Goal: Write Today

I suppose this is a form of procrastination. I want to write a little bit before school is back in session (Aug. 22). So I decided I'd use my self-help book, You! Can! Write! A! Novel!

Instead, I'm cruising Facebook and writing a blog post. Hey, a blog post is still writing, right?

Hmm, I don't think I'm buying that.

Writing a novel: How does one even begin?

I have this idea. Is it enough to write hundreds of pages about? I've only ever tackled short stories. They are so much nicer, neater. Quicker. Succincter. (Is that even a word?) (You know you have problems when you start using non-existent words.) (And multiple parentheticals.)

There's this book. A cheesy book. A do-it-yourself-and-get-rich-quick kind of book. It's called something like "You! Can! Write! A! Novel!" Okay, maybe I threw in some extra exclamation points. Whatever. You get the point. (Points?)

At the bookstore, I picked it from the shelf. My cheeks burning, I read the back cover. Intrigued, my eyes darted around the bookstore to see if anyone was watching as I furtively opened it to read a few lines. It was interesting. Interesting enough, anyway, that I snuck it between the other few books in my arms as I strolled--ever so nonchalant--to the checkout counter. I tried reading it that afternoon, but soon tired of the Take Action! Now! Pick Up Your Pencil! And Write! exhortations.

But that was before my idea. Now I actually have something to write about. (Maybe.)

I'm thinking about picking the book up again to see if its exercises and exhortations will actually prompt me to DO something with this possibly novel-length story. (Maybe.)

How about you--have you tried writing something novel-length? How did you do it? Did you use a cheesy self-help writing book? If so, which one? If not, why not?

Vacation

It's a little cliched, but I could use a vacation from my vacation. My son and I joined my significant other's extended family for a vacation in SoCal that included Disneyland, downtown LA, the beach, a wedding and a brunch at a beach house. Time to get back into the groove: I didn't write a single drop this summer.

"Helen..." has arrived!!

WOOO HOOOOOO!

Find her story here.

"Helen..." is on her way

Received word tonight that the publication of "Helen Finds Her Voice" has moved up from mid-August to the beginning of August. Whooopeee! Stay tuned...

Hands

"Hands" is published!

Check it out at 6tales, story #4.

Happy reading!

Confessions of a Proofreader

Salk Institute: Modern Architecture

One of my duties at work is to proofread. This comes in handy for my self-employed architect significant other, who realized early on in our relationship that I actually enjoy reading and editing--even gigantic, jargon-filled pieces about Modern architecture. (Don’t get me started on the unnecessary capitalization of Modern. Apparently it’s important. Don’t mess with it.)

Recently, I was editing a long piece and began making organizational changes to it. Then I realized there was a rhyme to my SO's reason, so I wrote “stet” above my marks. (For those of you who aren’t proofreaders, stet means “nevermind; I'm an idiot," or, officially, "let it stand.")

Apparently, I have poor penmanship, as the response was: "What’s this about a slut?!"