Mr. Crutcher, you have one
obedient computer. You send yours to the library, I can’t even make mine go
downstairs for a donut. And I’m sorry, but this Dewey Decimal has to
go. When I was a boy in rural Colorado (at a one room school where my mom
taught first through fifth grades – and hit me with a ruler when I was unruly –
where at the end of every day we stood beside our desks and sang Onward
Christian Soldiers like the angels we were) the bookmobile came once a week! It was like Santa Claus! -- except for this
twirp Dewey Decimal that they were always trumpeting about. I already knew the real
Dewey. Dewey Duck, with his brothers Huey and Louie. It was years before I
discovered the truth about Mr. Decimal and his arcane “system.” As if three
numbers weren’t enough, he added that point
at the end and then added more letters and numbers after ... really? A whole 3x5 card just for the book’s number?
Got so’s I would read the number and skip the book. That accounts for the
richness of my literary understanding. Remember 142.780973 C826e? What a number! What a concept!
Researching, I use several search engines for articles
and images and I love the online thesaurus when I’m considering non-repetitive
word choices. I made a deal with myself to stop and think --- THINK --- before
I access these tools in the hopes that my brian doesn’t atropine completly . .
. hmmm.
This week I’m caught up with my researching but I’m in the
process of rearranging a new book’s fifteen beginning chapters to establish the
character-building and the plot momentum that I believe will be most effective. I’m
aware how difficult it is for me to hold entire chapters in my head and move
them around like building blocks. I see now why some authors use storyboards to
give themselves a visual anchor. Or maybe I should use scissors and scotch tape
. . . but wouldn’t the pages tear after the eleventh reconstruction? Surely you
have suffered the pain of beginningitis . . . or wait, maybe you’re one of
those scalawags who write the first draft through to the end before you monkey
with it. Well, fie on thee, penman, may your ship scrawl to the doldrums - - an
old curse I learned from 216.818974 K353r.
Yes, I remember those call numbers at the library, too. And I know what you mean about holding entire chapters in my head. I was writing a book that went back and forth between timelines, and I ended up making an impromptu storyboard out of post-it notes. It looked an unholy mess, but it sure was helpful in keeping things straight.
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