"I think that we're all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better - and maybe not all that much better after all." -- Stephen King
Lori L. Lake’s 2014 Autumn Women’s Writing Retreat (At Colonyhouse – Rockaway Beach, OR) Lori L. Lake's Autumn Women's Writing Retreat (Colonyhouse—Rockaway Beach, OR)
We hauled luggage, pillows, tables and other random stuff up the never-ending stairs from the road up to Colonyhouse. Whew! What a workout! Everyone dumped their stuff in their assigned rooms, made their beds and unpacked. As others arrived we all met our roommates. (Mine brought her own camper van, so I’m actually rooming alone in the basement “Bonnie Graham” room).
Around 4 p.m. all ten of us gathered in the dining room and Lori and Luca laid out the plans for the week. Meal schedules and menus, kitchen duty, and daily quiet time for writing as well as appointments with Lori for our individual session. Lori then handed each of us our own three ring binder with numerous helpful articles to assist us with areas we expressed the need for assistance…or maybe even assurance…on. As usual, Lori is the ever attentive, organized and amazing teacher!
Luca whipped up a fabulous Indian meal for us, along with salad and a variety of fruit, veggie, cheese and cracker snacks. Well fed and chatty we helped clean up and then moved the party to the living room. Lori initiated a group ‘go around’ to introduce ourselves, explain where we are in our writing journey and just for shits and giggles—something weird about ourselves. For those of us from Minnesota (we refer to ourselves as the Minnesota Minions),time both dragged and flew because although EVERYONE’s story was interesting, amusing and captivating, it was almost midnight back home. We agreed to call it a night and the group filed off to our respective rooms to crash…or maybe read for a bit to wind down (this was what I did).
How Dogs Do - An Elder Dog's Advice to a Young Pup
So, young pup, you're growing up to be an exceptional canine, are you? I'm glad to hear that. You look pretty chipper! You must be sure, though, to keep those two humans of yours on track and that will be a daunting doggie task. They're going to continue to push you in directions you don't want to go. For instance, when a pesky squirrel has the audacity to zip past you during one of those plodding walks the humans drag you on … they'll want you to toe the line and ignore the squirrel. Dude! To hell with that! You totally go for broke. Man up! Show some canine cojones (while you still have some) … take off after that rodent! Chase it like there's no tomorrow. That's how we do. Got it? (P.S. Hope your humans don't discover that torture device called "gentle leader" … total misnomer. Seriously.)
In regards to food choices, I’m afraid you're on your own in that department. As appetizing and irresistible as I find human fare, my doggie digestive tract has a mind of its own. Believe me, there's nothing worse than the outcome of my chowing down on some tasty tidbits. I usually save up these horrific episodes for when the human that likes me (JJ) is away in Mexico. Yeah, they think I'm clueless about this every other summer escapade … leaving me with the human who dislikes me (Judy) and who’s blog I’ve surreptitiously usurped to post this. Hahahaha. (Think she’ll notice?) I'll tell you what – I let her know what's what. I usually wait until like the second or third day and then the shit hits the fan, Fozzy. Literally. I can brew some nastiness inside these old guts and when the cauldron is bubbling and boiling, I let loose. All over the house!
Here's a key piece of advice, though. Keep such shenanigans away from where you eat and sleep. It's imperative that you only launch these deadly bombs and pasty pools of toxic waste in areas that the humans occupy. Living room. Dining room. And it's especially fulfilling if you involve rugs and/or carpet instead of wood or linoleum. Truly a delight to watch and listen to the human response! You may even learn a few new words. An accomplishment of grand proportions, yup. True. True.
Another fun trick I learned was how to escape from the back yard. For this momentous achievement, I also waited until the 'good human' (JJ) was away in Mexico. I jumped up and put my snout to good use – lifting the latch on the back gate. Freedom, my friend! It's a beautiful thing! Then the human who dislikes me (Judy) had to deal with the phone calls and walking blocks and blocks to retrieve me. It was a blast! I'd go visit other canines … or sometimes just yards with kids out playing. Everyone in the neighborhood was always receptive and welcoming. They loved my visits. But then I'd have to return home with the evil one. And listen to her rant about how I was a bad dog for going on a little adventure. Dude! Adventures are the best! Totally worth the few minutes of haranguing from the humans. There are so many cool canines to meet and chill with. Always be on the lookout for a good escape route when they leave you alone in the yard.
Let me introduce you to one of our most famous canines - Snoopy. You’ll learn a lot from him. He’s awesome! Joe Cool! Have your humans queue up some TV sessions of the “Peanuts” cartoons. Good times.
I’m tuckered out from all this typing. As you know, not having apposable thumbs makes typing difficult. Damn raccoons got it easy. Grrrrr. Anyway, time for my tenth nap of the day. When you get to be my age – 13 (I'd be 91 if I were a human, now that's old) – naps are a necessity. Live it up while you're able. And stay tuned for more advice, I’ll sneak posts in whenever I can. The evil one shall not catch me! I’m like the Red Baron … taking flight! Woo Hoo!! (Too much Snoopy? Nah.) Be cool, Lil Dude!
Your pal from the big city,
Harry the Wonder Dog
Author Auction, Jewelle Gomez and Workshops … Oh, My!
Still in recovery mode and today is Wednesday!
This was my third year attending this awesome event. Each year it gets better. This year was amazing … and not just because it was in my home city … the whole conference had a more positive tone and a cohesiveness that I'd not experienced in the prior two years.
Jewelle Gomez, was the Keynote Speaker. Yes! Jewelle Gomez! I read KG MacGregor's blog and she had this to say about Jewelle Gomez, "When I retire from writing, I’m going to follow Jewell Gomez around the country and sit at her feet while she talks about her work. She’s truly an amazing woman and we were lucky to have her at GCLS."
Amen to that.
A variety of workshops were offered. If I had the ability to clone myself, I could've attended them all! Unfortunately, I had to settle for a few.
How to Write Dialogue Like A ProEssential Tools to Bring Your Characters to Vivid Life
Written and Presented by Elizabeth Sims
This two part workshop was one of those few. Hilarity ensued. "Driving me bugf**k" … a line Elizabeth shared a few times throughout the workshop … stuck with me.
But seriously, Elizabeth shared a wealth of advice on dialogue:
Great nuggets of knowledge from an engaging and learned presenter. I've taken a few webinars of hers via Writers Digest and always find them useful. Elizabeth's humor draws me in and she weaves that humor, intricately, through the lessons as she teaches. I highly recommend any of her webinars. She's a truly fun and wonderful person.
