These two things aren’t as different as they sound. Yes, one is crafting things from yarn, and the other is spinning a good yarn (sorry, couldn’t resist). But both are taking a base tool (yarn/needles or words) and using a framework (pattern or outline) to create a finished product (sweater or story).
Yes, this might be on my mind because (a) I went to Rhinebeck this past weekend and (b) I am trying very hard to rediscover my joy in words and my schedule for writing.
Admittedly, I haven’t been great about knitting lately, either, but that I can kind of blame on the cats—it’s incredibly hard to work on a sweater when the cat has taken over my lap!
But the thing I need to remember is that if I manage a row or two a day for knitting, eventually I’ll have a sweater (or sock, or whatever the project is). And the same goes for words: even 100 words a day will reach novel length eventually.
That’s not the end of the similarities.
When you start a project, you have two directions you can take: you can start with a plan, or you can wing it. When you’re knitting, there’s a pattern, and when you’re writing, you can make an outline. But there are variations there as well. When you’ve knit enough socks, you know how it goes, and you can settle in with some sock yarn and needles and just start. There will be a cuff, a leg, a heel, a foot, and eventually a toe. For those who are pantsers, it can be the same for writing—beginning, middle, end, and all the known heartbeats along the way.
Then there’s the length. Are you creating a shortie sock or tank top (short story)? Are you making a T-shirt or crew sock (novella) or a knee sock/hoodie (novel)?
For the record, remembering details along the way and counting is hard. I don’t care whether it’s knitting or writing—we always forget the most important things and fail to figure out patterns at some point. I take copious notes for both, but at times, it simply goes wrong.
Sometimes we carefully pick our way backwards, tinking and trying to find the exact moment where things went wrong so we can fidget the stitches or words around until it’s fixed. Other times we know exactly where the problem is and can throw in a retroactive lifeline and pull out everything after that moment and start again.
Sometimes it’s all a mess and we frog all the way back to the beginning and start again.
The worst part is when you’re halfway through a project and you realize… it’s all wrong. Wrong yarn, wrong needles, wrong gauge. You could complete the project, but there’s no point, it won’t fit. At that point the only option is to yank it all out and start over, and try to fix what went wrong while creating a whole new product.
I have done that so many times, both for knitting and for writing. You’d be surprised how many frogged projects are buried within PHU (some already completed as brand new stories, some still only seeds waiting to be grown into their own full novels).
We learn from our mistakes. Every project that goes right and every single one that goes wrong. We know how to do it better the next time.
The more you knit, the better your finished products will be, and the same with writing. There are no bad stitches, and no bad words. So what if a scarf is wonky? You know something new for next time. And if a short story falls flat? Figure out why (and hey, while you’re at it, frog it and steal pieces for a fresh attempt another time) then write a new one.
And most importantly, knit those two rows a day, write your hundred words, and keep going.
Me, I’m going to try to follow my own advice. Maybe by the end of the year I’ll have some socks and a sweater and a couple of ready outlines for the books I need to write.
One day at a time. Keep on crafting.
