Have you ever written something and gone back to it, trying to rework the sentence and then realized, hey I can just backspace this and add that and change it to fit perfectly into what you had in mind? I’m always a little surprised. Not because I’m old enough to remember typewriters with ribbons and then remember when they came out with white-out built right into them. Or carbon paper that we used to use to make copies. (Though I am.) But because it is just so easy to write now days. As I edit my book, and find myself stuck at times, I always feel myself thinking… Oh yeah, I’m not stuck with this sentence or I can actually make this character say something completely different and back space, and delete and wahlah, I am the master of their journey. I wish life were as easy. There are times I wish I could rewind and backspace some of the stuff that comes out of my own mouth. I wish that I could write the speeches into my brain, that I would like to say to certain people without getting flustered. Ah, now wouldn’t that be nice? To have auto-correct built-in to our mouths! LOL. Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else ever thought these crazy things?
Maybe it is just something that those of us who remember the old ways of writing a story appreciate more. A friend asked me a while back, if I touch typed. I asked him what that was, and realized that it was typing without looking. Yes. I can proudly say that I touch type. And pretty fast at that. My mom made me take typing in High School. I hated it, but I am so glad that she won that fight!
I am not sure that the kids now days even recognize the advancements. I for one am grateful that I am not forever having to white-out and rewind or use carbon paper if I wanted to make more than one copies or stand in line at the library and run off copies for ten cents a copy which is kind of a lot even now. So as I edit and rewrite, it made me really appreciate the fact that I am not stuck with ruining a whole page if I want to change the direction of one of my characters. And of course, you know, I am going to find something metaphoric in all this… A lesson so to speak. So…. Just maybe… I should be a little more tolerant with me and stop kicking myself for having to rewind or backspace and just know that it’s okay to rewrite a scene, because in the end, it might be even better than the first draft!
I’d like to take this opportunity to say… That I’m happy to report that I think that I am done with my book! After all the deleting and rewriting, I am now in edit mode!
The One Thing I know For Sure 
Diane, I appreciate this post so much thank you!
It actually brought to mind my very first story, which I had written, man, way back in the 80’s I didn’t have a typewriter nor a ribbon, just a pen. It was an apocalyptic sort of story and my wife and her brother who read it thought it pretty dark. I don’t remember much of it now, she might still have it in the garage, but what I am realizing today is that that story seems like its about to happen in our world, I don’t want to re read it.
Oh just in writing this little note, I added and took away several lines. If not for editing, and proof reading, and especially spell check I’d never hazard to venture writing
LOL
Your a blessing Diane.
Hubert
Well done for getting to the edit stage. Now the hard work really begins! As for rewinding and deleting (particularly what comes out of my mouth) and typewriter ribbons, I’m with you every step of the way. I love computers for that reason and loathe them for many other reasons!
LOL. I knew when I found ya… we were on the same page. I just feel the connections more than other sometimes. Glad we connected!
Thanks for reading this and following! It means a lot when I admire someone and they follow me and actually read my stuff and like it! Cuz like I’ve said before, I only follow my favs!
Have a great day!
xoxo
di
Me too! It’s the way someone writes as well as what they write about that gives it away. Thanks for following FND.
Love your art! That was my world for two decades! My daughter who is an actress and artist is also doing shows now. So fun to watch it evolve and continue!
Bless you! And it only happened when I was desperately trying to find a way to increase my income alongside acting. Acting’s on the back burner for now and I’ve yet to make a living with the art and I have to carry on with my memoir and my children’s stories so if you could arrange for my days to consist of 48 hours, I’d be much obliged!
I like the idea of being more tolerant of ourselves! And Congratulations! 🙂
Kate,
Yeah, but I still wish I could have a big tube of white out inside my brain before my mouth says anything! 😉
xoxo
di
Many congrats … 🙂 wish you all the luck and love.
Thank you so much!!!
xoxo
di
Big congrats! Sure great things will follow 🙂
Thank you so much Alex!!!!!
xoxo
di
Ok, how proud am I of you??? You crack me up, you’d like to have autocorrect in your mouth. You are hilarious!! Now seriously, aren’t we lucky girls we took typing in school, just think how slow it would be to have to look at every key we type. You will find many drafts along the way to the finish line my sweet friend. I edit and revise countless times before it even gets near my editor. And speaking of which, if you need one, or any other advice, you know where to find me!
xoxo Deb
LOL. We are like ships crossing in the night! I already asked you one favor in my last post! But after I edit and punctuate and spell check and try to get my sentence structure half way decent, I will then need to hire an editor to punctuate spell check and fix my sentence structure! 🙂 I am sure ya know what I mean! I am going to read it a few times and have those I trust read it a few times and then send it off to an Editor to edit it! And then gonna have to take a Debbie Class or two! I can’t believe that I really think that I can say The end. But as you well know, I know… NOW the work is just starting
xoxo
di
Well at least you know the steps my friend. You’ve come a long way. Yes, writing is the joy, revisions, edits, formatting, a whole different animal. . .not my favorite animal, lol. Email me!
xoxoDeb
Debbie,
I will email you the semi-edited. I put it on my blog in draft so I could work on it from other places and I’ve read the first chaptes over and over again and am still finding errors!
xoxo
di
running out the door but I wanted to finish every email so I could have a starting place when I got home!
Have a great day my friend! And thanks for being willing!
Lol, welcome to the world of publishing. You can read it 50 times and still find errors. The objective is to clean it up as best you can so it reads properly, the less mistakes, the less it costs to edit. And then you will be surprised when it comes back with many more changes after edits, so you can start all over again, so much fun! Not!!! Email me when you are ready because my timeline is squeezed and I will be reading in stolen moments. Don’t worry, I can overlook edit errors, that’s not what I’m looking for. 🙂 xo
Congrats, D. Hope nice things happen for you with the book. Hugs !
Paul! You are a big part of that book! Taking a chunk of it and helping me see things I might not have. Thank you my friend! Don’t think I don’t remember all your time and effort! If something happens, you won’t be forgotten! 😉
Thank you for your support!
xoxo
di
Congratulations!
Congrats!!
Oh, I would love to be able to take back ‘and edit’ some of the things that have come out of my mouth…. ooops doesn’t work the same as editing something written… but so glad that you’re in the editing mode of your book… Diane
I am so happy for you that you are done with your book! I loved this post, too. I had typing twice; in 9th grade and 11th or 12th grade. I remember there were two different fonts to choose from: Pica and Elite. I was lousy and still am. 🙂
I really identify with wishing we could delete what comes out of our mouths, and to be able to speak words that we can type well, but only stammer when speaking in person. It’s nice to know I am not alone. 🙂
Hugs,
Theresa