Cheyne Curry & Brenda Barton: "Requiem to Survived by... Short Story to Short Film"Cheyne explained to us how she wrote this short story for a contest and the story won an award and then morphed into an amazing and touching short film.
Hard work. Volunteers and sponsorship moved the project forward.
The story depicts the aftermath of a female soldier killed in action in Iraq. An Army chaplain is enlightened when visiting the mother of the soldier and is introduced to the woman's widow and young child – and all this happens BEFORE the repeal of DADT.
The short film was touching and Cheyne and Brenda's session was very interesting. I was impressed with both the story and the film!
Soldiers, Spies & Special Agents: Emerging Trends in Lesbian FictionSalem West did a super job moderating. The panel consisted of: Bev Prescott, Lynette Mae, Cheyne Curry and Barrett. Great input on military and law enforcement – real life and as characters in books.
Unfortunately, those were the only workshops I was able to attend as I had to slot time for my duties --
It was my honor and privilege to serve as the Awards Administrator this year. A daunting task that at times over the past several months had me teetering on the brink of insanity! (Hyperbolic? Perhaps.) The upside was being a part of the ultimate event - the Awards Ceremony. (Upside, EXCEPT for the minor detail of my having to address a roomful of people at the beginning! Shaking in my boots and all.)
My sincerest congratulations go to all the winners this year. (Visit goldencrown.org to see the phenomenal list of finalists and winners.) And we couldn’t have arrived at the memorable moments of giving awards if it weren't for the 33 volunteers who judged all the books. You were all steadfast and dedicated to the cause. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Without volunteers like these folks, the awards wouldn't happen.
I owe a huge THANK YOU to Mary Phillips, Director of Finance and Awards Liaison. Mary assisted me during the ceremony … placing the awards on stage as the finalists were read by the presenter(s). We had a smooth flowing system going on!
And our "Wocket," Director of Education and Interim Director of Technology, did a smashing job with the slideshow presentation. No glitches. No gremlins. Smooth sailing all the way! Whew!
Probably the most meaningful segment for me was the very last award, the Lee Lynch Classics Award. I was tasked with forming a committee to research, review and write a proposal for submission to the Board of Directors based on Lori L. Lake's suggestion for creating this new award. We worked and re-worked the proposal and the Board approved it, including having the "kickoff" this year by awarding it to the incomparable Lee Lynch for her book, "The Swashbuckler."
I so admire and respect
Everyone: Board of Directors, volunteers, authors, readers, editors, publishers, sponsors and hotel staff made this the best conference I've attended! So much talent. So much fun. And I could feel the love. Kudos to all!!
Dallas/Ft Worth, here we come! (2013)
After hanging out with so many talented and supportive folks I feel inspired to get back to my writing.
Hiding in the Back Row
The assignment was to write five opening sentences and three opening paragraphs for a mystery. I wrote, rewrote and rewrote, again over the week between classes. And spent a disproportionate amount of time angsting over whether or not my sentences were good. I placed them under a magnifying glass and tweaked them to within an inch of their life. And in the back of my mind was this thought that I would have to read these out loud to a class of fourteen ‘students’ and one instructor – a published author, no less. Did I mention angsting?
During the second hour of a two-hour class it was time for everyone to bring out their sentences and paragraphs. Slowly, I sat back hoping the wall would open behind me and swallow me up. I remembered how back in high school, I sat in the last row and hunkered down, out of the teacher’s sightline and hoped to make it through class without being called upon to share my work. Admittedly, it worked sometimes, more often than not, it didn’t. Fast forward to present time and folks were proffering their work right and left. They dazzled us with their dancing and devious orations. I slithered downward as the woman next to me, also a published author, spewed forth an impressive opening paragraph and treated it as if it were a rough around the edges rock that required a bit of polishing. No way was I going to read my stuff out loud. Not to this crowd, even though my tablemate whispered words of encouragement trying to bring me out of my self-imposed hiding.
Finally, as the others’ voices began to dwindle, I stuck my hand up, hoping it wouldn’t be acknowledged. I didn’t want to bare my vulnerability to these people. Damn. No such luck, the instructor called out my name, “Judy!” Yikes! Now I’d done it. I had to read … so, I picked one of the three paragraphs, ignoring my flimsy five sentences. I read, with what I hoped was a strong voice and about ten seconds later was finished. “Is that all?” The instructor asked. “You don’t want to read more?” Good grief, no way. “No. That’s it,” I said and looked down at the table. I felt terribly inadequate.
The other fourteen people in class had these bright shiny full of life sentences and bold energetic paragraphs, and I had mediocrity. This was one of my lowest points, as a writer. I wallowed in my despair and couldn’t wait for the clock to tick away the final minutes of class. With that one reading, I found myself back in the darkness of self-doubt. My inner self-editor was having a field day with my head. “What did you expect? Where was your punch? Where was your hook? You thought that was a hook? You better think again. You need to get yourself back to the drawing board. Basics, are what you need – basics. You belong in Creative Writing 101, not in a mystery writing class.” And on and on she ranted. Well, if my opening paragraph sucked, the entire manuscript was complete crap!
Needless to say, my confidence withered to nothing. I was back to questioning why I thought I could write. I’m not a writer. All these other people are writers, not me.
I’m my own worst enemy. And I say that now, because today a good friend, published author and my coach, shared a link to a TEDtalk by Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability.
Eye opener! And not just about writing, but about life itself. Bottom line, according to Brown, we need to tell ourselves that “I am enough.” Meaning, we need to listen to others instead of screaming at them. We need to be kinder and gentler with others AND with ourselves. Make ourselves vulnerable because through that we will achieve the joy and fullness of life. If we don’t, we numb ourselves to all aspects of life, good and bad. Okay, so now I feel like this profound revelation has descended upon me. Great. But it gets better!
My coach, Lori Lake, took Brown’s proven research, drilled it down and applied it to writing. “It reminds me that we have to be vulnerable in our writing and about our writing – not just in Life – and the more vulnerable we allow ourselves to be in front of others, the more connection we actually end up sharing.” Now that really hit home for me. I thought about my negativity and how I’d numbed my vulnerability by not wanting to read my work in front of the class. And further numbed my vulnerability by sharing, half-heartedly, one small piece and then shrinking into the background.
