Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Flawed



I now have in my hands (so to speak) the latest edits for The Intentional Weaver.

Over the past month I have had a lot of time to think about this whole flawed business of creating content for others to buy.  I have been writing about weaving almost since I started weaving and every single time I go through the same angst: will it be good enough?  Will *I* be good enough?

At some point in time an author just has to stop.  Stop polishing.  Stop tweaking. Stop agonizing.  Just say "it's the best I can do" and let it go out into the world to make its way, sink or swim.

I am well aware that some people will be disappointed.  Some will find what I have done sadly lacking.  Some will share their opinion of my failure.

Others will find value.  Others will be helped.  Others will discover things they never thought about before.  Others will be able to tweak their own processes and make progress.

It is those 'others' that The Intentional Weaver is for.

I am not trying to write the 'compleat' book of weaving.  I am not trying to write the 'only book you'll ever need'.  I am not actually trying to write a 'how to learn how to weave' book.  My approach is instead to write a book that will explain more of the why of the craft, not just the how (although there will be some of that to illustrate the how in relationship to the why).

And so I have come to the point in my life where, once I have read through the edits by my beta reader and made what 'corrections' are necessary I will set aside this first part as being pretty much 'finished' (as much as any writing is ever 'finished') and concentrate on the projects I want to include.  The projects are intended as a way to illustrate some of the points in the main body of the text.  Hints and tips specific to those projects will be included where appropriate.

The photographs and whatever diagrams I deem necessary still need to be dealt with but over the past month I have come to the conclusion that I have said pretty much what I wanted to say and it is time to move toward the conclusion of this project.

I want to have it finished by the end of 2018.  Because by then we will be entering high gear for the conference here in 2019.  Plus I still have my teaching commitments for Olds, which are in the exact same month as the conference!  So I cannot be still writing, polishing, tweaking this manuscript for any longer.  It is time to wrap it up (although the actually wrap up is still a long ways away!) and let it loose into the world...flaws and all...

4 comments:

Linda said...

Appreciate learning the whys. Without the whys how can one make knowledgable decisions on trying different methods or fixing mistakes.

Vicki Hughes said...

As I was weaving a baby blanket today, a double weave so I wouldn't have to deal with the very large loom, I was conscious of the way I was holding and throwing the shuttle. The rhythm, the dance between it and the treadles. Something I would never have paid much attention to except for having you for a teacher. Your insights passed on in class has made me a better weaver. Thanks

Carmen said...

This book will be on my shelf, or actually open and put to use near my loom!!!!

Unknown said...

Very much looking forward to owning your book!!