Monday 17 June 2024
These entries from Week Six of The Revision Diaries candidly describe the emotional process of revising and adding new written content for BOOK 6 of the Katyn manuscript. Although this work was slow going—in large part due to the highly emotional content I was creating—I enjoyed the methodical nature of the process. Several of the important so-called “Mount Everest moments” happen in BOOK 6; therefore, these moments need to be carefully reviewed. They need to “deliver.” Weeks ago, I was determined to be finished with all revision work by Father’s Day; alas, I couldn’t meet that arbitrary deadline. The requirements to make the “Mount Everest moments” what they need to be, I can’t rush through revision. I sound like my Professor self who says that to my students.
Sunday 09 June 2024
Woke early, anticipating writing during the quiet hours; however, I felt emotionally and physically tired after yesterday’s revision session. I decided to relax, taking advantage of an unexpected “off-day.”
While doing some gardening work, I allowed my mind to wander. In that semi-conscious state, I received an insight: “What now?” In that dreamy, half thinking state, I was wrestling with last night’s passage that I was working on.
Monday 10 June 2024
Vulnerability. Another insight gained while reflecting on this morning’s writing process: this time last year when I wrote this section of BOOK 6, I was holding back from revealing fully the emotional strains of the experience of visiting the Miednoje cemetery. I can’t determine whether I chose to be less forthcoming or simply afraid to say too much. What I have written this morning… I experienced it while in the cemetery. For some reason, last year I didn’t include it in the original draft. This moment indeed is a “Mount Everest” achievement; however, I was too coy showing how deep the feelings were to attain it.
Tuesday 11 June 2024
Writing on the Miednoje trip’s Mount Everest moments. Slow careful writing. Making sure the passages are emotionally charged and meaningful.
Wednesday 12 June 2024
Slow going but I guess I must accept this new reality. King Arthur insisted on providing more emotional depth requires abandoning hesitations and insecurities. The word of this week is: vulnerability. Beginning to accept that revision is an exercise in breaking down doubts and hesitations. If I want the writing to be moving, I need to be more revealing. “Show, don’t tell.”
Still not finished with the Miednoje Mount Everest moments.
Thursday 13 June 2024
Scratched out several variations of a key paragraph at the end of the Miednoje trip. Its content: caring. Each time I tried to type something, I immediately deleted it because the writing sounded stilted and insincere. After a while, I worked on little editorial things in later sections.
Given tomorrow’s medical procedure, I’m not pressuring myself to dive deeper into the caring paragraph. For the weekend.
Friday 14 June 2024
Early morning procedure. Recuperated for most of the day.
Before bed, I was brainstorming. Reviewed my journals from the Russia/Poland trip with the cadets. Reminded myself about a dream. For some reason, I didn’t include it in last year’s drafting. Now I see how vital it is to include it in this year’s revision. Restless night, but I laid out in my mind how to write about the dream.
Saturday 15 June 2024
Early morning writing/revision sessions work so well. The quiet house provides so much clarity and focus. Enjoyed writing the dream chapter.
I realized quite late this week how methodical I have been while revising/drafting BOOK 6. Unlike last year’s drafting, this time, slow, careful writing is key. Managing fatigue also is a new challenge, compared to last year in which bursts of energy and short recharging breaks were how I wrote. Not anymore, at least for the foreseeable future.
I didn’t mention it in the early diary entries, but creating chapter flow charts is an innovation that has yielded excellent results. I never used formal outlines, not even when I was in graduate school writing the Melville dissertation. I had rough, primitive flow chart notations; however, resolving revision dilemmas, I needed to write them in the notebook.
Another innovation I didn’t mention at all in any of The Revision Diaries entries is: utilizing online dictionaries and thesauruses instead of traditional hardcover ones. Unlike the drafting process for the Melville dissertation, the Katyn manuscript has been written, for the most part, directly on the computer and using online resources. Sure, I marked up the original Katyn first draft with penned in marginalia comments and suggestions; nonetheless, I have done little handwriting drafting. Am I using this technique because it’s more efficient—time, energy, etc.—or because it’s a reflection of the “uniqueness” of writing a creative non-fiction piece?
I definitely want to address in a more formal blog entry the writing differences between an academic, scholarly textual analysis dissertation vs. a personal narrative, reflective nonfiction memoir. Judging from the amount of time I needed to complete both types of books,
Again, these weekly diary entries don’t necessarily allow me to dive as deep as I would like. Most of my intellectual powers must be preserved for the revision.
Another thing I didn’t write about in earlier blogs for The Revision Diaries is I aimed to be finished with the entire revision by tomorrow, Father’s Day. Absolutely not there, yet. BOOK 6 requires more work—an additional week. If I am to deliver on providing more emotional writing for the Mount Everest moments in BOOK 6, I realize I need to become emotionally drained while writing them. Otherwise, those new content sections aren’t emotional. I slowly realized last week I wasn’t going to meet my deadline of Father’s Day. This time last year, I had revised, written, and collated 500 pages for the first draft. I’m not disappointed. Serious revision can’t be rushed. Another lesson to emphasize when I’m back in the classroom this coming Fall.