Rough It Up
March 14, 2010
So I found out a few days ago that I’ve won a full fellowship (even a travel stipend!) to Fishtrap– a week-long conference, workshop and mini-writing residency in the northeast corner of Oregon. I’m thrilled. It’s a week of conferences, readings, and writing workshops–especially this cool one I’m registered for on writing historical fiction (as I am) with Karen Fisher, author of A Sudden Country. Hopefully there will be some time to write, too!
I’ve applied before and never gotten in, but this time I applied with an excerpt from the new book (ditto for Vermont). Maybe this is telling me something?
Also, revisited this article by Elizabeth Sims from February 2009 Writer’s Digest: Rough It Up–Get Messy with your First Draft to Get to the Good Stuff.
“Legibility is overrated. Remember that.”
Love it.
Posted in 
March 14th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
No, I think cleverness is overrated. We flog for it here.
Take, for instance that “Oregon” title block. I had to decipher it letter by letter and wondered “How does that help?” No, That was a mighty poor title to use when saying that legibility is overrated.
===gm===
March 17th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Hey Rob, glad my WD article is useful to you! Best in your writing.
Elizabeth Sims
March 17th, 2010 at 8:42 am
GF, I appreciate you visiting my site– but where are you from? You flog for it where?
Also, I beg to disagree with you– if the title says Rough It Up, then legibility is going to be the least of my concerns– so thus I agree with Sims that legibility is overrated, meaning, don’t worry about being legible for now with your writing– you can always go back and fix and clear things up.
March 17th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Elizabeth– thank you for reading my blog–i’m so thrilled! and for your always wonderful articles.
March 20th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Great article…I bookmarked it as a gentle reminder to myself.
And congrats on the fellowship!
March 20th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Hi Angie!
When do I get to read some of your writing?
March 23rd, 2010 at 7:39 am
Congrats on the fellowship! Thanks for the link to the “Rough” article.
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Super! Super!! Congrats:)xo