort of fall apart. I don't know if the new edit is any better than any of the other drafts. I suspect I have to read more poetry, to use existing poems to see if I can hone my ear, which is the problem. I hate reading poems out loud!

Life writing is going to be hard. In fact, I think I may be better generating poetry for life writing, it might be easier than trying to write prose. As a scientist I can't let go of what is true and what is constructed but ultimately fictional. I think that sticks me with autobio which seems so self indulgent. Who wants to know about my life, for goodness sake? This is one of the problems I have with poetry! Who needs to listen to my rambles? The BRB isn't really helping much, and it's all new so I'm crawling through it and not retaining much. This may be the marks low point for this course.

The book is charging along. Lily has come back to Devon a couple of times, this time finding her strength in being single, of not having to carry James. We find out what's been happening to James in this chapter (4). James hasn't been having an easy time of it, and it's the first anniversary of Grace's death so he has that to deal with too, as well as his foundering relationship with mistress Leanne. Emma has found she doesn't want to lose regular customer Thurston, now that he's house hunting in the area. He makes her feel ... something. Emma's not used to feeling anything outside of the family. All interesting stuff!