Me:
How’s the writing?
Are you doing it?
Happily?
Not me so far. BUT TODAY I WILL!
Last night I came home from dinner with three of my girls and realized I was 30 minutes late to a book group I was supposed to attend. I’d already cried off my mascara, but I made it there before everyone left.
Today I am going to write several hours.
And that’s great for right now.
Here’s are my TTT cohorts!
Brenda:
There are writers I admire for their works. There are writers I admire for their intellect. There are writers I admire for their work ethic. There are writers I admire for their sly humor. Put all these together, and call him Isaac Asimov!
Asimov, in his own words:
The one absolute requirement for me to write . . . is to be awake.
I don’t know any but the simplest rules of English grammar, and I seldom consciously apply them. Nevertheless, I instinctively write correctly and, I like to think, in an interesting fashion. I know when something sounds right and when it doesn’t, and I can tell the difference without hesitation, even when writing at breakneck speed. How do I do this? I haven’t the faintest idea.
When I feel difficulty coming on, I switch to another book I’m writing. When I get back to the problem, my unconscious has solved it.
Thinking is the activity I love best, and writing to me is simply thinking through my fingers. I can write up to 18 hours a day. Typing 90 words a minute, I’ve done better than 50 pages a day. Nothing interferes
with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office and I wouldn’t look up — well, maybe once.
If my doctor told me I had only six months to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.
Cheryl:
Some of the best stories I’ve read have been ruined by weak climaxes. One of the main reasons for this is a weak antagonist. If your villain is a genius mastermind, it doesn’t make sense for them to suddenly make a moronic mistake.
Rewrite your climax from the point of view of your antagonist. Start at the beginning point, but then stop looking at your original manuscript. Let the climax grow organically from the antagonist’s perspective. Does it follow the same path? Does he say and do the same things?
If the two versions don’t match, try to find a middle ground. Both characters need to stay true to themselves, and the best story will allow them both to breathe.
Throwing Up Words 