Hey Folks,
My buddy Dan Baldwin dropped by from Mesa (a 3-hour trip, much thanks Dan) this morning for coffee, a good cigar and a little philosophy slathering. Of course, we talked about writing too.
While I was waiting for him to arrive, I decided to cycle back through the last part of my WIP. Almost two hours later, I finally realized maybe it would be better to just forget it for awhile. (grin)
As I mentioned before, we’re going through a bit of a life roll out here. It’s some medical stuff that will be partially resolved sometime (we hope early) next week. After that, there will be a bit of a lag (probably a few weeks) and then a final resolution.
Of course, I’m absolutely jonesing to get back to the novel and the utter joy of writing, especially in the current story with the current characters.
If you’re thinking “So just write already,” I’ve said the same thing to others before. But now that I’m on the inside looking out, trust me, saying “just write” is like saying to a person who complains of being depressed they should “just snap out of it.”
Great in theory, but impossible in practice.
Right now, even when I sit down at the writing ‘puter with the budding novel open in front of me, I’m not able to devote my mind to the story.
This morning as I attempted to cycle through part of the WIP to get back into the flow of the story, it was difficult even to concentrate on reading what I’d already written.
I guess some aspects of the life roll sort of shove all other thoughts aside.
So I’ve decided to just not worry about writing fiction for the next few days at least. It’s better, maybe, to just focus on getting through the life roll.
I’ll still post a Journal when I have something to say that I think you might find helpful or something to pass along in “Of Interest.”
Speaking of which, if you have an idea for a topic on writing that you’d like to see, drop me a line. If it’s something I know and practice, I’ll write a topic and post it in the Journal (with or without naming you, as you wish).
This would be an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you might have about my own writing process or why I do things a certain way or why I don’t do certain things at all.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Three New Lectures” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/three-new-lectures/.
See Lee Lofland’s “Monday Morning Quarterbacks Lack….” at https://www.leelofland.com/monday-morning-quarterbacks-lack-touch-taste-smell-and-motion/. Some good stuff here for your writing, especially in scene details.
You can get an off-beat James Scott Bell novel FREE at Amazon right now by clicking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G8V1HPG/. Mr. Bell emphasises the book “is not horror fiction. It’s more like the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher. It leans heavy on the legal thriller side. It’s just that Mallory Caine, Zombie-at-Law, has to consume a brain every now and again (not graphically, I can assure you, but all trial lawyers need their nutrition).
Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 450 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 450
Writing of Nick 3 (novel, tentative title)
Day 1…… 3422 words. Total words to date…… 3422
Day 2…… 2664 words. Total words to date…… 6086
Day 3…… 3190 words. Total words to date…… 9276
Day 4…… 1090 words. Total words to date…… 10366
Day 5…… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXXX
Total fiction words for the month……… 10666
Total fiction words for the year………… 325397
Total nonfiction words for the month… 8980
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 126796
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 451943
Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 7
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 2
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 11
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 33
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 6
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………………… 193