aamcnamara

I'm glad the revision techniques might be helpful! I've picked them up from other writers as things to try, mostly. I've also retyped sections (or, in bad cases, the whole thing) -- sometimes that shakes up some different process in my brain and makes me question my own words the way I would someone else's story. Collage and playlists sometimes help clarify things in revision as well as in first drafts. Oh, and lots and lots of exercise, especially walking, whenever I get stuck or have to stop and think something through. That works much better for me than sitting still with a pen or laptop. I also will frequently try lots of techniques and not "complete" any of them while working through a difficult revision. I try really hard to remember that these techniques are tools, not goals in and of themselves; sometimes they aren't useful to continue once my brain gets it.

Good luck with the revisions -- let me know if you want further elaborations on any of these.

On the sick-making, thank you for allowing me my pedantry. I think it's most interesting to me to constantly remember that what sounds correct/right/natural to my ear comes from what I've absorbed as language and, hence what I've been exposed to. Sick-making makes me think of Wodehouse, but didn't have that effect on you. It's interesting to remember that the pieces of our materials don't have the same effect, let alone the entire work. If that makes any sense.