Surveying the scene

Out with the dog on a local hill this afternoon we followed a slightly different track from that which we normally take and stumbled on a lovely walk, quite new to us despite having lived very close to it for 22 years. What really struck me as we explored the path in some welcome February sunshine was the different slant we then had on a very familiar view out over the Severn valley - and that started me thinking about revising manuscripts, about looking at a familiar piece of work from a different standpoint, getting another perspective on it.

Because revising is what I am now into, having at last finished the first draft of the family chronicles! I actually finished ten days ago but put it aside to have a bit of breathing space before launching into the next phase. Several of the early chapters were written some eighteen months ago and, in the light of how later ones have developed, need some reworking. I can't remember who it was who said "Life can only be understood backwards - the problem is that it has to be lived forwards." For me, though, the same often holds true for a concerted piece of writing - it's only on its completion that the overall picture comes into perspective, that the shape and feel of it become apparent and I can get a proper grip on it! So I'm striking out along that different path now ...