Lost in NaNo

How goes National Novel Writing Month, you ask? Okay. Maybe you have not asked, but it is a question I'm asking myself. I've managed to pick up a cold this weekend, which hasn't helped. (I've taken two covid tests, and both came up negative. And I've checked various websites about symptoms--cold, flu, or covid19? Cold. …

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For the Spooky Weekend

'Tis the spookiest weekend of the year! This morning I listened to some pieces on fear. We seem to live a lot in fear these days. Haven't we always? One of the segments talked about why we are attracted to horror. Google the question if you want! You'll find plenty of articles. I'm someone not …

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NaNoWriMo: Altered and Undone

Twenty years ago, when I first heard of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), I thought, "Whoa. That's madness." But I was also intrigued. The next week year, I gave it a try, and I loved it. Did I write the best novel ever? No. Of course not. Some folks complain about NaNoWriMo producing too many …

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Finished, Maybe

I might have finished my novel, The Book of Astrophilia. I say might...it is hard for me to know when something is finished. I'll rewrite forever. And I haven't had a beta reader or anyone give me feedback, and that is part of the process. So is it finished-FINISHED? Well, I've done what I can …

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Undoing Every Generation All at Once

Recently, I saw Everything Everywhere All at Once. I loved it. I loved a movie focusing on someone movies often ignore. I loved the over-the-topness, the maximalist, weirdness. I loved the sincerity and heartfelt storytelling. This weekend I binged watched Undone on Amazon Prime. I didn't plan to binge watch. The story and the animation …

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When characters insist

Pictured: Not my character, FWIW, but still a fairly demanding lady. Some authors say their characters take over. Some authors say that's rubbish. The writer is the boss! Well, yes? While I wouldn't say my characters take over, at times, when I'm contemplating the plot, I write the plot a certain way and it just …

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Imaginary Planets

When people ask me, "What's your story about?" I have a slight panic attack. Why? I can speculate, but I don't really know. I can't afford therapy. BUT I am excited about the story I'm currently working on. (I'm excited about every story. At this moment, however, I'm also in an optimistic mood. Why optimism …

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Finishing Things. Sort of.

I've been jumping from project to project. The term monkey mind comes to, uh, mind. My ideal self would sit down and concentrate. But at this point in my life, I'll just work with the mind I have. Jumping to a different project might be procrastination. It might be a way to never finish even …

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