How do I write?

I tend to write like I quilt, sporadically but with great intensity.  However the last quilt I made was in 2008 and the last thing I wrote was yesterday, so it appears that  writing takes a higher priority in my life.  Plus, I dream about my stories, but I have never dreamt about a quilt.  If ever I do, no doubt it will be woven into a plot line.

Despite the intensity of my efforts, both quilting and writing tends to be a slow process - with a lot of unpicking and rearranging to get it just right.  I like to pause and admire the work as it takes shape, savouring the alchemical transformation of an idea from a formless interior spark into something whole and real and exterior.

The actual manner of the laying out of words onto paper or fabric into patterns varies widely.  Sometimes I prefer the flow of a soft lead pencil onto whatever large clean paper I have handy.  Sometimes it is an urgent scrawl into the notebook that I keep in my handbag.  Other times I enjoy spreading it neatly out onto the computer screen. 

Flow is more important than order, especially in the first draft.  I start with the part of the story that holds the most energy and ride the flow until I feel pulled to another place.  This non-linear process makes perfect sense to my creative subconscious.  As the work blooms into a fuller shape the order tends to arise from within as a result of each part reaching completion, and then the left-brain can fuss and trim and reshape it to fit the desired outline. 

Just like in a quilt, the balance of the whole story comes from balance within the parts.  Each piece needs to be well crafted of itself but also sit coherently with the other pieces.  But both quilt and story will be bland unless harmony is tempered by contrast.  The skill lies in the subtle placement of clever peculiarities, that lure the reader into something they didn't expect. 



greatgrandmother's quilt by normanack @ flickr