Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Full-speed editing

One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more serious about my writing, to the point where I schedule it. So far (it is only Jan. 7, I know), I have been keeping my promise. I work on my book on days that the Red Wings aren't playing. On those days, I do something crafty. On the weekend, I split, depending on what is going on.

So the editing has been going well. I am plotting each scene on an index card pursuant to the last post I made and #3 in the list in my post on 12/7. I have also realized a couple of truths about myself, specifically, that it isn't necessary for me to read a book in its entirety. If I skim pertinent chapters and make notes, then it is just as good.

Another truth: I know next to nothing about story structure and it is sad. I am educating myself with a great book titled, The Portable MFA in Creative Writing. I guess I should have majored in Creative Writing in college. Maybe I would have known earlier what I was doing.

One more truth: I am further ahead than I think. I don't know a lot of writers. I know a lot of wannabes and I always compare myself to them when they haven't written anything. The fact of the matter is I have written three books, a play, and several poems. I have to work on the next step (which is what I am doing now) and shaping the work into something publishable. I have to stop being so hard on myself.

That is it for today. More truth as I uncover it!

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