On Seasoning

Earlier this year, MAKING UP THE GODS received a lovely review in The Source, a community newspaper available digitally at this link. 

February 6, 2025 issue

In the February 6, issue (page 7), John Pateman, former head of the Thunder Bay Public Library, says many nice things, mostly about the book's characters.

 

I very much appreciate any review, of course, and it's especially nice when a reader likes the characters I'm also infatuated with (imaginary though those characters may be).

I've also been mulling over John's flattering assertion that I come across as a "seasoned novelist with a strong grip on plot and character." 

As someone brought up to turn aside praise, of course my first instinct was to say, "Ha! Fooled someone!" 

Although at my age, with my years of experience working with words in many settings, I do acknowledged the "seasoned." There's a joke in there about sporting salt-and-pepper hair now, but I'll spare us all.

On reflection, I'm grateful that he recognizes that I know these characters well (even Martin, the last to reveal himself to me). And I did work hard at creating a believable plot, a skill with which I have the least practice.

The most important words of that sentence, about plot: "skill" and "practice." 

That's what I'm trying to remind myself as I continue revising my next novel. Again, I know (some of) the characters fairly well. And I know the end state--where the main character is emotionally (and physically) by the end. 

It's "just all that stuff in the middle" that I have yet to work through. I do have enough seasoning to recognize that I'm in the "overcomplicating" stage of plotting. I've even set aside a couple of books that start with confident ease, to remind myself that maybe it doesn't have to be this hard!*

I'm practicing creating plausible events that could lead to that end state. I'm developing skill in evaluating and discarding options, tinkering with possibilities, and selecting the best choice. 

It's tough going on some days, though. To keep discouragement at bay, I look at the books and short stories I've written. I remember a lot of faffing about--false starts, the "maybe it's all short stories" phase (or individual essays, which was by FAR the best way to write about my mother's dementia), even a tingling feeling when characters behaved in ways that created consequences that I could foresee and guide (somewhat). 

It's comforting to know that I've been in this situation with plotting before and I did develop some skills. And it's humbling (and exciting creatively) to know that I have the opportunity to learn as much writing my second novel as I did writing my first. 

Of course I want to give voice to the characters I've come to know. And I love that I've given readers the chance to consider these characters' stories, especially since I wanted to show the courage of people trying to live differently than they had.

Yet learning--practicing skills, gaining seasoning--is one of the reasons I keep writing, and that excitement brings me back to the (virtual) page. 

So (because I feel compelled to sum up), I want to be "seasoned" in remaining as calm and hopeful as possible throughout the writing process. AND I want to stay open to experimentation and learning as I practice new skills.

And always (always) grateful to be able to live this life here, where spring is returning even amid tumult and sadness among friends and relatives. Today's purple finch at the feeder is a welcome sight. 

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* One of my possible epitaphs: "Is it possible I'm overcomplicating this?"