writing in progress

Thought I would stop by long enough to show you a bit of what happens as it happens.

Below is a cut and past of a paragraph with the changes (the first words in italics are the original.)

Too tired/weary to speak, they looked at each other and in Blair’s face/expression, Fleance saw what he had been thinking/a mirror of his thoughts: none/not many have come this way lately/in at least a season. This tiny/small valley/glen was overgrown/untended; wild in nature and in humanity. Cains dotted the paddocks where grain should have swayed or sheep grazed. Their horses walked on, their hooves making deathly and hollow sounds against an unresponsive path.

I type quickly and delete and change just as quickly. Sometimes, if I'm on a roll, I insert something like [more here] or [name cliff] or [whosever's name] and highlight it yellow so that it is easy to spot when I go back for a second go.

You may not agree with my changes. Hell, I may not agree with my changes tomorrow or next week but this is a wee window into how I write.

Yesterday, Ruby, one of my Y12 students asked: how do you write a book? I can't even write 300 words.
(My seniors are completing writing assessments at the moment).

Today I said to her: if I were a runner, I would run. A lot. And I would be able to run and run and be good at it. It would have taken me practice.

I don't run any more but I do write. A lot. Every day. And, I think, I am good at it.

Ok, the horses (and Blair and Fleance) are knackered so I better get back so they can untack, brush the horses down, make camp and retire for the night before a BIG EVENT.

BTW if you want to know context - this bit is about three quarters of the way through.