Strange

Oct 14, 2011 Daily Writing, Novels Leave a comment

Okay. I’ve avoided this long enough. This morning was spent going back to the novel project I set aside a couple months back. I’ve used the old “got to get a short story done” excuse a few times, and I’ve used the “got to read someone else’s stuff” excuse (just this morning, even). I’ve used the “I have day-job work to do” excuse way too often. Today was about just doing it.

And so I opened the hood and peered in and got to work.

I think one of the problems I have with this one is that in the root of my mind I think it has the chance to be something special. I’ve written a few novel-length works, all fairly standard fares. Good stories (I think), but not particularly unique beyond the events of the stories themselves. But this one is different. I’m not sure I’m good enough to write it as it needs to be written, and so it’s been easier to just let it sit there.

Strange, isn’t it, this writing thing?

Freebie Week

Oct 13, 2011 Daily Writing, Give Away, Short Stories Leave a comment

In celebration of finishing my latest story, I thought I might give something away.  So here it is–a free story from my past.  In this case it’s “A Matter of Pride,” which appeared some time back in Analog.  It will be here for free for the next week.

If you like that one, you can find more stuff here or here.

While I’m on a linky role, I suppose I should remind all that my one Amazon reviewer (what a lonely guy, eh?) had these wonderful things to say about Picasso’s Cat & Other Stories.

Still Working

Oct 12, 2011 Daily Writing Leave a comment

In the air this morning:

#

Yeah, the story’s coming along. As I figured, it’ll be tomorrow before I’ll consider it finished–and I’ll probably let it sit until the weekend to do a full editing pass, so technically it won’t be in a readable state until then. Fair enough. But it’s come together now and I’ve come to like it considerably more than I had earlier. Always a good sign.

It makes me feel better, anyway.

#

Spent some time last night messing around with e-pubing stuff. So much to do.

Idea Walk, The Result

Oct 11, 2011 Daily Writing Leave a comment

Listening to British Blues today.

#

So I did my walk at lunch yesterday and the results were astoundingly good. Thirty-plus minutes of exercise in the sunshine and open air, ten-plus pages of line-edited manuscript, and a complete framework of what the story is about. Game, set, and match.

Well…not quite so fast.

I’ve used this morning to do a total edit, and now I have a few key things to add. I hope it will be done tomorrow, which means probably Thursday or Friday. Shrug. It’ll take what it takes. Then on to the next rock.

Idea Walks?

Oct 10, 2011 Daily Writing Leave a comment

The story I mentioned in the Oct 5 entry is nearing the end. It has a new title, which I like considerably more, and the framework of the whole thing works better. It may need one more element. We’ll see. It stands on its own pretty well now, though. So that’s progress.

While the weather is nice here in Indiana, I’ve taken to attempting lunchtime walks–meaning I try to eat at my desk while working, then if I get time I use my actual break time to walk. There’s a nice park right next to my office building that’s ready-made for this. If I get a chance today I’ll take my little story with me and read it aloud. That’s always fun, though I have to be careful about reading too loud and making people think I’m just crazy.

Maybe that’s why people stray away from me while I’m walking, you think? [grin]

In all seriousness, though, I find that these walks do a few things. First, they get my blood pumping after a morning in corporate America–always a good thing. I come back with more energy, at least. They also get me out of the box. Walking outside gives me something different to look at, and seems to let my brain reset. It’s amazing how many times I come back from a lunchtime walk with a new answer to a problem that I’ve been working on and find that this answer is perfect. Perhaps I should call these idea walks. Sounds good to me.

Anyway, I’m asking myself right now to dig deeper into the story–I’m asking myself what the story really means to the main character. I think the plot, and the depth of character, as they stand now do a good job for the reader, but I’m feeling that if I can go that extra half-step it would raise the thing in its entirety from being a solid piece of work that’s fun to read to being a truly “good story.”

And so I’ll throw this question on the back of the stack right now, and let it bubble up during the lunchtime walk and we’ll see what comes of it.