Clark: … writing is a way of thinking about something. A way of coming to grips with something. It's a way of uncovering what you really have to say.
VT: I think a lot of people come up with a main idea once and just want to leave it at that.
Clark: [But] … then they start writing and all the chaos of the subconscious wells up, and all the disjointed stuff comes out. Somewhere in there is the main idea -- what you really have to say. But you're going have to crush and sift and smelt it out of there. Refine and hone it … [Y]ou don't really know what you're writing about in the beginning. In writing you don't completely know where you're going until you get there.
VT: It's that feeling of being lost I don't like.
Clark: Well, it helps if you go into it knowing you're going to change your main idea a couple times. Know you're going to start off with a map that is going to get redrawn as you go, which will leave you feeling lost and confused. But know that as the map changes, something solid is going to emerge from the fog and come into sharp focus and lead you forward. It definitely will. And it's exciting to watch your unexpected ideas unfold.
Can't say I'm feeling excited right now. In fact, why did I not stop with yesterday's 'main idea'?Clearly, the chaos of my subconcious has welled up and landed me in the fog. Now I've got no choice but to get down to crushing and sifting and smelting. Refining and honing.
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| patch in progress |
