We’re in our last week of classes in what has been a tough semester. I have accomplished a great deal, but not as much I wanted to, and not at the level of quality I would have liked. I taught Drama Writing for the first time, which as usual taught me as much as it … More Last Week of Classes
My good friend and fellow editor Randy Maxwell used to say, “Writers who are going to write will find a way, regardless of their circumstances.” That may be true, but there have been a lot better circumstances that what I have been through the past month. Last night ended my 30 days of madness entitled … More No Excuses
I swear, this is the last time that you will hear about NaNoWriMo from me this year. Well, maybe one more time… Tomorrow is November 30, the last day of my attempt to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month. I am at 43,333, within spitting distance of … More Eve of Destruction
No, I am not going to Paris like some of my colleagues are. Yes, I probably will need to come into the office and get stuff done. But despite all that, I am elated that Thanksgiving break is finally here. My first priority: get a lot of writing done. NaNoWriMo continues and I am on … More Break Dancing
The NaNoWriMo Experience continues. When I write my books, there are always sections that I build up in my mind. That does two things; it ups that stakes and challenges me to do better on them, and it also makes it harder for me to write. There are certain chapters in any book that are … More Spectacle in St. Louis
We spend a great deal of our waking lives trying to maintain or gain control of our personal situation. What we do before work or school, how we drive, what we do once we are in our offices or classrooms, and what we do when we get home are all based on the idea that … More Control Is An Illusion
I’m hobbling along today. We spent the weekend helping my son and his family move from a very small apartment to a not-so-small in Austin. I spent the entire weekend going up and down stairs, carrying heavy things. Yesterday my feet were hurting very badly. When I took my shoes and socks off, I found … More Moving Right Along…
Well, I got a good chunk–2,500 words–written yesterday, and I haven’t given up on my NaNoWriMo project. In fact, finally it’s starting to get fun. My weakling, whiny main character just went through survival training and was faced with the realization that she would be alone for much of her trip across post-apocalyptic America. In … More A Good Chunk
I have a young friend who sees himself as a writer of screenplays. He has education along those lines, with some of it coming from me. He’s currently working on a short film that he has high hopes for. I’ve read the script, and I also believe that it shows some promise. I’ve actually read … More Give a Man a Fish
I am making progress on my NaNoWriMo project, “Infinity’s Reach.” Today I am working on chapter 13. On one hand, I am eager to share it with people who have been cheering me on. On the other hand, as I write quickly, I realize there are many things I want to fix and change. So … More Progress
The Great Adventure 