The truth is that by numbing myself, I’d short changed myself. Instead of approaching my writing and sharing in a half-hearted way, I need to delve into and own my vulnerability – whole-heartedly. I need to be vulnerable in the actual craft of writing and then further, in sharing my writing with others. Because only then will I be able to make and share much needed connections with others. I need to be one of the many drops in the larger pond. Connections will help me become a better writer – and perhaps I’ll be able to help others along, as well. Connections could bring me readers interested in my stories. Writing cannot be just for me. Writing has to be for the readers – to provide entertainment for others. It’s not just about me – it can’t be.
Readers = connections.
And without connections – what’s the purpose of writing?
Write on!
Do You Get Lost in the Process?
I am not an outliner, though truth be told I'm investing much serious consideration to trying it out for my second book. (All this contemplation serves as a great avoidance tactic for my current project!) If for no other reason than to compare the process to the more organic roundabout every which way but loose concept I've employed with my first book. With that said, I find myself less laser focused on my current writing project. And I'm becoming frustrated with that devilish instigator - procrastination.
I'm in the midst of a rewrite and sometimes I build up a nice head of steam and plow onward, but then I'll go days or
Because I get sidetracked - the usual culprits (Internet surfing, email, Facebook, finding a mystery or thriller I absolutely have to read immediately, a new book on writing caught my attention or I decide to buy a couple current writing magazines to glean tips on how to write). Or I just plain avoid writing because I'm stalled in a certain place. All the writing tips in the world won't do me a whit of good if I don't utilize them.
And so, I find myself lost in the process. Round and round and round I go. I expend more time and energy thinking about writing than I do actually performing the task. Guess when I find myself chomping at the bit and wishing to write . . . When I'm at work, of course! Go figure. So how do I resolve my quandary?
If you're a writer, how do you deal with issues such as mine? Especially, if you're a newer writer slogging along trying to find your way? And someone who works a "day job." I'm open to suggestions. I'll even share one I've come up with on my own! I'm going to use my breaks and lunchtime to tap out some of my rewrite on the 'ol iPad. Please feel free to share gimmicks, game plans or notions you feel may relieve me of the affliction from which I suffer!
Or maybe you just don't care - and that's fine. This is, after all, my problem not yours. Remember though, good karma begets more good karma - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. C'mon, help a gal out!
Write on!
X-Rated Language in Nonfiction Writing
Today was one of those times – exigent circumstances. What, you may wonder, would those circumstances be? Let me acquaint you with them –
A couple of blog posts ago I mentioned that my partner was out of the country for a chunk of time – 33 days to be exact. On Day 2 of this sojourn, the dastardly canine that resides in this house evoked his biennial fecal incontinence. If you require more detail, please feel free to scroll down and read the entry. Otherwise, allow me to share today’s events – YES plural – EVENTS.
Day 23 of the aforementioned 33 day stint: It’s approximately 90° outside. My head is thundering like a herd of buffalo on a rampage. I arrive home from work at the normal time thinking of the cool white bottle with the lovely blue label – ALEVE. I unlock the back door and the canine about mows me down scooting past me. Not a good sign, I think to myself.
The buffalo shuffled off and the Riverdance Tour took up residence in my skull. My eyeballs throbbed with the beat.
The central air had cycled up while I was at work, so the temp in the house was a moist and steamy 87° … add to that a funk that would put a skunk to shame. Oh, yes, my readers … the fecal incontinence redux. And I’m not talking the average doggie poop logs … oh, no. I’m talking brownish gray liquidy blobs of goo that look like a toxic waste dump behind a nuclear plant. These pools of pasty poisonous poo covered half the runner by the front door.
I wonder how much it will cost to have the rug steam cleaned – or if a rug cleaner would even accept the befouled tapestry. Perhaps incineration is the only answer, but then I worry the smoke would blow a hole in the ozone layer.
Of course, I scrubbed and emitted a few cuss words – several actually – well, okay a nonstop stream of expletives. And the stomping dancers in my head are replaced by heavy hoofed buffalo. I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear the civil defense sirens sound at any moment. There was disaster afoot, after all.
I cleaned up the pestilential masses and by turns gagged and cursed my way to the trash barrel. Mr. Dumbass (you’d know the canine’s name if you read my earlier blog entry) frolicked alongside me back to the house where I proceeded to firmly close (not slam, mind you) the door in his face.
I defunked the air in the living room as best I could – I used half a can of Lysol “Neutra Air” sanitizing spray. Fresh scent my ass!
Having finished the feculent cleanup I turned to place the paper towels back in the kitchen when my foot slid through a scummy puddle of pee. The nasty little hound had lifted his arthritic leg and managed to pee on the leg of the couch.
More profanities issued forth from my mouth and took flight – the windows are still rattling from the reverb. (Kidding – mostly.)
Oh, let me backtrack … I decided to let the dastardly dog into the back porch before I had finished phase one of the decontamination drill. Now, having completed phase two, I was on my way to the trash, again, when I opened the door to the back porch – SMACK! POW! BAM! No, I did not have the TV tuned to a Batman episode.
Yes. Incredibly, the conniving canine had decorated a good portion of the floor with less than delightful little splotches of noxious liquidity. If there is a hell on earth – I’m in it!
The disgusting dog is outdoors where he’s free to punish the neighborhood with his odiferous offerings.
I’m washing Aleve down my gullet with ice cold Diet Pepsi and marking off the days on the calendar – only 10 days until my honey returns. If the canine is of a religious bent, now would be a great time for him to get down on all four knees and pray the next ten days go quickly because I’m seriously considering banishing him to his lush green fortress (aka the garden).
A person can’t make this stuff up … this, my friends is my nonfiction contribution to the art of writing.
I prefer fiction.
Write on!
All Writing is a Mystery
Writers exist in parallel worlds. Don’t you think? Well, if you haven’t thought about it - please do! When writing we are the characters and we’re also ourselves (the writer) watching our character selves from a distance. Up close and personal and at the same time hovering above, ala out of body. Without having thought about this before, I examined the prospect and found, for me, it’s true. For instance, I love mystery and love to ‘live’ in mystery through my writing and my characters. I am them and I’m watching me be them in the creative process. Don’t confuse this with the specific mystery genre because it’s so much deeper than a matter of genre.
