Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve! I’m excited because tomorrow is the day I *might* finish the first draft of my novel (maybe), or I might come *very* close, and I still feel good about where I’m at, even if I’m a little behind schedule. And, even better, since we abstained from celebrating Christmas this year, … Continue reading »
Monthly Archives: December 2009
distractions / fiction / first-drafting / novels / writing
The Novel Isn’t Done Yet
Can’t talk, the first draft of the novel isn’t done yet. All I need is it written to the end so I can print it out and do surgery. I said it would be ready December 1; failed. I said it would be ready December 16; failed. I know it’s a holiday for some, but … Continue reading »
confessions / distractions / memories / novels / rejection / writing
End of a Decade and Some Time Travel
People, we just went through a whole DECADE. Well, we’re about to. A new decade is less than two weeks away. I am THRILLED to tell you that I found some “diary” entries saved from an old computer from the year 2000. In the year 2000, I was still an MFA student at Columbia here … Continue reading »
Can I Do It?
I’m at that stage. The one where you’re all up in your own face, shoving yourself against walls to get the truth out, shouting, Think you can do it? Really? Really, can you do it? SHOW ME. Or maybe I am the only writer who shoves herself up against walls as some kind of masochistic … Continue reading »
First Draft Rewards
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, here and elsewhere, things I’m upset about or stressed over that I won’t go into, but I’m trying so hard to keep the troubles at bay while I finish up this manuscript—which will magically transform itself into a completed first draft by end of this … Continue reading »
What I Resolved for 2009 and How It Didn’t Come True
I find this amusing. Here’s what I wrote on December 31, 2008, revealing what my “resolutions” would be for the year 2009: I was going to make a list. You know, do it up right. Use bullet points. Set target dates. I was going to set out viable, approachable writing goals for myself. No goals … Continue reading »
Delivery, Please
Times like these, when I am determined to stay glued to the laptop until I finish this chapter, and the free pretzels and M&Ms at the writing spot have lost their luster, and it’s cold out, and the chair is comfortable and I don’t want to get out of it, and I have so much … Continue reading »
Agent Appreciation Day!
I am taking a break from my regularly scheduled angsting and deadline-driven antisocial behavior to join in Agent Appreciation Day and say a public thank-you to the person who’s making my dreams come true! About seven-and-a-half months ago I found an agent. That whirlwind day was captured in this breathless blog post where I was … Continue reading »
Tunnels, Novels, and Pajamas
Right now, my novel looks like this: I know, soon, there will be that exciting moment where my middle connects with my end, and the light floods in, and I’ll be able to see my feet before my face, and I’m itching for that because I can barely see a thing now. Are we there … Continue reading »
The Big What If?
It’s important to not ever forget how hard this writing-and-publishing thing is. My struggles right now on this cool December morning may feel frustrating: I’m writing the big climactic sequence in Act III of my novel and it’s dark in here and I can’t see my own hand before my face and sometimes I feel … Continue reading »
