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Taking My Time
People often say they’re impressed by my productivity. I may look more productive, but as a single man, I don’t have to deal with a lot of the stuff that keeps other people busy. Outside of work, my time is my own, to do with as I please. That doesn’t mean my life is better…
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Sent!
The vacation from my day job means I’ve had time to focus on advancing my budding writing career. Until Thanksgiving (formerly known as Addicted) has moved on to the next level. I submitted the first twenty pages of the manuscript and a complete synopsis to a small, relatively new publishing company this morning. Let the…
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Goodbye, Addicted
Last week I blogged about the present status of my writing career. Basically, all projects were stalled and I was trying to figure out a way forward. As is so often the case with me, all I need do is state my intentions for everything to change. I got the marked up manuscript from the…
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New Directions?
Starting a blog is easy. Keeping it going is a bit more challenging. The internet is littered with the carcasses of failed and abandoned blogs. I’m sure most bloggers fantasize about hitting the big league and making lots of money at least once in a while. But the vast majority of active blogs aren’t the least…
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Back to Square One
My affection for the people in my writer’s group has come up here several times before. We’re a diverse group with different backgrounds, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Together we’re a tough bunch of well-informed critics. Besides the formal submission process and the critiques provided at our regular meetings, there’s also a lot of informal sharing.…
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Hurry Up and Wait
The most common advice for new writers is to keep writing. Serious writers devote a few hours to the craft every day. I try, but too often, life gets in the way. Serious writers would say that life getting in the way is just an excuse. If I really wanted to, I’d find the time.…
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Revisions: Round Two
Today I spent a few hours working on revisions to Glass Houses. Having completed line edits, I’m now reading every word from the beginning again, and thinking more about how it all fits together. It’s a complete immersion process–the kind of task that requires focus and concentration. Once I get rolling, revisiting the manuscript is…
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Progress!
I spent the better part of last year writing Addicted, my first novel. For much of that time, a freelance editor was working her magic on my memoir, Glass Houses. Though she sent me her recommendations and suggestions back in November, I decided to finish the novel before turning my attention to revising the memoir.…
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Experience: The Second Best Teacher
I recently sent Addicted (my first novel) to someone who’d read Glass Houses (my first book–a memoir). In the accompanying email message, I said she would likely notice a big improvement in my writing because of what my great friends in the Athens Writers Workshop have taught me about writing. She replied that she’d love…