I read a superb essay in the New York Times today (Sunday) entitled, “The Spooky Art,” by Roger Rosenblatt. The article presents a clarity to the art of writing. For me, writing has been a secret addiction, as far back as I can remember. My dirty little secret that I was afraid to share with anyone for fear of ridicule, discouragement or embarrassment. No one could know. I wrote in journals and destroyed the evidence. I love writing because I do it alone. Yes, I’m an introvert. Yet I’m not alone because I’m surrounded by all those that I create. And as alone as I am in the writing my goal is to have readers pick up the story and lose themselves in the world I’ve created - to know my world, be part and parcel of this thing that I’ve constructed. Putting myself out there is a bold and scary prospect.
But now I’m at the point of life where I want to toss off the cape of fear - fear of being “found out” - and take pride in ownership of my alter ego(s). Each character that pops into my head and onto the page (virtual or paper) is me, good and bad, all the nitty gritty. And the best part? I have no idea who all these characters are, where they’re going or what they’ve got planned until it happens. The journey is an unknown - a road that could lead just about anywhere with curves, turns, straightaways and dead-ends. A trip I’m excited to take. Rosenblatt describes this phenom best when telling how E.L. Doctorow compared his own writing process to driving at night, when you’re only able to see as far as the reach of the headlights.
Darkness is my friend. I’m infatuated with the darkness because it holds all the secrets. Secrets buried in nooks and crannies that maybe I’ll find - or maybe not. And the light of day allows for picking apart and examining all the night’s transgressions. The murder and mayhem, good and evil, just and unjust - all pieces of the mysterious puzzle that I yearn to put together. Looking at clues, pursuing them and barreling through those that are roadblocks. Plunging onward until finally pulling the right thread unravels the whole scarf and uncovers what lies beneath - resolution.
Good prevails. Good must prevail because that’s what our readers want - a reward for agreeing to take the journey with us. There must be a reward or the time invested won’t have been worth it.
And once the ride is over?
As a reader, I’m always in search of the next great expedition, which is good news for writers!
As a writer, the feeling is bittersweet. I’ve finished with the story and I’m happy for having survived the sojourn - completed a monumental task. (To date, my experience is limited to one completed work, which requires a few rewrites.) But I’m sad because all my alter egos, those I’ve been living through vicariously, have gone and I’m left with just myself. Unchallenged. Lonely. Until the next time, which is good news for readers!
I hope for many ‘next times.’
Write on!
What Does This Have to Do With Writing?
But let me back up the truck. I arrived home from work, on Day 2, at my usual time. As I exited the garage the neighbors' behemoth Golden Retriever charged at me, barking up a storm. (Yep, another canine, as if the one in my own house wasn't enough.) Close on the Golden's heels were two youngsters (a boy and a girl). The boy yelled at me, "Fred won't bite!" the mother of the aforementioned children brought up the rear of this raggedy troupe. "Fred stop barking. C'mon..." She chased Fred who's by this time chasing the two kids and trying to gain access to my yard through the gate. A well-positioned knee (mine) blocked the entry point as I juggled my lunch cooler and backpack. As you might well imagine, I quickly lost patience and didn't find enjoyment from this scene, unlike the other participants. The mom finally corralled the kids as the dog tripped her up and almost landed her in the dumpster parked in their driveway. My partner aptly summed up the scene as a "horror show of good intentions and out-of-control behaviors" (I'd sent her an email after the events). Good grief.
Anyway, safely locked in my own yard, I made my way to the house. I opened the back door and was walloped by the most horrible stench imaginable. I staggered backwards. Had something or someone died in my house? Nope. It was the imminent arrival of the canine's fecal incontinence - also a biennial event. I stood at the back door breathing through my mouth; afraid I would lose my lunch. Certainly, the entire metro area would be enveloped in this toxic cloud. I expected men dressed in biohazard gear to arrive in my driveway. "Ma'am, please step away from the noxious vapors." They'd usher me into the portable decon shower in their biohazard trailer. At the very least the neighborhood would be placed under quarantine.
The canine yawned and strolled past me out the door, as if nothing were wrong. Quickly, I double locked both doors. In the interest of added security, I also nailed two by four boards across and bolted sheets of steel onto the doors. No way was that canine getting back inside! Oh, wait...that was just a fantasy. Sorry.I grabbed paper towels, cleaning solution and a plastic bag and dragged myself into the trenches - foul, pasty and liquid trenches. My sincere apologies for being so graphic. Within minutes I had more candles burning than a Catholic church's votive altar. I opened every window on the main floor. Ventilation was imperative for survival. Gas mask firmly in place - if only - I began the clean up. At least the mess was confined to the wood floor and not the area rug. I spent approximately 15 minutes cleaning, gagging, cleaning, choking, cleaning and swearing. Good times. After I finished with the actual mass of poo, I made a quick deposit in the trash barrel outside.
The canine was napping on the patio. Oblivious.
Back inside, I scrubbed the floor with special wood cleaner and thusly was inspired to do more cleaning. Much like the Energizer Bunny, I kept going and going and going. After my cleaning frenzy, I stored the vacuum back in the closet in my pseudo office. The giant white three ring binder sitting on the table caught my eye.
I'd been meaning to organize some documents associated with my current book project. Quickly, I punched holes into the papers, added color tabbed dividers and presto my research and draft notes were neatly organized. I was on a roll.
With a head of steam propelling me, I sat my butt in the chair and pounded out several pages of revisions on my manuscript.
That, my friends, is the answer to "what does this have to with writing?"
There are many pages of revisions ahead for me. I'm hopeful that the canine's fecal incontinence won't be a direct correlation to my remaining revisions. Otherwise, I'll have rendered literal meaning to Hemingway's quote, "The first draft of anything is shit."
Write on!
“Get the F***er Done!”
At GCLS, Elizabeth was talking with us about research. How all writers need to do research in order to find stuff out and make it real for our readers. We owe our readers that much. Elizabeth went on to describe “Call Reluctance” - a malady she said we needed to overcome, as writers conducting research. We’re afraid to pick up the phone and call people. Elizabeth summed up the cure for this malady quite well (IMHO) - “Just pick up the goddamn phone. Get the f***er done!” Yep, that’ll do ‘er, I thought. Laughter aside, Elizabeth provided informative guidance for writers. In order to make our stories real and hold our readers’ attention we need to conduct good research, portray all the senses (not just sight), extrapolate from our own experiences and think about maybe NOT tying things up so neatly at the end.
