An absolutely splendid day. Work was so easy and non-stressful for a change. It rained and although I missed that 'cause I was indoors, there were two rainbows, one arched over the other, waiting for me when I got off. I was in Barnes and Noble, spending time browsing 'til the bus and found "Caramel Flava," an erotic anthology edited by Zane. Susan Diplacido has a deliciously hot story in there. Put me in the mood to finish an erotic work that I need to send off to an anthology.
Am reading a book about writing fiction by Robert Butler and learned why story #61 happened as it did. Stories come not from ideas, he says, but from the white hot center of you. Meaning: when I kept trying to create a story from the incident, I was "thinking" and writers don't think. They feel and they feel from their unconscious and there's where I planted the seed when I realized I was writing drivel and once there, the story --the real and emotional one-- could emerge. Really interesting book. He says it's important to write EVERYDAY, and I realized that I did that back in 2000 when I chucked my job for a writing career. I wrote everyday but then I got lazy(sometimes I don't want to write even though I want to write) and life got complicated and I couldn't find the time. He says that you have to create the time and space and regulary go there--at the same time--and eventually you'll train yourself that writing is what happens at this time and in this place. But I knew that; it was just nice have Mr. Robert Olen Butler agree with me;-)
"From Where You Dream" is the title of Butler's book and it's my "writing book" to read this week. I finished "The Art of Writing," which was some excerpts from other books (it's part of a writer's kit)-- "The Artist's Way," "Beyond Words" (which I own, but haven't yet read), and "Deep Writing." Nice refresher course. I was trying to read Gardner's "The Art of Fiction," but I couldn't get into it. Then I tried "The Writer's Compass," but that wasn't happening either. Both I will read at later dates, when it's time for me to learn what they have to say. Besides that, I have two writer's kits that I'm working from. One has daily writing exercises and so far I've done every one so far for January. Yes, it's only been four days but still. . .
I got rejected. Okay, a story got rejected. Thought it would; I'm not sure if it works or doesn't (ha ha, eventually, it DOESN'T for this magazine). Will place it back in the rewrite file and let it sit a spell before I think about sending it out again. Another story got rejected, but I'd already withdrawn it so that didn't bother me [you can't fire me--I quit;-)]. I have three chapbooks ready to be printed out and entered into two different chapbook contests and I've got a non-fiction children's piece going that I have to finish quickly because it's seasonal(it's a summer piece) and I'm pushing the deadline, I know. I have another chapbook called "Mother Love" which I'm going to self-publish and the wonderful Daphne Buter has supplied me with the most incredible photograph for my cover!
So, it's a change of clothes, a snack and I'm writing the rest of the night.
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