Yesterday I finished the story I've been working on, "Family Plot." I hadn't intended to write a horror story, but that's what came out. My First Reader (my wife Cindy) liked it, but said the ending needs work. I agree. My writers' group P.O.E. (Publish or Else) will critique it this Saturday. Now...to start a new one or revise my John Coltrane story? I'll go see what my greyhound Bullet is doing. If he's sleeping with his nose pointed east, I'll start a new one; west, revise.
Wouldn't you know he's pointing north...
I've been going through my Clarion notes and jotting down the things I feel I need work on in a little tiny notebook. I got in the habit of doing that when I was teaching. Everytime I learned something new from an article, a clinic, a workshop, or just an observation, I'd write it down. I filled seven books in two years. (Shows you how much I didn't know, huh?) Anyway, right now I'm going through some of the great advice that Nancy Kress gave us on character generation.
I'm also studying one short story a week. This week's story is Kelly Link's "The Specialist's Hat." I'm amazed at the way Kelly presents information in a story. I'm going to study that aspect first, then the way she manipulates flashback/backstory. The way the story is layered just blows me away. I've got a feeling I could study this one for a long time and not uncover everything that's there.
One week from today - World Fantasy!
How 'bout those Red Sox?
Today's weight = 175
Word count = 1,400
Now Playing = Let It Be...Naked - Beatles
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