Witty and real, Elizabeth showed us how all of our experiences form our lives. We need to “BE BOLD!” And if you’re Elizabeth Sims, you also put down a dying llama using a
.357, for a doctor friend who can’t do it herself. Seriously.
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I attended a workshop in which Fay Jacobs (Publisher at A&M Books) was the presenter. Fay talked to us about marketing books using traditional methods of promotion and social networking. Fay provided hints such as, using characters or topics from our books when promoting; craft your image using one or two sentences that will grab people’s attention; use shameless self promotion via Facebook, Twitter, author website, blog, etc. Also, we should use old media: business cards and post cards, as well. Fay also spoke of helping each other succeed by talking about other writers on our own websites and/or blogs. “When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.” She said. Review books on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble - go online and do this for other authors and ask friends and authors to do the same for you when you’re published.
Fay says that writers don’t know how to write about themselves. And this is an important task after a write becomes a published author. Fay recommends we write serious pieces, but make the headline catchy to grab readers’ attention. Maybe begin by writing a blog about GCLS (hmmmm...I’m doing that very thing right here!) Fabulous and funny, Fay Jacobs rocked!
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POV, Narrative Stance and Perspective. Damn, that’s a mouthful of intimidating language. I hid under the table (not really). “Overworked underpaid servant - POV,” said Lori Lake, presenter extraordinaire. Every author’s mission (should she choose to accept it) is to ensure nothing jars the reader from the vivid and continuous dream (i.e. your book).
So much goes into crafting and writing a story. The author needs to think about the narrative - details and order of events; point of view - will it be omniscient, 1st person, 2nd person or 3rd person? Maybe a combination? Perspective and viewpoint characters. It’s all so complex. There’s so much to think about. How will I ever remember it all? I couldn’t write fast enough to keep up with the information Lori was throwing at us.
I finally calmed down and got into the zone. I listened, wrote and absorbed as much as I could. I realized that there is no way I could get it all down, after all I don’t have a brain like Lori Lake’s! No way was I going to remember half of what she told us. Instead of wigging out - I’ll just take another of Lori’s classes/workshops/webinars or whatever in the future.
One thing about writing that every writer should know - you’ll never know all there is to know about writing. It’s an ongoing learning experience. Writing is fluid. And the craft is ever-expanding. So, if you don’t get it the first time, never fear, someone will write a book or teach a class and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to garner more knowledge.
A couple of really good take-aways for me during these two sessions were: POV and perspective keeps the reader oriented to the story’s orbit; POV = tool and Perspective = who’s telling the tale (the eyes the reader sees through). As writers, we don’t want to jar the reader out of the story. If we do, we may lose them for good - they may toss the book in the trash instead of just across the room! Avoid perspective slips.
Lori is an encyclopedia on how to write (among many other topics). I swear there’s no need to Google anything ... just ask Lori!
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Elizabeth Sims revisited: “Rough it Up: For a Better First Draft, Get Messy!” This workshop was very similar to the webinar Elizabeth gave through Writer’s Digest magazine several months ago. A writer’s first draft is sh*t ... Hemingway via Elizabeth Sims.
Sims is big on brainstorming. “Yes and ...” and “What if...” are two ways to get ideas flowing. Ask questions. Get the ideas out.
“Heart clutching moments.” These are the bits and pieces of the plot that readers will remember.
And as for that age old nemesis of all writers - writer’s block - Elizabeth says, “writer’s block is a mental construct - it does not exist.” Well said!
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KG MacGregor - a class act! Wow! What a powerful Keynote address given by KG. Last year I thought KG was aloof, stand-offish and not willing to give the time of day to anyone outside her inner circle of friends. I had little or no contact with her at the con last year. This year - I (and about a hundred other women) hugged the lady following her moving speech. KG talked about her journey, personal and professional. How she came to realize people, whether they be fellow published authors, aspiring writers or readers - people were important in her life. She brought the crowd to tears and to their feet for a standing ovation. The line to hug and congratulate her snaked around the room afterwards. I have a whole new lens through which I view this woman. She is amazing. Anyone who can stand before a room of 100-150 people and say “I was wrong” ... well, she earned my respect. Thanks KG!!
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Mentor/Mentee Program: I was lucky to be a participant in the GCLS Mentor/Mentee Program this year. I submitted the first five chapters of my manuscript to GCLS and one of the directors assigned two mentees to read my work. The idea being that at some point during the conference, the mentors/mentees would meet and discuss the submissions.
Laurel Mills and Susan X Meagher were my mentors. I am so appreciative of the time these two women spent reading and commenting on my writing. Everything from grammatical issues to over use of metaphors; making better transitions to varying sentence structure; showing via physical gestures to using italicized font in places.
Susan and I spoke a bit about self-publishing and publishing in general. We also chatted about editing and the importance of providing a squeaky clean manuscript to a publisher (aka - submit to publisher AFTER editing!)
I wrote notes after meeting with each mentor. Both women were extremely insightful and provided excellent feedback. Many suggestions and hints were given. I’m in awe of them both! I hope that some day I’ll be able to pay it forward and mentor someone and that if I do have that opportunity, that I’ll be as gracious as these two ladies. Many thanks, Susan and Laurel!
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The GCLS Awards - the grand finale, so to speak. So many brilliant and charismatic authors - so little time. The Ann Bannon winner: Georgia Beers could barely get through her acceptance speech. She was stunned to tears over her win. And Karin Kallmaker - her high fem-ness! Yes, Karin too suffered from shock and awe when she was presented with the Trailblazer Award this year. Congrats to all the winners and finalists!! What amazing women!!
Empowerment. Love. Exuberance. Fatigue. Fired up. Acceptance. Support. Encouragement. These and many many more words that I can’t even think of right now sum up the GCLS experience. I’m sad that it’s over. I’m excited for next year - 2012 in Minneapolis!! Woo Hoo!! (Visit my photo page to see pictures from the con.)
I encourage anyone interested in lesbian reading or writing: fiction, nonfiction, poetry whatever - make an effort to attend the GCLS Conference. It will be an experience well worth your time.
Most of all, I enjoyed being with other writers, readers and last, but not least - the BABAs (and partners!) I hereby dub Phyllis “BABA momma” as she kept calling us “little BABAs.” Phyllis is so dang cute! And so, I’m now trying to rest, recover, recuperate from the con ... and I’m fired up to revise my revised revision of the revision I revised (aka work on my manuscript).
Write on!
Building a Brand?
