Monday, Monday

Every time I start a new semester, I get behind. When you add behind to behind to behind what you get is me. Someone who can’t seem to catch up, no matter what.

Here is a writing exercise for you so you don’t get as far behind as me. You can take this experience of mine, find your own that is similar, and write an incident that can fit in your book.

My best friend’s shoes are in my closet. A pair of his jeans in a drawer. He’s been dead just over a year.

“Do you want me to take these?”I ask him. He’s in a hospital bed. He can’t speak. SO he nods. I gather the shoes, the pants. “I’ll take these until you’re better.”

And here’s this article from my dear friend Trent Reedy. what do you think?

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/how-to-write-100-000-words-per-day-every-day?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email

 

Monday, Monday

This is the first time in a long time I have been between projects.

Something is sitting with an editor.

And I’m getting ready to sign a contract for another scary book.

Scary in that way I’m-not-sure-I-can-get-this-one-done scary.

 

How do you get thru the trouble spots in your writing?

What if the whole novel is a trouble spot?

I’m doing  the Cynthia Leitich Smith thing where I have written a the book, now I’m throwing it away. Yes. She throws away the whole thing!  I am throwing it mostly away. (There are only two places left in Cynthia’s class at WIFYR. If you are interested to to http://www.wifyr.com)

 

Now it’s time to ask myself what I ask my students: what does my character want and how will I keep her from getting it?