THE DAY
Parents here for Passover, so got nothing done. A nice visit, but…you know. Today was the first writing day I’ve gotten in the last four. Were there workmen here? Yes: generator guys who really do seem to have trouble getting their act together. Did others not show up? Yes, again, but that was a gift, really.
So I just tried my hardest to bear down and work. The deadline is Sunday; I know I can do this. Right now, it feels like I might not, and I’m thinking the way Stephen King once wrote he’d felt about short stories: he knows how to do this, and so do I. As with everything, the story is morphing as I go along. This is why proposals are both good and bad; the editor has to have some sense of where you’re going, but much of the time, the actual process of writing dictates how the story goes. If that makes sense. (It does to me.)
Also, this process is a little deceptive, too. For example, if you count up the words, I have WAAAY more than enough for a story even though I’m only a third of the way through. I’ve written, what, 10K? But in the actual STORY, I’m at 3500. Which kind of sucks, I think, because it means I’m trimming and rearranging as I go along.
Anyway, I got words down before I packed up, exercised, and then had dinner with girlfriends. Really need to do that more often.
Tomorrow, it’s more workmen in the morning; an appointment in the afternoon.
Must write quickly, and well. Doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. It just has to be done.
I had also written a very long screed on the whole Oberlin thing, but I’m holding onto it for a while, I think. I mean, I know what I think and feel. Venting is something best done with a husband, though, not out loud. When people vent too loudly, I’m always put off. So I don’t see why I should do that to someone else. But it was also an interesting Oberlin weekend that led to a very short exchange with the college president. So…I don’t know if I’ll talk about it or not. We’ll see.
I got better and more important things to do.
WRITING OUT LOUD
SHORT STORY (UNTITLED)
Day 1: 1000
Day 2: 2200
Day 3: 2100
Day 4: 1200
Day 5: 3300
Day 6: 2000
Blog Post: 480
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What I’m Watching:
Motive. Not bad, especially when you’re hypoxic.
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What I’m Reading:
A Dream in Polar Fog but I am so ready to pitch this thing and find a real book. I feel as if I’m only reading this because it’s good for me.
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What I’m Listening to:
Nothing, although a new Sandford book came out today. SO tempted to grab it on audio, but I think I’ll wait to see if I can snag a library copy first.
