Had the writing group meeting Saturday. My program "Plot: Who Done What" seemed to go over well. Next meeting will be "House: Plot and Structure," which will end my Summer Novel Writing Course. I've enjoyed doing this mini-course, but it's been hard work. Learned a lot and hope I taught them a lot, but who knows? All any presenter can do is put the information out there, tell them where to find more information, and hope they incorporate it into their craft. What would be really wonderful is if they went out and learned new things and then came back and shared them with us.
Been working more on Blackbirds. Going to have to reject an item from a friend. Not looking forward to that, but it doesn't have the dark, Gothic, twisty feel that the other pieces do. The book itself has some truly creepy moments in it. I don't know if I can get people to read it when it's published, but there's good reading in it if they do.
And not sure when it will be published. I'm short of material. I have 54 pages and need at least 46 more. Fifty-six would be better. I'm looking for a short story from GH. And another short story from KB. A short story from me. And I would REALLY REALLY REALLY like a short story from Jean. She has a good, creepy idea in "Diver," but I don't think it's inspiring her. I'm still hopeful, though.
Health has been a bit better. I've been fighting a summer cold, but maybe I'm on top of that. Will be seeing the doctor sometime soon. Maybe next week. Need to see my appointment book to be sure. I know it's not this week.
Murder by the Mile ... oh lord of writing, you'd better bless me soon. I want this book finished this year. I need to finish a book. I need to prove to myself that I still have it in me, the ability to hold a world in my imagination.
This week I will do:
- Household chores.
- Publish the family newsletter and be on time for once.
- Work on Blackbirds.
- Walk 15 minutes a day.
- Work on the program for the next writers group meeting.
- Some other stuff I can't think of right now.
Anyway, have a good week!
10 comments:
Glad the presentation went well. You sound very uncertain this week. I'm guessing you were very tired when you posted? You must not have read my post before you wrote this, because I mentioned I was going to give 'Diver' a critical look. I also decided to change the name of the story to 129 Amselstrasse
I'd love to see the notes on the summer writing course when you get a minute. No rush. I know exactly what you mean about needing to finish a book. It's been long enough since I've done any meaningful writing I'm not sure where to start again.
Jean, I guess I feel uncertain. Not sure if I can get the right material for "Blackbirds," which would make me sad because I really like the material in there now. Not sure if I can finish MBTM, which would also make me sad because it would feel like my book writing days are over. Not sure about my health, which remains horribly inconsistent--good days and bad days. Just not sure about life.
Wendy, I can send you the PowerPoint from each presentation, if that's okay. It has the outline of what I talked about and the sources.
Stephen, you conveyed that supremely well in you post without saying it. I'm confident you'll be able to finish MBTM and Blackbirds.
Life is always unpredictable. As frustrating as that it, I think we'd like it much less if it were.
By the way, you stole the title I was thinking about using.
Powerpoint is perfect.
I think artists in particular are more prone to feeling uncertain. Our work is judged by everyone whether they know what they're talking about or not. We don't judge CPAs or bus drivers like we do anyone in a creative endeavor.
Bus drivers, especially, might disagree, but any field where people think the task is easy or trivial are quick to judge. Wait staff is probably another field people tend to underestimate the nuances of getting the job right. For artists, the lack of a true step-by-step approach to accomplishing the job or other concrete measurements does make the uncertainty that much greater.
Wendy, I'm sending them one at a time.
I agree with Wendy. I think certain jobs can be difficult, but it doesn't make them creative. I've been a waiter, and it required friendliness and precision, but not creativity. Never drove a bus, but my brother-in-law did, and his job required friendliness and precision (he had certain routes and he was expected to adhere to them). Both of those jobs are difficult, but not creative.
However, I don't think the creativity is ... creating uncertainty in me. Not directly. It's that I've failed too many times. I doubt my mojo will always come through as it has in the past. Drive and determination can only carry me so far; I need my belief in myself. I need a couple of green marks in the win column.
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