Writing is like solving an algebra equation…rearranging, replacing, multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting. The first step is hardly ever the last, and there are often various ways to solve.
Unlike algebra equations, however, the finished result is never finished. Writing is one of the most enlightening forms of expression because its lifespan can be a few seconds to an eternal work-always in progress, always growing and becoming even better. It can be one layer, or a palimpsest. You can write your first thoughts and keep that version as the final piece or you can dig deep into the surface, revise, cut, rearrange….where you discover more, disclose more and create a piece that conveys as much as an image.
The pleasurable part is changing one word countless times, replacing it with a more vivid word, and with each change you notice the piece begins to paint instead of describe. The exciting part is consulting the thesaurus if you need to. In that process, vocabulary is heightened. The reader is led through words on pages that become a painting, a photograph, or motion picture. The equation and toil, and the peace that follows...
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