Not much
The bulk of the driving is over for this holiday - only 2 more days of it, and not for over a week. Although I rather like it in a weird sort of way - just me, some music, and other traffic. When the scenery is decent it's quite fun, and I did see a lot of very nice hills, mountains, trees, ocean, managed not to spend too much time in the really populous areas or the boring central valley, considering.
Had a very good time down in California all around, ate far too well - but heck, I'd rather enjoy life - saw cool things, had excellent conversations. It was a real joy to meet both Ro and Ang in 3-D after all these months online. And now I know what the elephant stampede is like.
Now I need to motivate to write, since I actually have a bit of free time! I do rather feel like a piker in the lack of complexity in some stories. Hmmm... should I edit, work on "Courting the Lady," work on "Passages," or see if there's some (relatively) short story jumping out at me? Getting something done would be rather satisfying, and the two ongoing stories aren't going to have that happen in the next week, that's for sure. But I do owe edits, so that should probably be first.
*sigh* Unlike Meg, I will admit to some small disappointment that "Sheathing Sting" didn't win in the Mithrils. Not that I expected to, mind you, but of course I hoped.
What it comes down to in writing for me is the balance between readerly attention and my own sense of what constitutes excellence. Ah. There it is. "Zeor." That is what gets my goat sometimes - sure, fine, anyone can write any kind or quality of story they like, no harm done, no one need read it - but please, let's not lie and say that they're all excellent, shall we? Because if we do, it's meaningless. On the other hand, clearly what is liked by many is not (by my standards) excellent - so shall I write to that? Being the review slut that I am? The balance is particularly difficult with "Passages" because of the type of story and its origins. That's part of the reason that I seem to be a bit stuck on it at the moment - conflict between giving people what I'm fairly sure they want, and trying to write something that will make myself - and a few others - think.
Bonus points for anyone who recognizes the Z-word in the above paragraph, by the way.
Had a very good time down in California all around, ate far too well - but heck, I'd rather enjoy life - saw cool things, had excellent conversations. It was a real joy to meet both Ro and Ang in 3-D after all these months online. And now I know what the elephant stampede is like.
Now I need to motivate to write, since I actually have a bit of free time! I do rather feel like a piker in the lack of complexity in some stories. Hmmm... should I edit, work on "Courting the Lady," work on "Passages," or see if there's some (relatively) short story jumping out at me? Getting something done would be rather satisfying, and the two ongoing stories aren't going to have that happen in the next week, that's for sure. But I do owe edits, so that should probably be first.
*sigh* Unlike Meg, I will admit to some small disappointment that "Sheathing Sting" didn't win in the Mithrils. Not that I expected to, mind you, but of course I hoped.
What it comes down to in writing for me is the balance between readerly attention and my own sense of what constitutes excellence. Ah. There it is. "Zeor." That is what gets my goat sometimes - sure, fine, anyone can write any kind or quality of story they like, no harm done, no one need read it - but please, let's not lie and say that they're all excellent, shall we? Because if we do, it's meaningless. On the other hand, clearly what is liked by many is not (by my standards) excellent - so shall I write to that? Being the review slut that I am? The balance is particularly difficult with "Passages" because of the type of story and its origins. That's part of the reason that I seem to be a bit stuck on it at the moment - conflict between giving people what I'm fairly sure they want, and trying to write something that will make myself - and a few others - think.
Bonus points for anyone who recognizes the Z-word in the above paragraph, by the way.