Writing

High Hopes (for Tomorrow)

Posted on by lalber

I had high hopes for today. Writing plans. A concrete goal. I’m flailing because I’m sick. Okay, okay, I’m not THAT sick, just heavy-headed and scratchy-throated enough that serious development work isn’t going to happen. I must be spry of mind for that, so maybe tomorrow then.

matrimonyBut I can blog. I can tell you what I meant to accomplish today. After three intense weeks with the manuscript, I’m letting it sit for a week. So, my goal for the week was (still is?) to start a piece of short fiction — complete a first draft actually. It’s the story I mentioned here. It’s finally collected enough steam beneath it. I’ve got the central premise, the feeling…

Who am I kidding? I don’t have squat, but it does want to get written. I decided that instead of just writing, I’d give novelist Joshua Henkin’s thought process a try. (He wrote his latest novel, Matrimony, over 10 years and 3,000 pages, and though I haven’t read it yet, I’d bet his novel is recommendation-worthy. That said, he’s known for his short fiction.)

Joshua Henkin led a short-story workshop last weekend. It’s ridiculous to think we can learn anything in an hour, so I sat back and kept an ear-out for soundbites. Those little bits of insight that could help me with my process or simply get me thinking outside my box. Henkin provided the following handout, which might be a helpful spur for you, too.

Questions Joshua Henkin posts above his desk

1. What is the journey my charactes are taking?

2. Why am I telling the story today? What’s special about today — what makes it different from all other todays? (Addendum: May be confusing. This is from the protagonist’s point of view: What’s the urgency about today versus other todays in the character’s life? Why story being told now? Answering this can help pinpoint the character’s journey.)

3. Who is the protagonist, antagonist?

4. What does my protagonist want and what does s/he think s/he wants (often different)?

5. What will protagonist do to achieve these wants and who/what are the obstacles?

6. What important choice(s) is my protagonist making and with what consequences for him/her or others?

None of this is mind-bending, yet I’ve never gone about brainstorming like this before writing a short story. Today, I’d planned to give these questions a try — like an experiment. Tomorrow I shall do so, I promise!

Do any of you engage in this type of story development before you write (short fiction)? Is your process as concrete as going through a list of development questions? How much do you know before you write your first draft?

One Year Later

Posted on by lalber

fruitNovelist DeAnna Cameron was kind enough to remind me that I’ve hit my year anniversary as a blogger. Yow! How did that happen? And here I thought I’d peter out, or, if not that, get bored with yammering into a void.

To be honest, I started this blog to ease my introverted tooshy into the public sphere. I’m notoriously private — maybe even secretive by nature — which makes writing a challenge in many ways. This blog was my start because, you see, my manuscript was juicy-delicious indeed. Of course an editor would bite — of course.

My agent had just started shopping my novel around New York. This blog was my first foray into the world of self-promotion. Me, practising how to talk about myself. I figured by the time the novel was published, I’d also know how to tap into this great virtual sphere o’ influence.

I had it all figured out. I’d be the star of The Lisa Show, ready to comfortably tout my debut novel. I was in a positive frame of mind. Events were flowing my way. Excitement.

Now, fast forward one year to right this second. How am I feeling? Honestly? You really want to know? Let’s call it “dejuiced.”

My consolation is that blogging has turned out to be its own reward, never mind the business considerations. Who knew blogging would be fun? Who knew I’d “meet” cool folks and care about their journeys?

Strange, maybe even paradoxical, as this sounds, writing into the void lessens my sense of isolation. Virtual-schmirtual, I’ve found a worthwhile community to accompany me on my journey. The void isn’t a void anymore.

Free-For-All Friday

Posted on by lalber

(What is this? My very own meme, which could take the form of other Friday memes out there — random five or ‘fessing up — or non-Friday memes, or anything! Point being to have a little fun and get a little interactive. Feel free to snitch my logo at left and do your Friday thing!)

 

cannonbeach8Today’s a question-for-you day because I’m feeling thoughtful:

What arouses your serene melancholia?

I describe this as a longing, or yearning, that’s unspecific, that feels like it’s one of the mysteries at humanity’s core. It’s a sweet sadness for no reason. It’s serene because it doesn’t require an answer.

