What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? I began writing, GROWING AN ARTIST: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son, in May of 2019. Initially it was titled: THE LITTLE LANDSCAPER. It is a semi-autobiographically account of my upbringing and working for my father, a landscape contractor and me as a young artist. I completed the written work in July of 2021.
Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work? And please describe in detail. And can you please include a photo? I write in my art studio set in my home. It is a quiet place where I can brainstorm and be creative. As a professional illustrator by trade, my decor is filled with artwork from pervious projects as well as fine art paintings. I also have a library of art books, a cabinet of paints and supplies, plus acoustic and electric guitars if I need to jam on to keep me moving forward.
What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I enjoying beginning early in the day when my ideas are fresh. The goal is to type more pages than I need so I can come back and edit later. Coffee fuels much of the energy for these creative moments. I work in Microsoft Word on a iMac computer. I tend not to write with pen and paper since my handwriting is not great. Once most of my ideas are written, I rework the text and organize the placement. I like to keep the entire process fun, yet focused.
Please include just one excerpt and include page numbers as reference. This one excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer. At lunchtime I unwrap Mami’s famous burrito: chorizo, avocado, and egg. I’m still thinking of Alex when I ask, “Papi, do you like your work?” He pauses, then says, “You know, mijo, being your own boss is the best thing in the world. You have to work hard and sometimes you are treated like you are invisible, but when you do something you love and get to be creative, you feel proud.” He notices my sketchbook and says, “Hey, you are getting so good.” I smile. (from page 9 of GROWING AN ARTIST)
Click on the link below to purchase Growing Up An Artist: A Story of a Landscaper and His Son from Amazon.
Why is this excerpt so emotional for you as a writer to write? And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? The dialogue represents a personal moment of reflection for both characters. The father acknowledges to his son, the difficulty of working for yourself in certain jobs and being treated less than equal. But by working creatively and diligently is where a person can find life’s purpose. It is based on a real conversation with my father and how proud he felt about his work.
Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? And can you please include a photo of your marked up rough drafts of this excerpt. The scene was written close to what it was in the first draft with a few changes. Just the beginning and a little of the ending was tightened up. Here is how that original text read initially: As noon approached it was decided to stop and have a break. We pulled out our lunches…. Papi then noticed my sketchbook. He said how good I was getting. I had pictures of many of plants we saw that day.
Most of the INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links can be found at the very end of the below feature:
http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2021/03/stephenson-holts-arranged-marriage-is.html