outline vs. inspiration

November has come.The photo was taken in August, in the heat of the summer, and the plants have a hard time growing. The garden appears on hold, but I love when the heat is wrapping itself around my body like a soft and snuggly blanket. I can see and feel the heat in the picture, the ever so soft blur gives it away. The days are getting shorter and shorter now, and I just dread winter. If it even were what you can call winter. It reminds me more of the weather over there where I used to live. Grey skies and weather that creeps in your bones and makes them ache. After a few dreary days last week the sun has been out again. The weather is gorgeous, I should be out and about, but instead am sitting at my desk and working on an essay that needs to be finished. I have completed my research, have written a first incomplete version, let it lie, and now I have to go back and edit and finish it. Well, should not be so hard, but I am bored at this point. I do not like the editing part at all. I like to work from an outline, have my argument thought out in advance. It always amazes me how often people work the other way, waiting for an inspiration while writing. True, without an initial inspiration I cannot perceive of an idea, I get that, but then the idea has to be developed and thought out in advance. This does not mean that every word has to be set in stone in advance, but I need to know where I am going. Oh well, the old control freak in me, I guess. With this essay I had not thought out everything in advance, saw something new while writing, added that, but now my whole intro does not fit any more, which means major editing, hence my frustration. Strategy of distraction: set up blog. Done! back to work!