New Year Update

Long time since I've posted. Lots of writing and revision. Another draft of the book is completed with lots of feedback from early readers. My partner and I are revising our synopsis and getting ready to send out query letters. Also completed revision of a short story that has evolved from 4500 to 8100 words so it's now a novella. Story takes place during the summer of love in San Francisco. Looking for a place to send this piece. Currently collaborating with my two sisters on a memoir - inspired by letters written between our parents prior to their marriage. Tentative title: Love Letters. Looking forward to attending the Willamette Writer's Conference later this year.

Revise, revise, revise...

With the novel resting - first readers are busy providing feedback - my writing time is devoted to revising my short stories rejected by publishers. I use the revision techniques provided in the book Manuscript Makeover written by Elizabeth Lyon that were incredibly helpful when working on the novel. Four of my short stories are in the revision process. Mostly I focus on 'riff writing' to flush out details previously confined to a phrase or brief narrative. My focus is breathing life into my protagonist that helps the reader understand what motivates the character. In my story, Golden Purifiers, I need to answer the question - why would Patsy embark on her solo journey across the country? Without her motivation revealed, the reader is clueless about why Patsy reacts as she does. Her inner struggle and how she overcomes it is critical for the reader to understand the overall story plot. I use my writing time to rev up these short pieces and will then submit them to publishers.

And the waiting begins...

Today my writing partner and I completed revising draft 4 of our book. While we aren't done yet, the story is much tighter, builds nicely to a climax and our hero wins the day. What was missing from the previous draft was the back and forth tension leading up to the climax. And the climax scene! Our hero didn't have a chance to triumph over inner and outer struggles in the preceding drafts. He succeeded but we had failed to show how he won the day. When our writing session ended today, both myself and my writing partner were ecstatic. We know we've got a well paced, funny yet dramatic story. Time for us to take a break from revision and send the manuscript off to our first readers for feedback!

Novel revision

My writing partner and I have completed writing draft 3 of our novel and have begun polishing it up, adding tension, increasing characterization, and adding backstory to highlight the universal theme. Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon is our guide. Amazing how the story plot came together in draft 3, as chapters and the story ending emerged. I reviewed our progress and noticed we spent approximately 3 months on drafts 1 & 2 each after more than a year of riff writing and producing our first crappy copy. If we keep the same revision pace, we'll have draft 4 ready by September. Writing is a wonderful, fun, and creative process.

New Project - Letters from 1940-41

For the past several months I've been working on a new writing project. A year ago my two sisters and I found and read letters our parents had written to each other before they were married. I'm using the thirty-three letters as the basis for a novella length piece. The letters are the root of the love story between my parents. Interspersed between these are a series of dialogues between my two sisters and I as we took turns reading the letters to each other. The final piece is a narrative written from Mom's POV. Inspiration for the piece comes from Carol Shield's book, The Stone Diaries in which she uses a similar format to tell the story. I am well on my way to having a completed first draft which I will send to my sisters for critical feedback and additions that come to them. This is a 'Creative non-fiction' piece. The dialogue between we sisters is based on our own reactions as we read the letters. The narrative comes from family lore and my creative imagination.

On Rejections

Since my story Twenty Forty-Six was accepted for publication the rejections sting less. Recently two of my stories were rejected but both editors offered praise for my writing. And encouraged me to continue writing and submitting stories. One editor said a story was confusing and offered suggestions on improving it. Most helpful as I rewrite the piece for submission to another publication. I appreciate the feedback and encouraging words. I continue writing and submitting my short stories. The learning process never ends.

Success in six months!

Six months since my last post. Implemented my plan to write, revise, and send out short stories to publishers. Six months later I received an email from Fountain Magazine informing me I'd won "Honorable Mention" in their 2014 writing contest. Yippie! Not only will my story Twenty Forty-Six be published in Fountain Magazine's 100th issue this summer, a cash prize of $200 was awarded too! Publication and money. So excited. Now I can call myself an author, not simply a writer. Inspired I move forward writing, revising, and sending off my short stories to publishers.