Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Halfway owl update & the struggle to write the perfect paragraph

Today is the halfway point of documenting my owl collection for #blogeverydayofjune. Last week I was casting about thinking how many more photos will I have to take. In a quick glance I saw about 10 that I hadn't snapped yet and thought - I still have plenty to go. Hope you enjoy what I've put up so far.



When good ideas go bad... Today I was attempting to write a paper which has been in the works for some time but I'm trying to put the polish on it (and finish the intro and conclusion). Well, I thought all this blogging would have helped - (maybe it has) but I kept writing a sentence, deconstructing it, thinking it through way to much, rewriting it, cutting and pasting it to somewhere else, adding a second part, deleting a few words... in other words doing my head in. Do other people have as much trouble writing something when they know exactly what they want to say but they just can't say it. I'm feeling like one frustrated individual right now. I think the best plan is to clear my head. Come at it fresh tomorrow and just let it flow. Then let someone else look at it for some feedback and edit from there. Fresh eyes will do the paper and  me a world of good. Maybe I just need a holiday... all those memes have distracted me...

5 comments:

  1. the reason my blog has been so inactive is that every sentence i write, i labour over. so i totally feel your pain. i've got to be under serious pressure to write fast, and even then i still struggle with not trying to write the perfect string of words.

    write fast and don't reread til you've got the content on the paper, i reckon. good luck!

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  2. I like the idea of documenting your owls - been meaning to do the same with my snail collection for ages.

    I've always found writing papers hard, sometimes words flow but often it's more by painful extraction.

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  3. I'm all verbal words. I'm not that great at writing.
    So I first have to discuss ideas with someone. I can't do the writing and deconstructing in my own head. It exists as stream of consciousness or not at all. After a conversation maybe I will have it clear enough in my head to write it down.
    The trick is supposed to be to write a page (anything) and then come back to it, but I think I prefer your idea of going away, giving it space and coming back the next day [hoping the subconscious has been working on in in the meantime].

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  4. I agree with Kate - dump your thoughts, then go away and let it percolate through your brain overnight or while you do something else. I find printing it out and physically scribbling on it much more helpful than trying to do it all on screen - I just can't get the perspective right on a screen.

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  5. You will have to update the owlography again. There is an owl that is headed over the sea and into your arms shortly. It's a belated b,day gift, although it wouldn't be late had I sent it when I bought it for you in Apri! I know I'm tardy, but better late than never right.. Oh but I just realized that now I've spoilt the surprise.

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