If you want to be a published author, you have to edit your work. No matter the publishing path, editing is along the way. Sometimes editing makes me feel like I know what I'm doing. Really. I see the problem. Take my pen to it. Look at the page and see all those marks, and …
Category: mistakes
The Past–there’s always more of it.
A couple years ago I took to writing small bits of memoir in this space. I didn't set out to. Those life stories just fell into place--though I'd never had a desire to write a memoir. It was a writing memoir, every story connecting to the writing. I stopped. Maybe I was repeating myself. Maybe …
The Wish Gods
I was nine when I understood what people meant by, "Be careful what you wish for." I'd wish for my dad to get married. Well, okay. Maybe the expression should be, "Be careful what you wish for unless you're very, very specific." If I'd known that at nine, I'd have wished for my dad to …
Investaphobia
No one in the history of the universe invests money in a company knowing they're going to lose all said money. Oh, some people may invest in losers because they know how to actually get more money later--yeah, real estate nightmare, anyone--but the plan is to make money eventually. People lose money of course. Plans …
Keep your mouth shut.
Do you argue with people online who you've never met? If you do, are those arguments mud-fests with names flying? If not, why not? Most people I know who are on facebook have at least one I-shouldn't-have-made-that-comment experience. If not that, then a I-can't-believe-X-left that-comment experience. Haven't you? If you decide to pick a fight …
Just Give Me My Poisoned Apple Already
I wouldn't literally eat a poisoned apple, but metaphorically I think I already have. The evil queen in disguise is my own psyche, and the apple is seeds of doubt fleshed out with insecurity, neurosis, and fear. Hard to believe anyone takes a bite of that. How long has it been since an agent asked …
Surfacing
Do you have the secret to organization and balance? I know about lists. I even make lists. Where do the lists go? I think they drown in the sea of nonsense that is my desk. Anyone can make a list. Look. I'll make one right now. (in insignificant order and incomplete) finish organizing desk do …
The Dreaded Sensible Limit
Every single thing I can think to write sounds like whining. And nobody wants to read whining any more than they want to hear whining. Still, I feel compelled to say I'm not visiting other blogs these days and I've barely written anything in the last few weeks. Adding two classes to my schedule may …
Faking
I got through high school and college without a boyfriend. I had a few dates, but no one you could call a boyfriend. (By boyfriend I mean someone who would actually refer to me as his girlfriend.) So after dating (and I use the term loosely) guys who seemed incapable of anything resembling a actual …
Shut the hell up, you silly writer!
So. I finished (well, as much as I ever finish) the story I was pontificating about yesterday. The problem with talking about things is that I leave the conversation wondering why I make such a big deal out of...whatever. Now I feel this story has an impossible burden placed upon it. At this point I …
Marta Bacon 