Writing With a Broken Tusk
Writing With a Broken Tusk began in 2006 as a blog about overlapping geographies, personal and real-world, and writing books for children. The blog name refers to the mythical pact made between the poet Vyaasa and the Hindu elephant headed god Ganesha who was his scribe during the composition of the Mahabharata. It also refers to my second published book, edited by the generous and brilliant Diantha Thorpe of Linnet Books/The Shoe String Press, published in 1996, acquired and republished by August House and still miraculously in print.
Since March, writer and former student Jen Breach has helped me manage guest posts and Process Talk pieces on this blog. They have lined up and conducted author/illustrator interviews and invited and coordinated guest posts. That support has helped me get through weeks when I’ve been in edit-copyedit-proofing mode, and it’s also introduced me to writers and books I might not have found otherwise. Our overlapping interests have led to posts for which I might not have had the time or attention-span. It’s the beauty of shared circles—Venn diagrams, anyone?
(Dis)Organizing a Draft, Part 1
I am now writing a drafty (very drafty) version of what I think will become Chapter 4 of an upper middle grade (possibly YA) nonfiction book. I intend to present the intersections of two large topics. I intend to go back quite a way in time.
I know I need to organize my research, keep track of pictures and sources, maintain a running reading list and lists of physical sources as well as links. Set things up so I don’t lose all that good stuff I’ve found by delving into rabbit-holes of history and science.
But how do I keep it from setting into the mental equivalent of poured concrete?