Writerland is a newsletter from The Delacorte Review whose mission is to help writers tell the stories they need to tell. * * *Thanks for reading Writerland! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. I am not a straight line thinker. I know this because often my wife, who is a straight line thinker of Olympian proportions, will sometimes feel the need to jump in when I am making a point to say, “what Michael means to say…”
Thank you for this window into your process. Especially for someone who always feels like she is coming into something through the side door instead of the (expected) front, it’s really helpful to see how others are thinking through the aspects that might not come so naturally.
Since I imagine you’ve in no way written this wonderful, thoughtful piece looking for any sort of advice, I am mainly (ok, entirely) writing this comment to myself. I too am a nonlinear thinker, and can often struggle when it comes to presenting things in a way that’s as coherent and concise for the reader as it plays out in my head.
So in wondering how I’d tackle this problem, I think I would do this:
The first thing that came to mind in reading this piece is, this story already has a chronology; it’s just not one that’s linear in any traditional sense. There’s a through line that exists — it’s what’s binding the story together — and that through line is the spine. The story plays out around, above, below, and alongside it. Chapter/sub chapter organization is essential, especially to find and fill the gaps. But yeah — that’s how I think I’d try to tackle this one.
Thank you Lisa. And yes, you are right in that the story is a chronology. The trick will be to find a way to make what exists compelling.
Thank you for this window into your process. Especially for someone who always feels like she is coming into something through the side door instead of the (expected) front, it’s really helpful to see how others are thinking through the aspects that might not come so naturally.
Since I imagine you’ve in no way written this wonderful, thoughtful piece looking for any sort of advice, I am mainly (ok, entirely) writing this comment to myself. I too am a nonlinear thinker, and can often struggle when it comes to presenting things in a way that’s as coherent and concise for the reader as it plays out in my head.
So in wondering how I’d tackle this problem, I think I would do this:
The first thing that came to mind in reading this piece is, this story already has a chronology; it’s just not one that’s linear in any traditional sense. There’s a through line that exists — it’s what’s binding the story together — and that through line is the spine. The story plays out around, above, below, and alongside it. Chapter/sub chapter organization is essential, especially to find and fill the gaps. But yeah — that’s how I think I’d try to tackle this one.