Magic Detangling Spray for Writers

Do you remember that shampoo that promises, “No more tears?” It is a lie. Just so you know — so is that spray that promises, “No more tangles.”

My seven-year-old daughter can attest to both of those statements. She loves her long hair, but she hates to have it combed out after it’s been washed. It’s been that way since she was tiny. She tries to comb it, but eventually the job falls on Mom. That’s when the tears show up.

I try to be gentle — really! I comb a small section at at time, trying to tease out the knots without pulling at her scalp. It takes forever. And she still cries. She asks, “Do we HAVE to do this?”

We were going through this ritual the other night when it dawned on me how much this madness is like the painful re-writing process.

I wrote a great book. I showed it to a friend. She pointed out some “tangles.” I combed some more, teased out some of the knots. I showed it to someone else: more tangles. I pulled and tugged, changed combs, sprayed in some conditioner, combed some more. I showed it to a few professionals. Whoa — major rats nests. Back to work. I started up near the scalp, pulling the comb through small sections at a time. Tears flowed. I asked myself, “Do I HAVE to do this?” I stepped away and took a deep breath. The I grabbed the comb. I tugged, teased, yanked. Just like there is no magic detangling spray for hair (or one that really works, anyway) there’s no such thing for writers, either.

Amazingly, after a lot of work and tears, it started to look a little better. I’m not sure that I can pull the comb through without hitting any tangles (that’s the test I tell my daughter to use when she asks if she’s combed enough). But, I think it’s about ready to show someone again. It’s not quite “prom hair,” but, it might be ready for picture day at kindergarten.