100 DAYS PROJECT: #66
Hiding Secrets
What’s been taking so long with these stories is a general dissatisfaction with my writing lately. The stories need to sparkle just as much as I can make them and that usually takes me days, weeks, months of editing even on short stories.
The time here is spent on the development into the hypertext format. While I’m getting a little better and faster at having all the tools handy and ready as I write the first draft, there’s still plenty of going back and rereading, rewriting. Today I believe I deleted more words than are contained in the final form. And this still for me is not the final version.
In exploring the hypertext aspect I’ve had all different approaches; different endings, all leading to the same ending, carrying the reader through almost the entire story but in different sequences, and depending on the reader to read the story several times to discover all its meanings by leading him out.
It’s ruining my posture, my frame business, my garden, my social life. But it’s something I have to see through to its logical end.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
July 26th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Woman…you are GOOD..!
July 26th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
You’re sweet, thank you. But I know when all I’m doing is putting words together rather than a well-written story. It’s the reason I don’t think the nanowrimo (whatever) is a great idea.
May 29th, 2011 at 5:04 am
Oh My! Such devotion..when you learn the secret I do hope you will share..
May 29th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Thank you, Michael! The devotion, for me, was the writing of 100 of these hypertext stories in 100 days as part of the 2009 100 Days Project and there was not secret to that; just a daily deadline!
May 30th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Such a weave, my head is warping and woofing, . . . and you are “putting together words” so very well!
May 30th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
It takes some getting used to, Walter! When I first started reading hypertexts, I felt like I kept getting in the wrong line at the supermarket. You just have to relax and have confidence in the author’s skill that he/she wouldn’t lead you into an unsatisfying experience, that there is no “wrong” or right choice of paths. And, that if you think you might’ve missed something you can always reread it and take different links.
June 1st, 2011 at 5:13 am
yes! susan! i just love this, and I keep coming back to it, too. each time different, each time a new experience. such varied paths, such a maze of experience/words/feelings/possibilities… wonderful addition to this month’s Blog Carnival — thank you so much!
June 2nd, 2011 at 5:13 am
Thanks, Michelle! I’m getting around to thinking about writing another hypertext story, it’s so much fun to write that way, without limitation of path!