It's Not Perfect, and That's OK

I just finished re-reading The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy this evening and, as with any book, the second read made me think about a lot of things. I always catch more of the little tricks, naturally. More importantly, my standards for authors are higher now, by virtue of my exposure to publishing and the "what it takes" of writing, than they were six or seven years ago when I first read it.

The important thing is how much it still worked. I still fundamentally enjoyed the book, I still nearly cried at the end and I still loved the writing and the slow build and release of tension, the battle construction, and so many other parts of the story and the style of its telling.

I Just Fixed My First Ever Door

I've never been one to indulge in a lot of manly handiwork.

But I am proud that I have just fixed a door.

It was one of those folding-style ones that probably dates from sometime between 1943 and 1968. It didn't take a lot of effort, but I do feel abundantly practical--almost even useful, if not quite. In amongst a long month of not much, that is definitely something to think about.

I promise this isn't simply filler content. Really. See the post on Chai tea.

Firsts....

Tonight I did something I have never done before: I helped organize a bar party.

I'm glad. It went very well, and I think those who came by the Grawood, Dalhousie's campus bar, for the final Gazette bash of the year enjoyed it, and this was the point.

Those who know me know I'm not the sort of guy who spends a great deal of time in bars. I write about them instead. I am the last person who would usually organize a party like this.

It's just one of the things that I realize have been firsts since I started at The Dalhousie Gazette four years ago. Tonight was my last real night as editor-in-chief of that paper. Our last paper comes out on stands tomorrow. It's been a lot of fun, and it hit me as I left the bar tonight how many firsts there have been in this job, and how grateful I am that they have been there.

I wouldn't usually do some of these things. I wouldn't usually experiment, but it always pays off when I do. It's experience, it's inspiration, and it's fun. So thanks to all who came out, and to Ben McDade and Paul Balite, who helped plan it with me.

I can honestly say I learned a lot tonight, and that's how a stint as editor-in-chief of the Gazette ought to end.

How To Make Bad Writing Good Writing in a Good Way (Or: A Rant About the Editing Process)

Rant time. I did mention there might be a few of those. And while we're on awkward openings, I'm falling into the habit of sub-titling my posts. I shall valiantly attempt to stop this from happening as soon as possible.

But it does segue nicely (uh oh) into a topic that's been bouncing around my head only slightly longer than guilt about not posting more frequently:

It's kind of fun--and it can make you sound way more intelligent than you actually are--to talk at length about the editing process like it's some kind of magic bullet. Like you can go from jot notes to polished product with a five (try 250) step plan. Partly it's been banging around in my head because I've spent a large part of my summer in the vicinty of another writer going through this process and all its assorted deadline angst, and partly it was motivated by a question posed to me about what to do with a really bad piece of writing.