Does this make sense? (It might be that I’m a melancholic personality, I don’t know.)

cannonbeach9In any case, the reason I pose the question is because walking into winds on misty beaches arouses my serene melancholia. (Took these photos the first day — before the mist and wind arrived.)

It’s something about the way my eardrums throb with the cold.

It’s something about the way my ears turn into echoing seashells.

It’s something about the way the wind almost drowns out the sound of waves.

 

 

 

cannonbeach10Now, one more dose of serene melancholia before I return to Portland, where the last 30 pages of manuscript quick-reading await me. Didn’t quite reach my goal for this retreat, but that’s okay.

 

 

And one last thought. Saw the following written in sand. “Isaiah 53:5.” It got the storyteller in me wondering why. Nearby, the same person (Robert?) had written “Robert + Kate.”

cannonbeach12

What do you suppose these lovers on their romantic stroll (because it was a glorious twilight) were talking about? Isaiah 53:5 says,

     But he was pierced for our trangressions,
        he was crushed for our iniquities;
        the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
        and by his wounds we are healed.

I don’t know the Bible, and I’m not religious. This quotation doesn’t inspire serene melancholia, only uneasiness. However, that said, in pondering Isaiah 53:5, perhaps Robert and Kate felt their own kind of serenity.

Quick-Reading the Manuscript

Posted on by lalber

Here’s my improvised workspace, and I’m not letting housekeeping in! I pulled out the sofa so I can watch and hear the Pacific. I like to spread my manuscript around, as you can see. You might also say that I’m playing a mind-game with myself, because if I’m reading in bed, then I’m not really working, am I?

cannonbeach6 

This thing I’m doing with my manuscript — I realized today that it’s part of my official “process.” Not that I have an official process, but still, I find myself doing it with every project. (And I always go on retreat, too; otherwise it won’t get done.)

I don’t think I’ve said exactly what I’m doing. It’s simple really: Reading the hard copy in a few days. The quick, big-picture read. I find this incredibly helpful.

Why is this helpful? For example, I’ve already noted internal logic flaws and other inconsistencies that I didn’t notice during the slow-paced revisions. Let’s face it, we lose track of the big picture, right? I can track the rules of my fictional universe when I read fast. I’ve managed to cut many an extraneous yet beautifully written (hehe) passage because they don’t fit anymore.

Also, painfully obvious now: All the squinting of eyes, cocking of heads, and raising of eyebrows. I’ve got the twitchiest cast of characters around. I’ve prescribed fictional Prozac: cut cut cut!

Not to mention the babies that I’ve kept since the first draft, mainly because they’re so familiar I took their existence for granted. Have you done that, read through sections without being aware of them anymore? They’re just there, innocuous as dust in the corners, until you finally realize they’re throwing off your internal logic or character consistency.

cannonbeach7It’s fun, but the challenge is staying big. I’m behind schedule with the reading (and leaving tomorrow!) because I keep getting caught up in the details. I’ll find myself line-editing and obsessing and analyzing — trying to fix the flaws I come upon instead of noting them and moving on. 

I’ve come up with many convenient words to stop myself from getting bogged down. The manuscript is littered with notations like “fix” and “clarity” and “awk” (for awkward) and “sensical?” and “transition” and “needs more.”

Does anyone else do the quick-read? Do you find it helpful? How so?

I’ve been getting my dog-walks in though. Always try to get them in between rain spurts.

Back to work!

Not Really Away From it All

Posted on by lalber

Left for my walkabout on the beach, and it was McCain eight to Obama’s three.

Upon returning it’s Obama 103 to McCain’s 58.

Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!

Driving away from Portland this afternoon I felt strange — as if I were abandoning the election or something. Haha. Good old msn.com is updating the results every two minutes.

But I’m not checking every two minutes, I promise.

The Manuscript Says “Hi”

Posted on by lalber

cannonbeach5The manuscript, nicknamed “Red,” is loving the coast and this lodge. The view is wonderful. That’s Haystack Rock.

But, frankly, Red doesn’t want to be worked on yet. It’s tired and sore after the marathon revision its mistress of verbal torture put it through. It would rather cozy into a robe…

cannonbeach2

cannonbeach3and uncork the Australian Cabernet, or maybe read awhile before napping.

 

 

 

 

 

cannonbeach4Red thinks the welcome doggy basket is too cute and wishes it had gotten one. However, there are 24/7 cookies down in the lobby, hopefully chocolate chip, so it can’t complain.

