Mahabharata: Bhima’s Promise

Some of you may remember during Draupadi's shame that since Duhsasana had tried to undress Draupadi, Bhima swore that he would drink his blood.

In the giant battle, Bhima's son is killed. Bhima manages to hunt down Duhsasana and rip his chest open and drink his blood. If Arjuna's attacking of Karna was out of line with the etiquette of war, this act was truly out there. Draupadi finishes up the whole incident by washing her long hair in Duhsasana's blood. Yup. Nice.

After this, the Pandavas pretty much take the day. Duryodhana retreats and hides under a frozen lake (he can create ice and breathe water--who knew?) However ,the Pandavas coax him out. They break his legs and leave him for dead.

A couple of the Kaurava warriors come, see Duryodhana, and decide to avenge him. Pretty much the Pandava camp is wiped out. Everyone from the parent generation is sent into the burning woods. The Pandavas themselves win because they are the last group standing, and they have Krishna's blessing.

Yudhisthira, however, decides this has all been a waste, and the Pandavas wander back into exile.

Last: A word on the afterlife.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

Callouses

I've strapped myself into the pilot's seat, and I'm flying the plane of the novel right to its destination.

You'd be surprised how you don't have creative energy after working all day and then writing most of the night, to come up with something all meta and insightful to say about the life of a writer.

Or maybe you wouldn't.

Day job writer (me) usually can manage to write about two hours at night before that's it, and she feels like her brain is full of virgin polyester (why yes, I *do* know quilters!).

Is the difference between a freelance and a day job writer that you have more of those two hour increments during the day, and you can get in, say, three writing sessions? Or do we work about the same speed?

And if a tree falls in the forest, and a publicist isn't around to report on it, does it really make a sound?

Those of you who write for more than two hours at a time, tell me, how did you build up those big writer muscles?

Inchoate and incoherent,

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

Make It Work

Bryon gave me Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste, and Style as an early present, and it's a great book. It's also a book that isn't about writing that really is about writing. For example, from page 16

"Make it work!" is an enormously useful expression. I remember the first time I used it. It was roughly six years ago in one of my classes at Parsons. I find that often students who struggle with an assignment are inclined to abandon the struggle and begin again. This practice unnerves me, because it's like playing roulette with one's work. What assurance does one have that the next spin of the wheel will be successful? Important learning occurs when a struggle is examined and analyzed, diagnosed, and a prescription offered. Ergo, make it work. I believe that we all benefit from the make-it-work practice.

I can see the implications for writing.

You rock my world, Tim.

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.