- ARCHIVE / TAG ARCHIVE
- Progress Update for 1/7
Been a while since we had a good ol’ writing progress update. I completed the first draft of “Execution” tonight. I know it needs a good bit of work. At 30 pages (printing as we speak), and just shy of 8,000 words, it can probably use a good deal of cutting. Still, a draft is [...]
- Martin on Rose on Success via 37 Signals
Recently, Matt at 37 Signals (makers of Basecamp), wrote a post about how to “get ink.” At the end of the post, he talks about being “undeniably goody,” and puts up this quote by Steve Martin from his recent appearance on Charlie Rose: When people ask me how do you make it in show business [...]
- Progress Update for 1/3
It’s amazing what rhythm and going with the flow can do for you. In less than an hour, I jotted down 1,400 words on “Execution” this evening. This was in addition to forging ahead in Proulx’s Postcards. Why the success? I got into the rhythm of description today. I’m sure I will probably cut a [...]
- Sometimes It’s Hard…Sometimes I’m Lazy
Most nights, I can sit down at the computer and pound out 1,000+ words no problem. In fact, my most frequent problem is deciding when to stop. I’m a believer in writing fatigue. I may be able to write for hours on end, but it’s not going to be good. Occasionally, I encounter a night [...]
- Progress Update for 1/1
Picked up some new books today over at Half Price. I started reading Postcards by Annie Proulx. Her first two chapters have managed to ensnare me, I must admit. I get a Grapes of Wrath feel from the setup. We’ll see where it leads. More progress on “Execution” today. Things didn’t come easily, though. I [...]
- 2008 Hiatus
Talk about a misleading title. No, I’m not taking a hiatus for 2008. Just drawing attention to my lack of writing today. It’s New Year’s Eve. Natalie leaves tomorrow. Do I need anymore excuses? I imagine that over the next five days I’ll be able to get a good bit of work done. So, check [...]
- “The Whore’s Child” and “Monhegan Light” by Richard Russo
Generally speaking, I am a Richard Russo fan. For Christmas Natalie gave me The Whore’s Child and Other Stories, a collection of short stories by Mr. Russo. Thus far, I’ve only read two, and I’ve found myself both delighted and disappointed at the same time. My biggest disappointment came with “The Whore’s Child.” While Russo [...]
- Juno & Imagery
Natalie will be going away on a ski trip for five days without me. So, we decided that we should do dinner and a movie, always a good thing. The only movie we could agree on was Juno, a dark-ish comedy about a quirky 16-year old who gets pregnant and has to face the realities [...]
- Progress Update for 12/30
Finished up On Writing. Certainly I’m on my way to bestseller land now! In all seriousness, I found King’s “memoir of the craft” empowering. While many may malign King for being a writer of “genre fiction,” his book sales speak for themselves. The guy knows how to write. Is he a one-trick-pony? Perhaps. But, it’s [...]
- Progress Update for 12/29
Read some more of Stephen King’s On Writing. Thus far, it’s a really engaging read. He has offered a few great insights which I think I will take to heart. Most important is his discussion of routine. King finds it extremely important that the writer have a place to shut himself off from the outside [...]