I’ve overcome that obstacle insofar as I actually wrote a novel, which I’m now revising before I ask a couple of folks in my writing group to read it, again. The writing is fun – hard work, but fun. So, I made it over that hurdle – only to encounter another. Fear over what needs to be done if the book is published! This whole world of self-promoting – creating a brand – me? No way.
Currently, a friend is immersed in nonstop promoting of her first book. Book store events. Library events. Conferences. Mailing out postcards. Writing articles and blogs. Photo ops. Social media – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – oh, my. And god knows what else! Does everyone have to do that when his or her book is published? I guess it makes sense, if one wants to sell books, but I’m an introvert! How can I do all the shameless self-promoting that would be required of me if my book is published? Can’t someone else handle that for me?
The short answer is, no.
I’ve attended workshops in which presenters speak of self-promoting. In today’s world of publishing, the author is responsible for more and more. I’ll have to put myself out there. Hawking my wares. Authors have been doing this for centuries, but that doesn’t make me feel any less intimidated by the process. I get a queasy stomach just thinking about it. Do I really have to put myself through such torture?
Today I read the Essay in the New York Times, Sunday Book Review, “Building the Brand,” and the piece reiterated for me that I will have to endure the unthinkable. I will have to create a brand. Me. The introvert.
I’m down with using Facebook, maintaining a Web site and writing a blog. I can handle those behind the scenes. No one sees me, but me. Add in face time and I freak out. I’m not at all confident that I can handle the self-promoting piece.
Though, compared to what authors of centuries past used - hot-air balloons, sandwich boards and beer ads – we have it easier today with the internet and all the various media at our fingertips. I’d much rather create a blog than wear a sandwich board and walk up and down the streets of the city. Or start a Twitter account and “tweet” my every waking moment than be suspended in a glass cage outside a nightclub for 72 hours pounding out a novel on an old typewriter. I’m amazed at what some authors did to promote themselves and their writing.
In the end, introvert or not, I’m glad I’m writing now and not a century or two in the past.
Write on!
Unorganized and Uninspiring
There were men, women and kids. Old, young and middle-aged. Overwhelmingly white. The whole affair had a suburban feel to it that made my hair stand on end. I wanted to turn tail and run back to “the city.” But I didn’t. I stayed and gutted it out. Like a big girl.
The frenetic feel was disconcerting. I’m sure the event was an overwhelming undertaking for the volunteers involved, but do you really want participants to see and feel that? I, for one, will not attend this event next year. The expense was not worth it for me. I paid $72 to attend the Keynote, four workshops and get a box lunch.
Let’s talk about the lunch, shall we? $12 for a box lunch and the most edible food item was a tiny size bag of potato chips and the can of Diet Pepsi. So, I paid $12 for a bag of chips and a can of soda. I digress.
The highlight of the event was Lorna Landvik’s Keynote address. Lorna was hilarious! I could have listened to her stories for another hour, and wished I could have instead of sitting through the first workshop. However, being the eternal optimist that I am
The first workshop, “First Communication with a Publisher.” Positive takeaways:
* Use a skilled editor
* Follow publisher’s submission guidelines, do NOT deviate
* Check publisher’s genre to determine if it’s a good fit for you
* Write and rewrite
* Use a footnote to type in copyright on your manuscript before sending it out to
anyone
Dull. Dry. No flow.
The second workshop, “The Internet—You Must Be Present to Win.” Positive takeaways:
* Don’t use Flash when designing your website
* Preferred display layout is 1024x768
* Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) provide lanes to your website – drives traffic in
* You need to decide what behavior you want from your audience – what is the purpose of your website? – then design the site to drive the audience to it
* Serif fonts (easier to read) work better than Sans Serif
Too glitzy. Writers need the nitty-gritty, not the “what we can get if we shell out thousands of dollars” seminar. Most of us aren’t New York Times Best Selling authors with huge advance checks to toss around willy-nilly. Just saying.
The third workshop, “Book Preparation for Serious Authors.” Positive takeaways:
* Do the work – make it happen on your own, never give up
* Authors MUST have manuscripts ready to publish – publishers will not edit (hire an editor BEFORE you submit to a publisher
* When reading, you’re actually writing; when writing, you’re actually reading
* How NOT to write: “Bridges of Madison County” and “The Shack”
* Authors pick up cost for editing and marketing
* Get the ego out of the way of the text. Never think it’s good enough. Keep improving. Once book is in print – move on to writing the next book.
* Comps – find at least ten seminal books in the genre you want to write and read them; compare your work to those books
* Hire a coach; someone who is a good fit for your genre and for you personally
* Submit ‘clean’ submissions; only send what publishers request- no more, no less
* You (and your coach, if you have one) will decide when your manuscript is finished and ready to submit
* Every book you write has a life of it’s own – no cookie cutter
The most engaging of all the workshops. Ian Leask was an eclectic and boisterous Scotsman. He managed to wake me from my near catatonic state.
The fourth and (thank god) final workshop, “From Manuscript to Best Seller-What Every Author Needs to Know.” Positive takeaways:
* Every writer needs to ask three questions: Why are you writing a book? Who is the audience? How do you intend to sell the book?
* Publishers run the gamut from Royalty Publishers to Self-Publishers: most authors find their niche somewhere between the two.
* Select content editor, copy editor and proofer and make all edit corrections before submitting to publisher
* Publication and printing dates are typically 3-4 months apart
* Reviewers do not review past Publication date
* Authors pick up editing and promotional (marketing) costs
I did not need to hear about the presenter’s wife being a published author and that he’s in the publishing business because he loves books, not because of the money. Nope. And dude said it six times, if he said it once. I DO NOT CARE if his wife is a published author. Seriously. I’m sorry, was that too critical? Too bad.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the book fair, too. Although the lay of the land made it difficult to navigate the tables and peruse the authors’ wares, I give credit to all the authors and publishers that showed up for the festival. Today’s industry puts more pressure on authors, especially new authors, to take on the marketing of their product. Promoting your book at this type of event must be exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. I admire the perseverance of all those in attendance. Perhaps some day I will be lucky enough to be warming a metal folding chair behind a table displaying my books.
I left the event at 4:30 pm. My head was pounding. My bank account was $72 lighter. And I wondered why I’d squandered my time and money. Then I remembered my writing coach telling me she always learned a little something at each writing conference she attended.
Yes, the festival was unorganized and uninspiring, but I managed to overcome and retain some word worthy tidbits to share with anyone out there who cares.
