Tomorrow, the journey into Story-a-Day September begins! I have plans, a map of sorts, but it's likely the map will be tossed along the way. This trip is meant to be fun, and I love a tangent. But then again, maybe I'll stick to the route. We shall see. I'm working on that sci-fi fairytale. …
Rewrites! Massive rewrites! I've brought a character back to life. I've deleted scenes and added others. I asked myself questions about character motivations and goals. The answers have pointed out plot holes and inconsistencies. I may not be up to the task of making this story work, I'm trying anyway. Since the story takes place …
I recently read Austin Kleon's post about self-help books. One part of his post that really struck me was this: In Josh Shenk’s book, Lincoln’s Melancholy, he points out how the rise of individualism in America gave rise to the culture of self-improvement and self-help: At the same time that “self-made” entered the nation’s lexicon, …
I'm fortunate enough to know Nicky Drayden, and I'm smart enough to have read her amazing first novel, The Prey of Gods. That was a terrific, rollicking sci-fi read. Do you see that little girl on the cover? Drayden's stories are imaginative, horrifying, and funny. Now her second novel, Temper, is out. So, go read …
In true human fashion, I've driven myself slightly mad with ideas and promises and obligations. Do we ever learn? Or learn permanently? If we learn, we forget. And when I have two weekends in a row of going, going, going, I tend to feel as if I'll never get anything done ever again. I cleared …
How is your summer? I spent several hours outside yesterday, which was a mad, mad thing to do. I had my notebook with me, but it seemed as if the ink was going to slid of the paper in the heat. I wrote a few things, and then scribbled out most of what I'd written. …
Should have been working on something else...
This morning I listened to this Studio360 episode on Florida. As someone born and raised in the Sunshine State, much of it spoke to me, and the first segment reminded me of the Florida of my childhood, the lake, the trees, the orange groves, the cow pasture, and, of course, the wildlife. Going to sleep …
I'm getting things ready for a fundraiser art sale, and as ever, I keep finding unfinished things, half-formed ideas, bit and bobs that promise to be something one day if given the proper nourishment. That day may never come, but I live in hope. It's the same with stories. I have lots of them waiting …
I recently read Donald Maass's The Emotional Craft of Fiction and am now on the task of working through some of the exercises. The book reminded me to do what I usually try to do--go through the work searching for certain key words and seeing how often I repeated myself. Oh boy. Here are the …
Marta Bacon 