words and books
I'm on a pretty good writing roll. I feel as though I know what I'm trying to do, and the words are coming. Of late I've often been able to get out of my own way, away from the overthinking that too often has stifled my creative process these last couple of years. Since the start of the year I've finished two stories and I'm currently on a rewrite of a third. It's still not the pace I want but, given the time commitments of my daily life, it's not all that bad. I keep feeling if I just push myself a little harder, though, I could be even more productive.
I'm actually thinking of taking a full week off in October and devoting the days to writing. A "staycation," if you will. While I'd still have my non-work obligations--cooking of family meals, shuttling kids to practices, etc.--I could devote numerous hours to writing. I'm really, really curious to see what I could come up with if I could just consistently work for a few days. A number of years back I NANOWRIMO'd a novel. On the first day, I took the day off work and devoted it to writing. I knocked 5k words out that day, and they were good. (I ended that day by attending a Stephen King reading, the only time I've been lucky enough to do so. I really felt like a writer.) Ever since, my brain has wondered what I might do with a whole week like that. I kind of tried three years ago, when I found myself with a five day gap between jobs. I wrote a ton--and none of it was any good. I discarded it all. I think I got caught up in the idea of word count instead of quality. This time I think I would set myself some goals, but make them reasonable. Perhaps have two stories polished off and submitted, and at least one new story begun? Something like that. I've only submitted one story in the last two years. While I don't write merely for the purpose of submitting stories, it would still be nice to have a couple of pieces in circulation at any give time. (Figuring out the markets is a whole 'nother story...)
Regardless of what happens, I will do my best to allow this creative space to grow. I think the house I live in is very conductive to getting that energy flowing and I want to continue to nurture this very important (though visible to no one but me) part of my life.
I'm feeling a big vibe for horror literature from the late sixties and seventies. I'm currently re-reading Rosemary's Baby, which really is a genius book and, for a writer, a lesson in how to not waste a single word. Every word in that book serves a purpose, and I'm finding it has aged very well, despite being very specifically of that era. Next up I will be reading Peter Straub's Julia, which I've never read. I did recently watch the movie version (with Mia Farrow...also in Rosemary's Baby...hmm, there *is* a theme here!) and it was quite good, but more than anything I just want to read some "classic" Straub. The thing about Peter Straub is that I just don't care for his work post-Shadowland. I've tried, I've really tried. But prior to that I really love his work. Also on tap: Robert Marasco's Burnt Offerings, another book I've never read. I saw the movie when I was very young, and it scared the bejeezus out of me (though not as much as Let's Scare Jessica to Death, which will forever be the movie that completely altered my young brain.) Know of any more good horror novels from this era? Send 'em to me (note: I read all the Thomas Tryon a couple of years ago.)
Autumn can't get here soon enough.
I'm actually thinking of taking a full week off in October and devoting the days to writing. A "staycation," if you will. While I'd still have my non-work obligations--cooking of family meals, shuttling kids to practices, etc.--I could devote numerous hours to writing. I'm really, really curious to see what I could come up with if I could just consistently work for a few days. A number of years back I NANOWRIMO'd a novel. On the first day, I took the day off work and devoted it to writing. I knocked 5k words out that day, and they were good. (I ended that day by attending a Stephen King reading, the only time I've been lucky enough to do so. I really felt like a writer.) Ever since, my brain has wondered what I might do with a whole week like that. I kind of tried three years ago, when I found myself with a five day gap between jobs. I wrote a ton--and none of it was any good. I discarded it all. I think I got caught up in the idea of word count instead of quality. This time I think I would set myself some goals, but make them reasonable. Perhaps have two stories polished off and submitted, and at least one new story begun? Something like that. I've only submitted one story in the last two years. While I don't write merely for the purpose of submitting stories, it would still be nice to have a couple of pieces in circulation at any give time. (Figuring out the markets is a whole 'nother story...)
Regardless of what happens, I will do my best to allow this creative space to grow. I think the house I live in is very conductive to getting that energy flowing and I want to continue to nurture this very important (though visible to no one but me) part of my life.
I'm feeling a big vibe for horror literature from the late sixties and seventies. I'm currently re-reading Rosemary's Baby, which really is a genius book and, for a writer, a lesson in how to not waste a single word. Every word in that book serves a purpose, and I'm finding it has aged very well, despite being very specifically of that era. Next up I will be reading Peter Straub's Julia, which I've never read. I did recently watch the movie version (with Mia Farrow...also in Rosemary's Baby...hmm, there *is* a theme here!) and it was quite good, but more than anything I just want to read some "classic" Straub. The thing about Peter Straub is that I just don't care for his work post-Shadowland. I've tried, I've really tried. But prior to that I really love his work. Also on tap: Robert Marasco's Burnt Offerings, another book I've never read. I saw the movie when I was very young, and it scared the bejeezus out of me (though not as much as Let's Scare Jessica to Death, which will forever be the movie that completely altered my young brain.) Know of any more good horror novels from this era? Send 'em to me (note: I read all the Thomas Tryon a couple of years ago.)
Autumn can't get here soon enough.