Write on!
Procastination Station
I’ve lacked focus on my ‘homework’ assignments. My coach assigned me a few tasks during our call on January 22. I managed to complete a couple, but now almost two months have passed since that call and I realize I’ve made quite an effort -- at procrastinating!
Not total procrastination –
I researched small lesbian presses to get an idea of which to approach for publishing my book. The list included: Bella, Bold Strokes, Bywater, Regal Crest and Spinsters Ink. All of these presses are amazing and I’d be happy to have my work published by any of these fine establishments, but I’m leaning toward Spinsters Ink. I’m a fan of Katherine V. Forrest., her Kate Delafield books suck me in … Delafield is a strong, resilient and intense character that I’ve enjoyed from the beginning. I can only hope my characters would be worthy of Delafield’s company.
I prepped and submitted the first five chapters of my MS to GCLS for reading by a mentor.
I wrote a two-page ‘story behind the story’ – as a reference to maintain consistency when revising. One strand affects many strands throughout the story.
Not total procrastination –
When I write it out, I realize I’ve completed a few tasks. Yay!
Next, I’ll plug my MS into Wheat’s 4 Arc system – while I’m not an outliner, I am convinced the arc will help me in revision(s). It’s the prudent thing to do.
Then, I’ll write a 150 word summary.
And last I’ll organize everything in a three ring binder. 
Final result? A completed manuscript and book one in a series.
Lots of work ahead – onward and upward.
Write on!
Nitty-Gritty Noveling
AA has the Twelve Step Program - well, there are a multitude of step programs, arcs, pyramids, movements ... you name it and someone has applied it to writing a novel. While all these guides to writing a novel are chock full of processes, hints and clues I’ve been confused on what approach I should employ in my own work.
The best advice is to try out different approaches and use what works best. Wheat’s, Four-Arc System and fellow Minnesotan, Jess Lourey’s Pyramid Approach resonate most for me.
I have a very rough draft completed and as part of my revision process I’m going to utilize Wheat’s Four Arcs to outline the manuscript. I’m not an outliner - more a blank pager, so I don’t have an outline of my manuscript. My manuscript began as a challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days (NaNoWriMo) and morphed into a full fledged rough draft. I flailed along, no plan, no chart no guidelines.
I’ve recognized, though, in order to make progress and craft the best possible manuscript, I must employ tools that will enable me to quickly recognize weak spots that require beefing up and overburdened places that need to be trimmed and tightened up.
My creativity coach recommended I utilize Wheat’s Four-Arc System and go through my manuscript. Doing so will place the main points of my story at my fingertips. I’ll have a clearer picture of areas requiring attention. So, I’ve got my work cut out for me.
When I begin my next project, I’m going to try out Lourey’s Pyramid approach. This graphic depicts the “on point” version of Lourey’s pyramid. Either way ... upside down or downside up ... the approach makes sense to me. The seven steps resonate. The approach, simplistic yet effective. I can’t wait to try it out!
I shouldn’t put the cart before the horse, though. First things first. I need to get through my first project - first. Right? So, where am I in that process?
I completed and submitted a proposal for the MN Emerging Writers’ Grant. The grant awards are to be announced in May 2011.
Next up? GCLS put a call out for novice writers. The call is for
submission of three to five chapters to present to writers who volunteered to mentor during the GCLS Conference in June. I’m putting together a writing sample for submission.
Along with prepping a submission for GCLS, I’ll also be plugging my rough draft into Wheat’s Four-Arcs and preparing for the next revision. Isn’t that what writers are always doing? Preparing for the next revision? Books wouldn’t happen any other way!
Write on!
I Propose ...
My Creativity Coach, Lori L. Lake, recommended I throw my hat in the ring for the 2011 Minnesota Emerging Writers’ Grant through The Loft Literary Center, in Minneapolis. I had no clue where to begin or how to format a grant proposal. Good grief. A good friend shared her grant proposal with me so at least I had an example for reference.
I bounced my fairly straightforward and non-original proposal off the contact person listed for this contest. His feedback was positive. My proposal was clear and feasible and ... ‘good luck.’ So, yeah.
What was my proposal? The project begins in June 2011 and ends June 2012. I will complete a final draft of my manuscript, work with a content editor, who also happens to be a good friend, and then present the final draft to my coach for critical review. After I pass muster with Coach Lori, I’ll pitch my manuscript to a few small presses.
How will I accomplish all this? Baby steps. I’ll attend the GCLS Conference in June 2011 and practice pitching my manuscript to a few publishers at the conference. I submitted my name for consideration for the novice writer mentoring during the conference. Experienced authors submit their names to be “mentors” for newbies. If selected, I provide one to five chapters of my manuscript to my mentor and she reads it and gives me feedback and advice. One to one mentoring would be such a help at the start of my project.
Next, I’ll tune up my current draft and send on to my buddy for some content editing. She’ll flip it back and rake me over the proverbial coals, kick my butt and I’ll go to work on the next revision. I predict this cycle will repeat several times.
After the conference I’ll work on more revisions over the summer and then in October I’m heading out to Oregon for a week-long writers’ retreat at Oregon Writers’ Colonyhouse, facilitated by Coach Lori. The retreat will be with four to six other writers. Monday - Friday workshops, personal writing time and reading to the group. Intense work and feedback to feed the writing soul (and hopefully build up a better manuscript.)
In the fall, I also plan on enrolling in Ellen Hart’s “An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery.” A class she’s taught at The Loft for the past thirteen years. Ellen’s an amazing writer and friend. I’m excited to be part of one of her classes (she only teaches one per year) and to have another venue to present parts of my manuscript. New eyes are always a good thing. New readers give fresh perspective.
After the class, and a bit more tweaking of my manuscript, I’ll send it on to Coach Lori for her final blessing. Once she’s whipped me into shape - I’ll make the leap of faith and put my work out there. I’ve already begun researching four or five small presses I’ll consider approaching when the time is right.
So, lots of work ahead. Receiving a grant would certainly help defray the costs of the conference, retreat, class and coaching fees. Fingers crossed. The road is long, but the trip should be fun!
Write on!
Reading for Others
Happy Martin Luther King Day!
On to all things writing --I spent the entire day yesterday reading through a draft for one of my writing group buddies. This draft will soon become her second novel - I’m so happy for her! My friend is a talented and humorous writer. I thoroughly enjoy reading her work. Liking someone’s work is not enough, though, when the author is seeking feedback for improvement.
