The Beauty of Butterflies

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

Maya Angelou

The same could be said about writing, don’t you think? As a reader we’re presented with the final product, edited and polished until it shines. But how many drafts, revisions, and edits did it go though to get there? We should never be discouraged with our first attempts at a story. It will change and grow over time.

Perhaps it is a good thing that readers never have to read the first drafts of some very popular books. If they did they might not want to read the finished book at all.

Enjoy your weekend!

20 Comments

by Laura Best on June 1, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged beauty, book, butterfly, change, editing, first draft, Maya Angelou, revisions, writing

Posted by Laura Best on June 1, 2012

https://lauraabest.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/the-beauty-of-butterflies/

20 Comments

Darlene Foster
/ June 1, 2012

So very true Laura!

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  Nice that you agree. 🙂
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
timkeen40
/ June 1, 2012

I one day want to get paid for the things I finish. If I could get paid equally for the things I have thrown away or rewritten, I would make much more money. Writing is such a process and those who don’t write, do not understand.

Tim

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  I’m with you, Tim. Getting paid for our first drafts would certainly help py the bills, then again we might be so happy if we didn’t have to make our work our best. Writing for sure is a process.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
C.B. Wentworth
/ June 2, 2012

Lovely analogy! 🙂

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  Thank, C.B.!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Carl D'Agostino
/ June 2, 2012

I have just 2 tattoos. One is butterfly center of chest. Represents Risen Christ or resurrection and freedom of any secular kind too.

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  I love the symbol of the butterfly.Having seen a few at funerals really brings the message home.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Diane Tibert
/ June 2, 2012

I agree. Lovely photo. I tell the kids butterflies are like fairies: they should be protected and not harmed.

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  Yes indeed we need to protect both butterflies and fairies. What a nice thing to tell your kids. 🙂
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
suzicate
/ June 2, 2012

So true…what a great analogy!

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  Glad you liked it, Susan!
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Carol
/ June 2, 2012

A great quotation and analogy, Laura. (And photo! Isn’t it beautiful???)

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  I love Mayo Angelo, she’s so wise. I was surprised that the butterfly set still to be photographed. There were two that day.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
joylene
/ June 2, 2012

Sometimes I wish I could see an early draft of Eric Lustbader to see just how rough his first drafts are. At least then I’d know I’m not the only one. I know, shame on me for hoping his first draft sucks.

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  I bet most first drafts suck, Joylene. In fact, I’m counting on it. 😉
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
jenniferneri
/ June 2, 2012

Last week I wrote a scene with a moth in a coccoon that just hatched and the mc thought how far off it is was from the adult moths she saw flying around and how much work it still had to go through to. While I wrote it I was thinking this very thing! how funny!

LikeLike

Reply
- Laura Best
  / June 2, 2012
  
  Strange how these things seem to occur when we have our attention on something. I always take it as a sign of encouragement. You should too! 🙂
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
pattisj
/ June 5, 2012

I hadn’t quite thought of a book that way, Laura, but it is a metamorphosis.

LikeLike

Reply
Laura Best
/ June 5, 2012

There are so many ways of seeing things, Patti, we need only open our eyes to the possibilities that are out there. 🙂

LikeLike

Reply