 

 

 

 cannonbeach1 

Oh yeah, Luna says “hi” too. This place is so cool the dog-poop bags are scented!

Today’s Writing Task

Posted on by lalber

I’m happy to announce that today’s writing task consists of printing out my manuscript. Yes, I finished my revision and now get to take off to the Oregon coast as I promised myself! I leave tomorrow. I can already feel myself decompressing…

Amendment: I finished this round of revisions, which was the big round, the I-haven’t-read-this-thing-in-years-yee-gads-what-a-mess round. Sitting before me is a 14-point memo-to-self that lists further revision possibilities. But only 14 points! That’s pretty good.

I’d been thinking about this project for eons but avoided going back to it in favor of writing new novels. But the notion of it — that it might be viable — bothered me. This was my “practice novel”, my first baby, and it’s finally grown up! Okay, maybe not grown up yet. It needs a few more rounds with me before I’ll send it off to the publishing battlefield.

Speaking of which, I wonder if my agent will like it…Stop! I must not obsess — but the thing is that this story is quite different from the one that led her to take me on as a client — STOP. When the time comes, I’ll wave bye-bye and be glad.

All this said, I have quite the to-do list (besides printing). Are you weird like me — before leaving town must you, like me, catch up on everything you’ve let slide?

1. Clean home — it’s a disaster area and might take all day.

2. Do laundry — I’ve been living in dirty sweats.

3. See to dog — she’s a mess too, and I don’t want her scooching her behind all over the lodge’s carpet. So anal expressing, bath, and nail clipping for her. (Crappy day for her.)

4. See to me — unlike Charlotte over at Charlotte’s Web, who’s secure enough to let her premature grays grow out, I’m not. I must see to my roots. I’ll let you in on a secret: I have one Cruella DeVille streak that’s kinda cool, but it must go.

5. Go to library — overdue books galore!

6. Drop off voting ballot at library — of course left this to the last minute.

7. See to finances/pay bills — don’t know where I am with my bank account and have a feeling the bottom line won’t be good.

Free-For-All Friday (A Day Late)

Posted on by lalber

(What is this? My very own meme, which could take the form of other Friday memes out there — random five or ‘fessing up — or non-Friday memes, or anything! Point being to have a little fun and get a little interactive. Feel free to snitch my logo at left and do your Friday thing!)

 

Trick or treat. On this Halloween weekend I’m thinking about tricks (having eaten too many treats). Specifically, the tricks we play on ourselves to get our writing done.

Sometimes my tricks come in the guise of treats, like the Oregon-coast trip I promised myself after I finish the current revision. Most of the time, however, my tricks are all-out mind games.

Like, for example, the cutting game. Give this one a try during revisions:

1. Upon sighting a paragraph that’s rotten to the core, decide: CHOP THAT PUPPY!

2. Decision made, now wonder if the paragraph is not rotten so much as misplaced, poor thing. Tell yourself that the prose isn’t half-bad, after all…

3. The moment you waffle tell yourself that you WILL delete it because you are a professional and you can handle it.

4. Cut rather than delete the paragraph and paste, yes, PASTE, the offending passage below THE END. Now, feel secure in knowing that a) you’re indeed a professional and b) the words are still officially within the document, ready to be salvaged at any time. The best of both worlds!

5. When finished with the revision, revisit these “cuts” and wow yourself with your writing prowess as you dismiss them as rotten to the core.

Or, this one, which I like to call the I’m-really-watching-television game.

This trick is for those of you who find yourselves too tired to work at night, yet work you must. This mind game is good for blog-writing and emailing too.

1. Change into your scroungiest lounge wear and turn on the television.

2. Place laptop on your lap, and remind yourself that what you’re really doing is relaxing with televised brain candy. Guilty-pleasure programs work the best. Like “Supernatural” because Jensen Eckles is too pretty. Or that new Tyra Banks show, “Stylista,” because it’s wrong in so many enjoyable ways.

3. Mute the television during a commercial and casually open a document or what-have-you. Start working. Remember, you’re really watching t.v. so you can un-mute as soon as the commercial ends.

4. Don’t fret if you forget that you’re really watching television. You may even go so far as to turn off the telly, but this is okay. You can always catch the brain candy in reruns.

What tricks do you play on yourself to get the work done?