Full Tilt
Posted: October 3, 2011 Filed under: Goals, NANOWRIMO, Writers Write | Tags: asking for help, collage, creativity, NANOWRIMO, Trusting Your Instincts, writers, writing Leave a comment »
Tilt: (Historical) a combat for exercise or sport between two men on horseback with lances; a joust.
I’m ready for the final turn on SCHOOLED. Most of my Beta Reads are back. One was so good, so concrete, I felt myself nodding at every red-lined comment. The things I knew were wrong–are wrong. The things that needed more–still need more. I’m lucky to get a great critique. Not great in the expansive ego building sense, but solid. I know I can fix this. She said the nicest thing, “This is a very good story–I found myself thinking about it when I was away from it.” What writer doesn’t live for that?
November is National Novel Writing Month. Last year’s manuscript is tucked away, a Clairfontaine notebook of a novel. That’s right. It’s still in longhand, ready to be typed. The ending is wrong, but thanks to the New Mexico fire season, I know what to do. The collage hangs above the buffet in my dining room-cum-office. It would be reasonable to start typing as soon as possible.
I should be reasonable, but I have another bright, shiny thing going on in my head. Not a fully formed plan, barely a spark. I can’t quit thinking about it.
I’ve never been a fan of all things in moderation. I favor submersion. Full tilt.
Like this:
Irreparably Broken
Posted: January 29, 2010 Filed under: Housekeeping, Noxious Evils, Writers Write | Tags: asking for help, family, writers, writing Leave a comment »A week ago, I got a call from Bacon:
“You need to come home.”
“Why? I’m at Target.”
“Did you hear that?”
“No.”
“You can’t hear that?”
“Bacon, I can’t hear anything over the phone. What is it?”
“I don’t know. It’s a big popping sound, and I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Come home.”
Before I got there, he had found the source. The television sat on the floor in middle of living room.
“Listen.” He plugged the device into an electrical outlet.
When I was in college theatre, we simulated gunshots by holding a board vertically, one hand on the up end and one foot on the down end. When it was time, we let go and stepped down at the same time. The board made a sound bigger than a firecracker, but less than a cannon. That was the noise erupting from our television.
Bacon unplugged the I.E.D. and carried it out to the garage.
The Only Thing We Have To Fear . . .
Posted: April 22, 2009 Filed under: Aha!, Writers Write | Tags: asking for help, perception, writers, writing Leave a comment »A woman approached me on the back loop at the park this week.
“There’s a deer over there.” Dressed in workout clothes, she appeared sane, but her voice trembled.
I responded carefully. “Lots of animals live in this park. It’s a wildlife preserve.”
“But we’re in the middle of a city.”
“Some people leave grain for them. In the drought, they haven’t had much grass to graze on.”
“Will they hurt me?” She was close to backtracking the other direction.
I kept moving forward. “They won’t hurt you. Deer aren’t as aggressive as dogs.”
“But they’re big, and so close.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
She followed, putting me between her and the hoofed assailants. Around the corner, two small does were munching grass and nibbling oak leaves. So focused on breakfast, they barely lifted their heads as we passed.
The woman said, “It’s my first time to walk here. I usually walk down Henderson Pass. Today, I came looking for a change.”
Henderson Pass isn’t very residential. I wouldn’t feel safe walking in that traffic. Yet, this lady was afraid of a two small deer, too tame to run away. I haven’t seen her since. The park was too wild for her, I guess.
Our conversation made me wonder. What harmless thing frightens me? How often do I adjust my steps to avoid a situation because I haven’t had experience with it?
