“It was as black in the closet as blood.” (Alan Bradley, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie)
“I think I love signs of spring more than I love spring itself,” I said to Nathan after I made him play hooky with me for a couple of hours to wander through the botanical gardens. After all, it was my birthday and I didn’t want to be alone. I love the potential of what is yet to come, the peeks of beauty being reborn out of the browns and grays of winter.
By now you might be wondering, “what do flowers and signs of spring have to do with the Alan Bradley quote?” or not–you could simply be throwing your hands up in disgust and surfing to another blog. But, if you bear with me, I will explain.
Yesterday, as I wandered through a landscape that is just beginning to show signs of life, I found myself in awe of the potential . . . of the beauty yet to come.
In the beginning lies my imagination of the wonders to follow.
The early days of spring hint at colors as yet unseen. Planning for a trip is sometimes more exciting than the trip itself.
The first line to any story, sets the tone for possibilities.
(See, I told you I’d get there.)
Last night I started reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, a book that has been on my list for a while. I’m finally catching up on some of my list, after I decided that it was acceptable to spend some birthday money on myself, including buying a pile of books. I read the first line, quoted above, and thought, “Wow, that’s an amazing first line.” I even read it allowed to Nathan.
His reaction was, “Ew!” followed by, “That is a good first line.”
I haven’t gotten far enough in to way much about the book yet, but so far I am enjoying it. I’m glad about that, because so often fabulous first lines, glorious beginnings, and the potential I imagine when something new starts result in disappointment.
For example, I just finished reading Anne Rice’s Of Love and Evil which began with an intriguing first line, “I dreamed a dream of angels.” I remember being so enamored by Interview with a Vampire. The richness of the language, the danger of the characters, the tension of good vs. evil, the seduction of possibility. However, this time I was disappointed. Perhaps it was coming into the second book of a series, without reading the first, but I found the potential of the first line simply disappeared.
Potential and magic lies in the beginning of everything. The secret, I believe, is making that potential grow to true magnificence. I am beginning to recognize that I am my own worst enemy because I am afraid of losing the potential of my beginnings.
I have a lot of wonderful first lines, but if I never complete them they only live in the world of potential.
I plan to make weekly visits to the botanical gardens this spring, so that I can watch the possibilities become realities. I hope, that as I see that potential does not have to lead to disappointment, I can fully discover my own possibilities.
I hope my first can blossom into a rich reality.
The magic lies in fulfilling all the potential possibilities.
This image comes from http://www.boston.com. I haven't seen the gardens in their full glory yet (didn't discover them until Christmas). But I wanted a shot of the potential fulfilled.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 09:41:04
First, I am so envious… I love visiting botanical gardens — so wonderful! Especially in early spring! Second, I am terrible at coming up with first lines! I have written entire manuscripts only to struggle again and again with what line to start with — it’s not that I don’t have lots of ideas (I do)… it’s the first line! So I am envious of that too!
Mar 15, 2012 @ 09:43:08
Oh Julia, Do not envy me. (Well, you can about the botanical garden, I’m lucky there). I struggle with first lines too. I am not claiming to have mastered that. I just have a lot of beginnings that go . . . nowhere.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 09:56:08
Oh, but without the beginnings going anywhere isn’t possible! The first step is always the hardest. If you can take that, you are on your way. I have faith in you.
Hugs,
Kathy
Mar 15, 2012 @ 09:58:25
I actually think the second, third and fourth steps are harder. I can get down the first but then the inner critic starts laughing out loud and shuts me down.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 10:20:32
Visiting the gardens weekly is a terrific idea. I hope you’ll share with us what you not only find, but also find out.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 10:28:57
Hope the garden gives you daily inspiration as it blooms. Looks like a great place to sit and write.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 10:55:43
I never start there. I begin in the middle, get comfortable with the flow, and then sneak up on it by backing into the beginning, and often with this approach, the first lube says itself.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 10:56:39
That should say “line”. Of course.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 16:32:19
Writers are encouraged to focus so much on first lines, first paragraphs, first pages. I think the rest of the book sometimes gets ignored in the rush to grab a reader’s attention right away. A long, slow seduction is what I like, that tease of potential that converts to reality somewhere along the way, when I didn’t even see it coming.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 17:06:59
That’s so true Andra, hence the disappointment that comes when a quality first line leads to mediocre content. I love to be surprised. Too often I find myself writing a book as I read it, meaning I know where it is heading even before I get there. I do that with tv and movies too sometimes. It makes me a challenging audience.
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:37:54
I agree
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:41:12
I often tell students to just start and then worry about how it begins. I should take my own advice.
Mar 15, 2012 @ 18:57:17
Your words have potential and they have magic.
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:44:30
Thank you Katy. I wish that they weren’t just potential though.
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:37:21
Firstly books are a must for birthdays so I’m glad you indulged! Beginnings are tricky beasts in writing and in life and it’s even harder to finish what you start but exploring possibilities will lead to magic.
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:41:43
I was thinking of you as I wrote that, of that thing you put on Facebook about books instead of shoes.
Mar 16, 2012 @ 08:45:10
Haha you can never have too many books