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| photo courtesy of Johntex |
Dawn Eastman lived in Michigan for many years in a
house full of animals, unusual people, and laughter. She now lives in Iowa with
her husband, son, daughter, and one extremely bossy small dog. Pall in the
Family is her first novel.
Knitting a Novel
I’m excited to be visiting
Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers today to have a chance to discuss two of my
favorite things: knitting and writing.
I have been knitting for
almost 40 years. I’ve been writing about that long, but not as faithfully.
Writing is sometimes difficult for me. Maybe the ideas aren’t flowing. Or the
ideas are there, but the writing isn’t bringing them to life. Or I’m using all
of my energy worrying about a deadline and not actually writing. And sometimes
I’d just rather be knitting.
Recently, while driving–one
of the few times I can’t write or knit, I reflected on how my approach to
knitting has informed my approach to writing. There are many similarities
between finishing a large knitting project like a lace shawl or a sweater and a
large writing project like a novel. I realized that as my knitting habit
matured, so did my writing habit. The writing comes easier for me if I remember
to apply my knitting rules to my writing project.
Rule 1: A
little bit every day adds up. For me, a large knitted project seems to grow of its
own accord. I love to knit, so
every day I spend some time working on whatever is on my needles. I don’t even
think about it; it’s just something I do. Every. Day. Unfortunately, I don’t
have the same habitual relationship with my writing. When I get frustrated that
my writing isn’t moving forward at lightning speed, I remind myself of this
important fact. Particularly when either doing the laundry or organizing my
daughter’s closet seems more appealing–those are the truly dark days. Usually,
I knit a few rounds while considering my options.
Rule 2: Practice
makes you better. I have occasionally tried to teach others to knit. I’m always
surprised at how frustrated some will get that they are not producing cabled
Irish sweaters within the hour. Knitting looks easy, especially when the piece
is finished, but there is a learning
curve. And the more you practice the easier it gets. Writing also looks easy,
especially when you are fully involved in the story. When I first started
writing with a goal of publication several years ago, I was initially surprised
at just how hard it is. No longer could I sketch out a story for my own
amusement and leave it behind. Now I had to truly craft a piece of writing that
would appeal to others. It was a bit like moving from scarves to sweaters. A
scarf will fit anyone and is fairly easy to finish. A sweater project requires
more consideration of the wearer, and an attention to details like shaping and
size.
Rule 3: I need a pattern. I stress that I need a pattern because not everyone
does. Some knitters pick up a skein of yarn and just start knitting to see “what
the yarn wants to be.” They often create beautiful pieces. I suspect that these
are also the sorts of people who can rent a car in a foreign country and “see
where we end up.” I don’t fall into that camp in my knitting or my writing (or
my travel to foreign countries). I cannot start writing without some sense of
where the story is going, preferably in the form of a multi-page outline. I won’t
discuss the writing camps of plotter and pantster here. If you are a writer,
you know what I mean. The key is in knowing how you work best, not which group
has the better method.
Rule 4:
Even if I follow the pattern, I sometimes have to rip back. My mind wanders, or
I misread the instructions and repeat the mistake for many rows, or I realize I
prefer a technique that is different from the one in the pattern. I find that I
don’t mind ripping out work that isn’t up to my standards. I like to knit and
if I have to re-knit a sleeve, that just means I get to enjoy knitting that
sweater for a little while longer. I am working on bringing this attitude to my
writing. Sometimes all those words just need to be cut. I know that it will
make the story stronger, but I haven’t yet developed the friendly relationship
to the delete key that I have to re-winding a ball of yarn.
Rule 5: Finishing
is sometimes the hardest part. I am the worst finisher ever. Sometimes, I will finish
a project and let it languish for months–years–for want of a button. I have a
very cute vest in my basket that has been finished for almost a year. It needs
ONE button. The detail work isn’t fun for me. It’s the knitting I love, not the
sewing up. I don’t like to seam a sweater, sew on buttons or weave in the ends.
The same goes for editing a long piece. I’m not in the story anymore happily
discovering where it will take me. It’s done now and I have to check my commas
and search for synonyms because I’ve used the word “glittered” fifty times in
one manuscript. But the more I write, the more I enjoy editing as I see how
much that effort can improve a story. Maybe I need to apply my editing attitude
to my knitting.
I’d love to hear from
writers who are also crafters in the comments! Do you approach your writing the
same way you approach your craft?
Pall in the Family
The aptly named Crystal Haven is the destination
for tourists seeking psychics, séances, and the promise of contacting the
spirit world. In this small western Michigan town, everyone knows the Fortune
family. Rose is gifted with Tarot card readings. Her sister Vi is a
self-proclaimed pet psychic. And
her daughter Clyde is…
A cop. A cop on leave from
Ann Arbor, more specifically, who’s come home to kooky Crystal Have to
re-evaluate her life. Mom and Aunt Vi can’t wait for Clyde to finally embrace
her own psychic gifts and join the family business. Clyde would prefer the
low-stress lifestyle of a dog walker, and the low key company of her nephew
Seth.
But when a local psychic is
killed, leaving behind a traumatized Shih Tzu, it seems to be in the cards for
Clyde to get involved. With her
old flame Mac leading the investigation, that may prove awkward. Whether she
uses her skills as a cop or her long-denied psychic abilities, it’s up to Clyde
to divine a killer’s identity before someone else suffers more misfortune.
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Interesting post. I can't knit - they taught us in elementary school - I managed to make a lot of scarves for my Barbie doll.
ReplyDeleteBook sounds great.
Tweeted.
Great post! Like you I have a cardigan waiting to be finished. Writing certainly is like knitting, isn't it, and that's excellent advice. There is a learning curve, a pattern helps, and sometimes you have to rip out a bunch. Good luck with your book!
ReplyDeleteGood analogy. I knit, too. Buy plenty of pattern books and end up designing my own sweater or vest or whatever. However, I do adhere to basic rules (measurements, etc.) so that the project will come out right. Just as I do when I'm writing a novel.
ReplyDeleteVictoria - I'm sure your Barbie was very fashionable! Thanks for the tweet and for stopping by to leave a comment.
ReplyDeleteBrenna - good luck with your cardigan! I try to pick those new open cardigan patterns now - no buttons! Thanks for visiting today.
Marilyn - Sounds like your knitting is like my reading of writing advice books - just take what works and disregard the rest. Good luck with your knitting and writing, and thanks for commenting.
Great post. As a knitter, since I was five and knit the world's longest skinniest scarf, and a writer I really enjoyed it. But while you can't drive and knit, you can drive and write - dictation software!
ReplyDeleteYou're right! That would solve the pesky driving problem. I usually get someone else to drive on long trips so I can knit...
ReplyDelete