Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their process for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Meredith Alling writes about Sing The Song
from Future Tense Books.
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A big part of writing for me is note-taking. Most of the time a “note” is just a few words that I read, heard, or thought of and want to remember later, or will help me remember to think about something later. I’m not very organized; some of the notes are in a Google Doc titled “Notes” (sure), some are in my phone’s Notes app, and the rest are spread between two notebooks: a small red one that says “ideal” on the front and a plain black imitation Moleskin. Here I’ve copied some of the notes I took while working on stories for Sing the Song.
So rude about my wrist, I felt like crying
Budget Flavin
Decisions that highlight or obscure
What’s the deal
One leg up on the dresser
Hey lady
I was a fuzzy calf once
Depression chat room
Is a baby the mom?
Lexus SUV’s mileage
The Shrimpsons
Carpet + mustard
She was grateful to them for laughing at him (Woolf)
Orangutan, osprey
Who is in charge
Anti-real
Lint vest
Gum knee
Kristen bone hands
Soft or damp
Through love I am teaching myself how to think (Kraus)
Michael Douglas is my safe actor
Egg — ??
Parenthetical living
Up all night
Air vibration
Shank with the twisted handle
By many deeds of shame
Fear of consciousness
Big ringing bell
Scum!
Treat patient like Dr. in the ER
If a boulder was hot
Fried fish tapas
Slick ponytail
Asshole cop
Problem of illusion
Lucidity too was a long patience (Camus)
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