Bradbury Challenge Update 5 [Writing]

I’m a bit late on this update, but I’ve been churning out words. The challenge has been going well and I think I’m at the point where I need to switch to editing mode.

I’ve written five stories over ten weeks. That makes me happy, gives me a sense of accomplishment. I could keep going, but then I’ll end up with a stack of first drafts and nothing ready for publication.

So starting this coming Sunday (I’m taking an off week to reset), I’m going to adjust my challenge and begin editing what I’ve written. I’m undecided, though. Should I stick with the two-week cycle for each story, or should I try to edit one story per week? One per week would push me harder and probably get them cleaned up faster. On the other hand, that may not allow me to put a fine polish on the stories.

I have a few days to think about it.

My latest draft was a fun one to write. I actually had started with another one, but it was going to end up being a really sad story and I wasn’t in the headspace to work through that one, so I ended up going with something lighter. And yes, it came from a dream mixed with a personal experience from my early twenties. I hope that I capture that scene properly and do it justice.

And I don’t want to forget to share a little more Whitman with you. This is a piece from one of his greatest works, “I Sing the Body Electric”. Not only is it beautifully written, but I find it to be one of the most honest expressions of eroticism and adoration of the human form. Here is a short passage that always sticks in my mind:

I felt some unexpected and strong emotion when recently re-reading these lines. The past year or so of isolation makes one realize how important human contact can be, how it keeps us connected, grounded, and inspired.

Funny how something written nearly one-hundred and fifty years ago can still ring so true today.

RB