The writing life often becomes the self-involved life. Writers spend lots of time alone in their own heads and awash in insecurity. Writers keep everything they scribble on, every conversation they overhear, every interesting bit they observe--they keep everything that serves the writing and disregard the rest. I for one have ignored my family, my …
an awful, sucky, icky, pissy day
There are thousands more important things to write about, but I just want to observe that when a person has had an awful day at work--a truly awful, sucky, worst-day-in-years sort of day--it is nearly impossible to write anything. Most of the time I can shake off annoyances and throw myself into my story. Not …
“someone who didn’t know how to ask wouldn’t know how to listen”
Finally, a way to acknowledge Martin Luther King that rings true for me. Sure, I could be a grand person and go to march planned for the day, but it is cold and wet AND I had this whole day free to work on my novel. That's me--selfish to no end. So, I could be …
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Like to Get to Know You Well
MPJ sent this tag my way, and so here it goes. The Rules: Post links to five of your previous posts. There should be one post for each of the following words--family, friends, yourself, your love, and anything you like. Tag five folks to do the same, and at least two of those folks you …
Under the Influence
I have a no-kid-pics rule, but this says too much for me to keep my mouth shut. No, he isn't playing a computer game. It's worse. He's imitating me. And every few key strokes, he says, "Look, Mom. Look how many lines! How many lines do you have?"
Writing Lessons I Might Remember
Randlin tagged me here in the water to write seven random things. I wrote seven things before, but I'm willing to give it a try again--only a little different. Seven Random Things I've Learned about My Writing 1. If two days of writing time are missed, it takes a week to recover. 2. If my …
terrified if you do; terrified if you don’t
You have to wonder why it is that some people work hard to create something--a book or a work of art, let's say--and to find an audience for that very thing, and then when confronted with this long desired crowd, end up terrified. Like I don't know if I publish something somebody--maybe just one, but …
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it’s all about me and that’s why I’m throwing myself in front of a hurtling object
Who follows their own advice? Tell me because I want to kidnap them and bring them home with me. Maybe if I sleep with them under my pillow something will sink into my brain. I foolishly skip around the internet like an old-enough-to-know-better Red Riding Hood, and I see all these fascinating things and discover …
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a thousand things better to do than read a book
How do you make love believable? We believe Catherine loves Heathcliff, Romeo loves Juliet, Rhett loves Scarlett, and The Doctor loves Rose. I believe it anyway. A character can't just say it no more than your partner can and that be enough. They've got to show it. Ah, the old show, don't tell. But …
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“I’m not a witch at all.”
Maybe you've heard that NPR has this nifty new series--In Character. You get to write a short essay about why a certain American character in fiction is important to you--and why that character should be important to the rest of us. If they like your piece, they'll post your essay on the site, and if …
Marta Bacon 