Another thought on Beginnings - The RAVEN

The Raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this and nothing more."

Excerpt - The Raven by E.A. Poe




I love sharing poetry and "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe is a classic must read. The first few stanzas are a great study in beginnings. They offer such a beguiling and eerie lure - perfect for Halloween!

I was happy to rediscover this poem when a friend's son (thank you Jacob!) offered Poe's essay, "The Philosophy of Composition" to me as I bemoaned the difficulty of beginnings. Today I am happy to share them both with you. 

To read the complete poem, see HERE.

To read Poe break it down himself, see his essay "The Philosophy of Composition".

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Where You Begin...

Another thought on beginnings through the lens of photography.
Thanks to my friend Sara for sharing these lovely words of wisdom.

 "Regarding beginnings, I can only share with you my experiences as a photographer... sometimes it feels like you are always in the dark. I go out and shoot returning with nothing but a light tight film canister  (I know I'm dating myself in this digital age), head off to the darkroom and process the film, adding chemistry and time, again in the dark about what is actually captured on the film. It is not until I open the canister with trepidation always, because there are so many variables, did I get the right exposures, did I choose the right chemistry to bring out the best, did I agitate enough or not enough (which can destroy the film with uneven streaks). Once the development tank is open, you can only take a quick glance, as dust and finger prints are equally destructive. After the film is dry, you can begin to reverse the view from negative to positive. In the darkroom you can play with size and contrast too but it isn't until the very end of the process that the creative beginning actually occurs, because it is only when you put the image up on a wall that you can really step back and look. It is always a moment of surprise and often disappointment. But if there is the one image (in hundreds of attempts) that resonates, then the process begins and gives me something to build on."

Question: What do you find more challenging - writing a good beginning or a good ending? Could they be two sides of the same coin?

Let's Start At The Very Beginning...Or Not.

As I revise my first draft, one of my challenges has been the fact that I am not a linear writer. My novel currently stands as a collection of documents, scenes that have been written out of order because that is the way they have developed for me.

My writing is a visual experience. I see scenes in my head, like a movie. The story begins when I put pen to paper but it's not the actual beginning per say. If I do my part, looking and listening, the story takes flight quite easily. However the assembling of these pieces into a cohesive whole is another matter.

For starters, I have been struggling with the question, "What is the start of my story?" It would seem obvious, "Start at the beginning..." but there's more to consider with this thought. It's not enough to merely introduce characters and set up a scene. I know I have to offer something more, a compelling read. In this regard, beginnings can present a lot of trappings for novelists. One has to be careful to avoid lengthy introductions, questionable use of tension (too much as well as too little) and sparing use of the ol' writer's friend, the flashback. If used ineffectively, any of these elements can turn into a stumbling block for readers.

Knowing all this, I have been reading through my work over and over trying to decide, what stays, what goes and what ultimately should be my page 1. It hasn't been easy. I've rewritten my beginning several times now, maybe even one too many. There's a frustration in admitting that.

I began writing this post ready to admit my disappointment, figuring something has to give and then I came to realize that maybe that something was me. I've placed a lot of importance on knowing my exact beginning and I had to ask why?

A part of me wants the beginning to be done, set in stone, perfect and yet another part of me knows this is a naive thought in the midst of a first revision. Thanks to fellow bloggers, I know I am not alone in this thought. They remind me that thinking like this gives no room to the possibility of discovering something new as I make my way through the revision process which is the goal at this time. 

So I've decided to let go of knowing my beginning and moving on to another section of my manuscript. If I have any additional thoughts or movies in my head, I will just jot them down in a notebook for the next revision.

In the meantime, I just have to remind myself that some things written will serve me as a writer to understand my characters, most things written should serve the reader to want to turn the page but everything I keep should serve the story's plot. 

Yes, just knowing all that makes for a good start.

What's your feeling about beginnings? How many times have you rewritten your novel, short story, blog post or email?