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Listen to the book

Prompt: Madeleine L'Engle said, "Slowly, slowly I am learning to listen to the book, in the same way I try to listen in prayer. If the book tells me to do something completely unexpected, I heed it; the book is usually right." What do you think she meant?

Listen and Heed to the book , is actually quit easy for me to explain. I have been known to do it myself.
For me it when I write a story but when I reading it I go on a different path. My 1st drafts are always my own thoughts and takes on where a story should go (usually done in pen). When I read it to ensure it is ready to start the drafting process (putting it on my flash for easy access)it sometimes take my mind away from what is actually on the pages.
I have been known to rewrite several different virgins of the same story and other times I will add or delete entire chapters. It all depends on how it goes.
It is not the actual editing part of it. Which of course is the fixing of grammar, spelling, re-arranging of paragraphs or chapters already written. It is a much different thing.
The story its self becomes an entity all of its own (which is a way to know you have skill). It will than tell you what path it wants to take, how long or short it want to be, sometimes it will even tell you how simple or complex it want to be. It is our jobs as writers to aid it in accomplishing it goals. For without the assistance of a good writer a story is merrily words on a page, the writer breathes life into the pages and so the words can have depth. That is how you get a story.
That is my take on the phrase.

Taz

Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction