I'm seeing discussions of writing, writers, and Masters of Fine Arts writing programs all over today. I have a lot of thoughts about these things, as you might imagine. I'd assume anyone reading this knows I am always up for discussion about these issues, but just in case--ask me anything you want to, especially if you are considering applying for ( Read more... )

NPR has been wailing about today's oppressive humidity since yesterday and yeah, it's humid. August is kind of the sweaty armpit of the year in the north east. 89 degrees with 82% humidity is normal. It's not pleasant--sure. But it could be 100 and 90% humidity with a heat index that is making people drop dead. I'm not impressed, or particularly ( Read more... )

I've been wandering around without direction (sometimes literally) feeling really lost. I haven't been doing much writing besides an accidental drabble that may end up being another damn novel. And I've been feeling shiftless and purposeless and low energy and sort of like a blot upon the face of the earth. I also feel like a self-indulgent loser-- ( Read more... )

I don't know how to write a short story. I've written at least a dozen of them and started fragments that never went anywhere, but I don't know how to write a short story. I've taken at least half a dozen workshops on short fiction. Why can't I figure this out? I have taken a considerable number of novel writing classes too. Somehow novel writing ( Read more... )

I'm chipping away at Prose's book still. I find I can comfortably read about fifty pages a day. I have to stop and think quite a lot about what she is saying. I don't always understand or agree and I think she belabors certain points. Especially about reading. To be fair I have not taught writing classes for the last 25 years, so I have to give her ( Read more... )

A strange orange plywood box has appeared on the corner. I like to think of it as a tiny orange TADRIS. Someone scrawled MYSTERY BOX on one side a week ago. And today someone wrote "not a secret box" on the other side. I really want to go write "BAD WOLF" on the other side ( Read more... )

I did zero editing today. I woke up sore and groggy and David took me out for brunch. Yum! Blueberry pancakes. Then my IBS attacked and I was not very with it. Then I helped David get together the paperwork so he can renew his passport. Then I looked into how much soap ingredients are going to cost. Then it was dinner time. Oooops ( Read more... )

I picked up speed on the editing/proofreading. I decided to try and push out a reading copy in the next few days and then go back to fidgeting with continuity and proportion problems more slowly. So I'm close to half way through. I've been working hard to take out all the stuff I think of as "scaffolding ( Read more... )

The editing/proofing continues. I'm frustrated. I can't seem to vary the pacing as much as I would like. Hopefully when I send the thing to readers they will tell me which scenes I can compress or hack out all together, because I can't see any other place to put many of them and they have to occur when and where they do. Oh, well. It's only the 3. ( Read more... )

When you send your manuscript off to a publisher/editor/agent it (after they have replied to your query letter and asked to see the work) realize that they will not read beyond the first few pages if it is riddled with errors, seems amateurish, or is boring. You can't pick up the pace on page five. You have to nail it on page one and all the other ( Read more... )