Two weeks ago, I took Chapter 1
of "Peter's Story" down to Milwaukee to review with Peter. His eyesight is failing him, as I may have mentioned, and I read the chapter aloud to him while he was preparing a wonderful Italian supper for us - spaghetti and a long-cooked sauce, with meatballs and Italian sausage. Mama mia.
On Monday of this week, I took down Chapter 2 and read that to Peter. You can tell by his eyes, the nod of his head, his whole body assenting, that you've got it right. So - we're on track. I went to see Peter in the morning on Monday so he wouldn't fix me supper. He fixed me lunch instead!
I have a draft of Chapter 3 in hand even as we speak, and will take it to Milwaukee for review with Peter after Mary and I return from our trip to Iceland at the end of the month.
Chapter 1 is about 4000 words; it still needs to have material interpolated into it about the neighborhood in Milwaukee where Peter was born, the old 3rd Ward. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 are each 5300 words, and I suppose 5300 words will be about the size of the chapters from here on out. The end of each chapter introduces the story that opens the succeeding chapter, a kind of cliff-hanger effect.
The chapters I'm taking to Milwaukee for review are "drafts." Ninety percent of writing is revision, and we'll get to that part of it once I have a draft of the entire book put down and can see clearly what I've got and how it goes. You have to understand where things will end when you write the first sentence, I know; and I do know where it will end. I'm just not sure yet how we're getting there - which material in which chapters, and how many chapters, etc. In the end I expect I'll have to go back and tuck in some stories I'm overlooking now. And I know I'll have to re-imagine the whole book once the structure it wants is revealed and its theme has expressed itself in no uncertain terms. That's coming, I can sense that it's coming.
I think I can safely go off to Iceland for two weeks with Mary and feel certain that when I return I'll be able to jump right back into work on this story without a problem. In fact, the rush of putting the story together has already been creating an enthusiasm that makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning and get at it. What a blessing, eh?
"What a blessing, eh?" Indeed. And richly deserved, considering all the work you put into interviews and transcriptions!
Posted by: Dave | April 13, 2005 at 06:48 PM
I dunno, Dave, even with the work I've put it, the writing of it could seem like a chore. I'm so glad it's not. My only complaint is that I'm too slow for my enthusiasm....
Posted by: Tom Montag | April 13, 2005 at 07:19 PM