So, I find myself seeking my niche in the reading for others arena. What’s the best way to accomplish this task? How do I provide meaningful positive/constructive feedback? Me. Who am I to tell someone else what works and doesn’t work in their writing?
I’m first and foremost a reader! Second, I’m a writer - in the making, but a writer nonetheless. I guess those are great launching points for moving on to reading for critique. Critique sounds powerful and in a lot of instances brings negative connotation, if misconstrued. Constructive criticism is a step back from negativity. I prefer - feedback in terms of presenting a prevailing positive light. Critique makes me stand at attention. Feedback slides easier over the ego, right? Either way, the intent is to provide encouragement and guidance from an outside perspective in hopes the writer will improve their craft and output. Who wants to read a bad book? I don’t. Do you? With that in mind, how does a writer go about finding that positive feedback?
I’ve been part of this particular writing group since June 2010. Most of our communication is via our online Yahoo list, but a few of us do live here in Minneapolis. I’m learning as I go. Learning from the best and most earnest and sincere, in my humble opinion. I try to incorporate the information I learned from various writing classes as well as the myriad of articles I’ve read in writing magazines and/or online regarding writing critique methodology.
In the simplest terms, I strive to provide the type of feedback the writer asks for when presenting a manuscript or excerpt. For instance, the writer may want to know if the reader detects any “head hopping” - which means, does the POV (Point of View) remain consistent or does the writer start a scene in one character’s POV and suddenly jump (hop) to another character’s POV, etc. I’ve been guilty of head hopping in some of my work, it’s an easy habit to fall into if you’re not careful.
In order to keep myself on task when reading for someone else, I’ve devised a simple method. I write out the specific feedback the writer requested. Using a program called “Stickies” on my computer I write out all the questions the writer has asked to be addressed and save the sticky note to my desktop. Then I open the electronic copy of the manuscript and the sticky note side by side and commence reading. I’ve found this works well because I can jot notes specifically addressing the writer’s questions in the sticky note and consolidate the information at the end for an email synopsis.
I’m one of those people that tend to do the ‘editing’ type grunt work at the same time as addressing the big picture questions. I can’t read through a piece and disregard spelling errors or duplicate or missing words. For these pesky issues, I use the comments and tracking functions in whatever word processing software I’m working with.
For those rare instances when someone provides a hard copy instead of electronic manuscript or excerpt, I follow the same tactics using actual paper sticky notes and tracking the editing issues in different colored ink on the document.
I’m certain there are more advanced methods used by practiced/experienced editors and writers alike. My intent is to learn and apply knowledge as I go. I’m starting out simple and working toward complex. My main concern is to provide the information the writer has asked me for - I know I fall short, but with practice I hope to improve my skills. The patience of my group is a blessing.
The super writers I have the privilege of associating with are a mix of extremely creative women, one great teacher of the craft and each one very supportive of everyone else in the group. I’ve only been part of one other writing group here in the area and we didn’t last more than a couple of months. While it’s nice to be able to meet face to face, the online group I’m part of now has proven more effective, for me personally. I’ve learned so much and I know there’s so much more to learn. The journey continues.
For those interested in starting up a writing group, check out author Lori L. Lake’s article on providing positive and effective feedback and how to start and maintain a critique group. The article is well worth the time spent reading it!
Happy Monday! Write on.
A New Year and an Old Friend
In November 2009, I participated in my first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) event. The goal was to write 50, 000 (or more) words during the thirty days of November, in essence, a novel in one month. I dove in blind. No plot. No plan. No character arcs. No outline. No prep. Nothing. Nada. That’s kind of the idea, though – what makes NaNoWriMo what it is … crazy.
I ended my word count at around 52,000, if memory serves correctly. I put the manuscript aside and moved on to other pursuits. The writing group I am part of started a ‘round robin’ writing exercise, which went two rounds. I read a couple of books on writing and editing. I read lots of fiction, which I usually do (“hi, my name is Judy and I’m an addict.&rdquo
)I attended my first writing conference in June 2010. When I came home I pulled my manuscript out, blew off all the dust (not really – just opened the file on my computer) and re-read the story. Then I added a couple thousand words and asked a couple people in my writing group if they’d read it and give me feedback. I’d never completed an actual novel and had no clue what to do. I wasn’t sure if the story was good enough to be considered ‘a novel.’ Was it long enough? Have all the elements? Did it engage the reader?
The word count hovered at around 55,000 at that point. Two or three folks agreed to read it, so I sent the file off into cyberspace and forgot about it. In August, one of my writing buddies sent me an email informing me she’d finally read the story and it was good. The characters were good and a few other ‘good’ things. She gave me the task of editing and weeding over used words and tightening up the story. Then after I completed my homework assignment, I should send it back to her for ‘round two.’ She believed the story was publishable, but I had a long road ahead of me.
I meticulously went through the manuscript using the “Find/Replace” function in my word processing software. OMG! How many times did I use the word ‘look?’ Over 100. I know, right? After my edit and weeding foray, combined with tightening the story, the word count dipped to around 52, 000.
Time moved on, but the work stalled. The manuscript sat on my hard drive … and sat … and sat. Untouched for weeks. I assured myself, daily, that I’d spend time in the evening (after work) picking at the story. Of course, I didn’t. Time got away from me. Work got busy. Too many books from the library to read. Yadda yadda yadda. I refer to those days as avoidance therapy. If I avoided the manuscript, I wouldn’t finish the rewrite then no one could read it and tell me how awful it was.
Fast forward to January 2011. Time to stop saying “I’m going to …” and glue my butt to the chair and – DO. No matter the consequences. No pain, no gain. No risk, no glory. I dragged my manuscript out of cyber storage and plugged away. No, not every day, but many days (and evenings.) At the time of this blog entry, I have the word count up to 61,000. I still have several scenes I’ve decided to work into the story. Once those scenes are woven, ever so smoothly, into the web of chaos, I’ll need to revisit the edit/weeding out chores.
After the chores are completed and I’m satisfied with the finished product I’ll beg a couple of my writing buds to immerse themselves in the pages, again. Hopefully they’ll wade through and not come out too horrified – or bored. Bored would be the worst, I think. I fear bored.
So, no, I didn’t make any new year’s resolutions, but I did reacquaint myself with an old friend. And I intend to make that old friend all shiny, bright and full of life for my readers. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll read it – as a published book.
I dare to dream. Do you?