Now what/So what?

Good reading is damn hard writing. ~Hawthorne

I just finished the first draft of a memoir that’s weighing in at more than 72,000 words, so forgive me if I’m feeling a little drunk.

Looking at the mess before me, I’m reminded not to panic. It’s what Allison K. Williams in Seven Drafts calls the Vomit Draft and boy, she ain’t wrong.

I churned this puppy out in just over a month. I mean, it’s been percolating for 25 years but the stars aligned, and it finally came time to write it. Once the drafting began, I committed to at least 1500 words a day. Most days I exceeded that and on only one did I not make it. Remember that thing I said in an earlier post about generally sticking to a routine once I’ve committed? Your Honor, I submit exhibit A.

Now that it’s drafted, I’m agog, wondering, “Now what?”

According to Williams, who I can’t recommend highly enough, next is the “story draft” where the hard question of “So what?” rears its demanding head. After all, I’m not writing a eulogy. I’m writing a story that I want to mean something, that the reader will connect with in that, “I’ve felt like this too!” kind of way.

All I have to do is figure out what’s at stake, but why is that so difficult?

Williams offers a template she calls the “In a World” exercise, so I’ve started taking stabs at it.

It goes something like this: “In a world (untenable situation, environment), I (protagonist, hero, whatever) must (take action, experience) against (obstacle, pressure) towards (getting up over through) in order to arrive at (goal, enlightenment, success) because (stakes!).

Easy peasy, right?

I wish.

I’ll crack my knuckles on this warm up:

In a world of invisibility and deprivation, a wallflower must find ways to be seen and heard above the din of abusers and naysayers towards finding her voice in order to step out of the shadows because it no longer suffices to remain silent.

Meh, that is sort of it, but I’ll keep fiddling.

Williams continues to drop all kinds of gems as I make my way deeper into her book. She’s holding the flashlight for me as I lay under the car trying to figure out what makes this engine run.

~Cyn