Preparation

Last night I went through Jeff Herman's book and found 7 publishers and about 20 agents who will be hearing from me. Also prepping for a new writing conference, researching the California book, and looking at the beginning of Promiscuous Mode. Still, why do I feel that my progress is so damn incremental, as in friggin' slow?

Once I read that it takes patience to learn patience and I never took the time to acquire any.

A writer needs patience as well as inspiration. My next Toastmaster's speech will cover the topic "what does a writer do?" and of course the audience assumes that a writer writes, which is true, of course, but a writer has to do so much more, the research, the networking, the promotion, web sites, blogs (sic) conferences, speeches, more research, finding agents/editors, critique group. Yes, a writer can get so involved in all the peripheral stuff, that pretty soon a writer is not writing, but always preparing to write, which is what I've done the past year. Oh yeah, I completed three more drafts of the Burning Man book, and some synopses, and a class or two, but somehow this isn't writing, and writing it where it's really at, not all this schmoozing.

Proust was right. Lock yourself into a cork-lined room and write, dammit, write.

Today we joined the 'Y,' to stay in shape or get back into shape, and that will be another excuse not to plant butt in chair.

What to do? Do I need a coach? What is all this business about life coaches and job coaches and every other kind of coach? And while I am on a good bitch session, why do manufacturers change the packaging of items in a stupid-assed way? Came back from CVS gritting my teeth. New isn't always better.

We're having cheddar-broccoli soup tonight, and I wrote on the recipe "good" so that is something to look forward to. No meat to speak of for days. Probably the reason I have a cold. Maybe even why I'm grumpy. No, I'm grumpy because I'm not writing. Grrrr.


Grrrrapeshot.

A Writer's Tasks

My desk top. Yesterday, I cleaned out the big box housing all the "stuff" from Festival Madness. The Burning Man photos and souvenirs went into a plastic box, and the other research went into yet a 2nd plastic box. The book is almost completed, and I don't need the research at my fingertips. I still have a box for Promiscuous Mode, now lying somewhat fallow, and World of Mirrors was put to bed a while ago, although the books and photos remain handy. I put all the research for Such Stuff As Dreams into the now free box that formerly held Festival Madness records, and the hanging folder now contains Such Stuff As Dreams research and ideas, from "Art Scene" to "Slang." This tells me that Such Stuff As Dreams is the book I'm really going to write next, because I must be ready, with characters, a setting, part of a plot, beginning, middle (parts thereof) end and two big scenes. It's not an outline, but it has to be enough. Certainly it is more than I've ever had before. A little scary, that. I have 20's slang, music, clothing, and tons of stuff about old L.A., Mexicali, Pomona and all the places I need. A trip to California is in the offing, but now I know which libraries and historical societies I'll visit.

In technical parlance, this is known as "speccing up", i.e. getting one's head centered in the project. Today, even if it's only a page, I'm starting the book. Am I psyched? Think so.

You see of course, that none of the research, filing, shuffling of papers, character sketches, making tabs--none of that was writing, and yet it is all necessary for writing. When I worked as a project leader, I always had a file for each project, and being organized contributed to my success. I don't think it will help me get any of these books published, but it does make managing now 4, count 'em, four unpublished books without losing my mind.

So now, the nitty gritty writing looms. Am I scared? Yes, because I don't have a handle on how this book is going to generate energy. I'm still so pumped for writing crime fiction, that fiction-fiction is a strange territory that I am lighting out for.

I hope it will be a grand adventure.

Grapeshot