Monday 31 December 2012

Old Year - New Year

Well, the task of writing the last post of 2012 falls to me. What is it about the end of one year and the beginning of the next one which seems so special and important? The 1st January is only another date on the calendar and yet in the lead up to it we (most of us) spend a great deal of time looking back over the past twelve months – assessing, regretting, celebrating – and looking forward to better times. We always hope for better, don’t we?

It’s a bit like editing our books, this review of the past year. We look back over the chapters we’ve written and realise some things don’t work well. That scene in the second chapter really has to go, as do the words we tend to overuse.  On the other hand, the chapter we struggled over for ages actually reads pretty well and the new character we introduced in chapter four adds a whole new dimension to the story.

Of course, we can’t go back to edit our real lives the way we do our books. Can’t change the parts we didn’t enjoy, bump off the characters we don’t much care for or re-write the scenes which didn’t work. Perhaps that’s why the change of year is special. It marks some kind of climax and conclusion as well as a new beginning.

We maybe can’t change the bad events and disappointments which happened in the last months but we can try to draw a line under them and look forward to the New Year with fresh hope

When I was young and given a diary for Christmas I used to amuse myself by opening it at random pages. I’d stare at the blank pages, wondering what I’d be writing about on, say, August 3rd. Now, I wonder what stories are going to be written. It’s exciting and mysterious – are the stories in my head already waiting to be written down, or will events over the next weeks and month be the trigger? What things will happen in my life to prompt writing new poems?

To all the writers and readers who enjoy our Novel Points of View blog, I wish a happy 2013.

14 comments:

  1. Love the idea of bumping off folk we meet on our travels we don't much care for....:) Obviously we can't do that but we don't have to be in their company any more.....well, not if we can help it!
    I came over all Scottish today (although I don't think I've got a single Scottish gene in me) and Springcleaned the house....used a whole bottle of Cif and half a flagon of bleach....friends arriving for dinner, you know.....:) That time of year! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

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    1. Oh, Linda, you are doing much better than I am. My house has not had its customary Hogmanay clean. Instead we've had a workman in fixing things and I'm shutting my eyes to the stour (dust) he's left behind. I will raise a glass of whisky later in proper Scottish fashion! Glad you liked the post.

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  2. It is a thoughtful time of year, Mary. You are so right. I'm sure you will dream up some lovely new poems and who knows which stories are already incubating in your fertile mind.
    Wishing you and all NOVPOV contributors a happy and successful 2013.

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    1. Thanks for your good wishes, Gwen. I hope for you, too, 2013 will be a good year. Hope it won't be too long before we catch up.

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  3. So much neater, as a writer, to be able to go back and edit rather than have to get it right first time in life or (what's worse) live with our mistakes!

    Happy New Year, Mary!

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    1. Oh, Jennifer, there are quite a few mistakes I wish I could have edited out of real life - on the other hand, as writers, we can usually find a way to put even our mistakes to good use!
      All the nest for 2013.

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  4. If only we could write our lives as well as edit them when they prove not to work out as we'd planned...but then, that's all part of the mystery and understanding that we bring to our writing and provides us with a deep compassion for our characters and our poems. Keep up the excellent work you do and I'm looking forward to being entranced again by your writing. All the best for 2013

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    1. Lovely to see you've been able to leave a comment, Kriss!
      You are right - we need the mystery of not knowing 'what next' in our lives. And we probably learn much more about beng human from our lows than our highs.
      Thanks for your kind comments and I hope 2013 will be a good year for you and yours.

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  5. Ah, Mary, there are quite a few things I'd like to edit out of my life! If only! Never mind, we have our writing and our friends to take us forward into the new year - what else really matters?

    Cheers, everyone!

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  6. Quite right, Jenny - here's to our writing and our friends!

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  7. And a Happy New Year to you too, Mary. Here's to a successful writing year for us all!

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  8. I love the change over of years as the new one always seems so full of promise and expectations - even if it doesn't always live up to them! Have another great year, Mary.

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