blairmacg | Cons Ahead, and Revisions, Too

I'm more bummed than I thought I'd be over missing ConFusion this weekend. That was one of the cons I'd made a habit of attending, in the years before life went sideways. I didn't know anyone up there, I rarely knew anyone who was showing up, but it was a weekend to get away and relax and write in my hotel room without interruptions. I could have gone this year, but mistakenly gave this Saturday as a date to schedule clients. And I'm booked solid.

I do have ReaderCon to look forward to, though. I'm already registered--con and hotel--though I may need to leave pretty early on Sunday. (Karate camp starts that evening.) skzbrust has convinced me I should also attend Fourth Street. The scheduling on that one will be very easy or utterly impossible, depending upon the dates of Dev's summer obligations,* which I should know by the end of February. I may even attempt Loscon this year since Dev has reached the age of preferring to spend his long weekend hanging out with friends than family.

Revisions are making me happy. I see much more that is right in the new version than there was before. I may end up with more time than I thought I'd have in the coming week, so I'm hoping to make the halfway point. This would be going much faster were I not completely re-typing the manuscript, but re-typing is forcing me to consider every little thing--essential, since my goal is a subtle reshaping of the omni narrative voice. Most of the changes I'm making aren't marked on the page. They simply happen as I type along. It's a bit like putting someone else's story in my own words.

And today I realized (admitted?) why one section of revisions took so danged long. A beloved character dies, and other characters face a crisis while still actively grieving. It wasn't writing the death and burial scenes that stopped me cold; it was the scenes of grieving that followed. Is it any surprise that slowed me a bit? No. Is it surprising I didn't even consider it as the problem? Yeah, I'd say so. It bothers me to be so unaware of what my mind is doing in the background of daily life. More characters will die before the book ends. I wonder if it'll stop me cold again.

In the meantime, onward. I have a few hours to burn tonight. Let's see how far I can go.

(And part of me keeps hoping aaaaaaaall my Saturday clients cancel so I can drive up to ConFusion.)

*The kid is scheduled to attend flight school and a law enforcement career camp, as well as work as a counselor for karate camp. If the dates this year are similar to last year, I'll have him at home for only one week in June and one in July. That will be very, very strange.