The only real update is that I’m back to writing after at least two months of being away. Work got crazy, demanding unpaid overtime, and my writing time had to go. But that time away was important for at least one reason: it reminded me that I can’t not write. Even when I had every excuse not to write, I still found myself thinking of ways to revise my current project or envisioning new projects. I want to tell stories.
That said, it’s not just like riding a bike. I officially started writing again yesterday, and I had to read my way back into the story. I edited rather than wrote. But it still felt good.
Today I’ll begin writing in earnest with a new scene to replace a replacement for my original opening scene. Yeah, heavy revision stuff. This is also somewhat new for me. Usually the most I can handle on a given story is one major revision and a few cosmetic passes. This particular story I’ve found I’m not entirely satisfied with where it goes. I sense more potential there than is currently being realized, and I want to uncover it. It’s going to work–work I should be teaching myself to do if I’m going to make it to the next level.
I do need to give some credit to the gang at the Writing Excuses podcast for helping maintain my desire to write while I’ve been disengaged. I started revisiting their podcasts in the interim, and their advice helped keep me eager to get my hands on my story again, to get under the hood and tinker, so to speak. Thanks, guys!
I’ve also been able to reconnect with my personal hero/muse by reading not one but two different Michael J. Sullivan novels. I was finally able to clear enough of my to-do list around my extra hours at work to where I pick up “Age of Swords”, his latest release in his Legends of the First Empire series. It’s been out since June, if that gives you an idea how busy I’ve been. I’m thoroughly enjoying it–enough that I decided to pick up “Theft of Swords” again as well and start listening to that on my commute. Let me just say it’s a completely different experience when you already recognize the names being bandied about. And it’s no less enjoyable for knowing where it’s headed. The opening scene is pure gold, and a terrific study in characterization via “show” vs. “tell”.
Anyway, it suffices to say that it’s good to be back; good to be able to consider myself a writer again. Hopefully there’ll be some benefit from having had two months to apply the “Think Method” to my writing.