Day 3 - 239 -- Working with Words

In the humidity of the day, I finally completed the draft of a paper to be presented soon. The order of some parts may need to change, but that will take some run-throughs to see if the flow is correct and somewhat logical. There will need to be a reduction in the amount of information that I have -- as in, it is too long <smile>.  I aimed for a 15 minute paper, but have nearly that many slides to speak to, so will certainly be over the planned time. Hopefully with some judicious editing, the end result will make the points with adequate background. I will need to cut back by about 1/4 to 1/3 to get things to fit well. Otherwise, I'll be racing through and sounding breathless and no one will be able to follow along as they hold their breath waiting for me to implode or drop from hypoxia. <gg>

Editing an existing piece has always seemed easier that facing a blank page or screen. When taking a small section from a much larger project, it becomes more difficult to explain without background. Choosing the points that make the argument best can be trying when they are all so intriguing to me, that I just want to share. Recently, I likened this process to taking a 300 page thesis -- one huge book where the writer has sweated over every word -- and turning it into a 15 minute seminar. One has to choose the most salient bits only -- a truly difficult task. Letting a piece of writing sit for 24-36 hours can help with editing. That can give time for things to swirl around in one's brain or to hide for some time. That fresh look after a break can reveal what should be left out and what should be polished up for the crowd. Enthusiasm for one's topic is a good thing <smile> -- but needing to listen to the inner voice to cut back on the number of points used is key. Leave some of the story for the Q and A -- or to use in a chat with someone after the session. Better yet, leave some of it so the topic can be glued back together as a whole -- but at far less than the 300 pages -- and find a publisher. Choosing the single path in a complex journey through rabbit warrens can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. Getting to the end point takes time and thought with ego firmly locked in a drawer.

Working with words is enjoyable. I've always liked writing, just not to deadline. A couple lines from a song summed up well my feelings today -- 'so much  I want to say.' I saw the singer recently in an interview for some new music -- an amazing woman. Enjoy!

Words get in the Way -- Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine