Landing Gear

Megan planted herself in front of our yoga class, strong and tall as a Sequoia. “Come into Tree Pose with me,” she said. 

I tried to follow the teacher’s example, but my own body trembled and swayed like a Florida palm bowing to a hurricane. 

Amusement played in the corners of Megan’s mouth. She offered me some gentle guidance: “It’s difficult to find your way into the pose when your mind is focused on your internal chatter.”

I finally found my way into Tree Pose last Tuesday. I stood graceful and silent for a long while: mind, body, and spirit were one. Pure, unadulterated happiness. But when the teacher told us to release the asana, I was faced with yet another challenge. My arms flailed, and my legs buckled. I’d knocked myself off-balance again.

Megan’s voice was soothing, compassionate. Her eyes twinkled, and a smile danced in the corners of her mouth. “You’re always flying,” she said. “I invite you to work on your landing skills.” 

I wrote another chapter last week (rough but complete).  And then I realized my chapter summaries didn’t provide enough detail to guide me through the rest of the book to The End.

My confidence wobbled. I flailed and lost my footing.


But! I refocused and breathed my way through it.

 

First, I copy/pasted all my chapter summaries into a new document, and then I separated them with page breaks. Next, I added scenes and stubs to each chapter. Some, I’d already written; others came to me as I worked. I also added layers and texture. I’ve created a 78-page document (whoa, baby!) that is going to serve as my new-and-improved outline. Pure, unadulterated happiness.

 

I gotta be honest: It’s a hot mess. Many of the snippets are disorganized within their chapters. I’ve already noticed a couple of plot potholes, and the scene stubs are pea-gravel rough. But I now have a much better flight plan, and I can see the lights on the landing strip ahead. I know where I’m going, and I’m excited because I know I can get there.

Image credit: BuderimYoga and DancingTreeYoga

42 Comments

    • I wonder if maybe you =have= to create a more organized outline when you’re writing memoir. For me, anyway, that’s true. Fiction-writers have more freedom, I think, to let their imaginations run wild on the page.

  4. You constantly amaze me. What I’ve read of your memoir is already amazing, so I can only imagine how it’s going to read with your changes and restructuring. Way to go, really.

    And yay for tree pose! And learning to get OUT of tree pose!

    xo,
    Cathy

  9. Wow, that picture is a story itself! (In fact, I’m wondering if you could link me to that photo if you wouldn’t mind…it would be a perfect prompt for my writing workshop.)

    And I’m so impressed with your progress–it may be a hot mess, but it’s cooking right along! 🙂

    PS: I’m home now and would love to read if you need it.

    • Thanks, Lorraine, but aaaahhh, don’t mention cooking! I’m so not good at that. 🙂

      The photo credit/link is at the end of this post. And btw, I sent you a welcome-home email. Let me know if/when you retrieve it.

  12. Gorgeous photo and accompanying yoga tale.

    Inspirational writing tale! I’m so glad you found your way again, Melodye. This is quite exciting, isn’t it?

    • I love how my teacher was so observant, and not just with her eyes. I’m think I’m going to work that story into one of the last chapters of my book.

      YES, it’s very exciting. And so liberating! I wake up every morning now, ready to write.

  13. Now old Bubba says every tree has a picture in it if one will only stop and take a long look. You found a very nice one. Now for the landing. One has to take flight to find a landing. Some are bumpy and some come smooth. It take a lot of those rough ones to master the gentle landing. After all, a bronc can throw one high in the air. Sounds as if you have gotten the hang of landing on your feet running. I know you can see the finish line just ahead. Keep on heading to the finish line. You have a lot of folks waiting and cheering for you.

    • I think that this time, it’s not a practice run. I really feel the momentum building. And I feel your support, Bubba, and I’m grateful. Very much so.

  14. That’s very awesome, Miss Melodye. You are going to stick your landing before you know it. I’m glad your flight plan is solid and that you see the lights on the landing strip. You will most definitely get there. Go Melodye GO!!!

    • Hey, that’s quite an icon you’ve got there. 🙂

      Thanks so much, Kevin, for rooting for me. I feel I’ve got the wind at my back this time. (Are those called tail winds?) It seems easier somehow, even when the actual writing’s a challenge.

      • Love the icon. One of my friends made it and allowed me to swipe it. 🙂

        You’re very worth rooting for, Melodye. You really are an inspiration to so many of us. It’s not difficult to pull for you! I believe those are tail winds… I think… lol… whatever they are, may they continue pushing you onward and upward, my friend!!!!

  15. See, here’s the thing: there’s no judgment, just compassion. I love that aspect of yoga. Have you ever tried it? If you lived close to me, I’d invite you to join me. 🙂

    • Whoa, that baby picture creeped me out at first. I get the metaphor now, but I dunno…I’ll have to adjust my filter for that one. 🙂

      Thanks so, so much for your ongoing support! If you saw me copy/stapling everything at the dining room table (what a mess!) you’d probably take back what you said about me being organized…

    • Oh, that’s such a great encouragement. Step by step and there you are. I’ve gotta work on tripping thing.

      I can’t say how much I appreciate your kind support for me. xo

  18. What a great photo, and the perfect one to embrace for your yoga class. It almost looks like a woman with her arms raised, standing on one foot as she lifts the other leg into the sir.

    Congratulations on completing another chapter.It doesn’t matter if it’s rough… what counts is that it’s down on paper, or in WORD as the case may be.

    I love your whole writing/flight plan analogy. It does seem like you’re flying at times…smooth sailing then massive turbulence … and a sinking-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach drop. I’m glad that the landing strip lights are shining brightly for you. What boggles my mind is your 78 page outline…that’s a book in, and of, itself!

    XOXOXO

    • Isn’t it incredible? I loved that image right away.

      You know…I’m getting to the point where it feels good just to get the ideas DOWN ON THE PAGE. I’ve wasted a lot of time doing the wax-on-wax-off thing. I need less polishing and more producing. Know what I mean?

      I’ve hit lots of turbulence, that’s for sure. But that’s natural for all of us, isn’t it? And even if it’s not, it seems to be part of my own journey. Yay for landing lights ahead. I picture Supportive Sharon as the person with the glowing sticks that helps guide me toward the terminal. Thanks forever and ever for that.

      • I used to call my crutches ‘wings’ a child, but I ‘ll bet I could use some of those LED Christmas lights that run on batteries, and have one heck of a glow stick, in order to flag you in for a safe landing. 😀

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