Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Work in Progress Wednesday & Other Things





My current work in progress (first draft phase, which follows the rough draft phase, which is the initial writing of the next brilliant masterpiece to hit the publishing world) is done. I finished the last of the edits last night. Now, I'll set the project aside for at least a week before I go back for the Second Draft phase of the writing process.


Random Things


Since there is Teaser Tuesday and Work in Progress Wednesday I jokingly suggested when leaving a comment on another blog that there should be Descriptive Passage Thursday. I really shouldn't joke, because sometimes I take myself way too seriously. This is one of those times. So, tomorrow, on this blog, I'll post a descriptive passage from either my currently out to query project or the WIP that I just finished editing. Are there rules to posting? Of course, what is life without rules? A heck of a lot more fun, but I digress. The only rule is that the passage cannot contain dialogue. Not one word. The passage is (and descriptive is probably the wrong word, perhaps Narrative Passage Thursday - yeah, that's it) a chunk of narrative whether the chaotic thoughts of a character, a striking scene that will knock readers over and make them gasp in amazement and then have them quickly type up their own blog post with a link to that post and . . . well, I'm quite snarky for whatever reason this morning.


So, tune in here tomorrow to see which stunning narrative passage, which small scene, I post to amaze and thrill even those who think they cannot be amazed or thrilled. Dang, I need to calm down. My co-workers aren't going to be happy with me today. : )


Just to make it official . . . tomorrow is Narrative Passage Thursday. I challenge every reader of this blog to post a passage of their brilliant writing on their blogs. You know I'll be watching!



Now I know this next question has been posed by many a blogger in the blogsphere, but, since a friend asked me this question in an email this morning . . . how many of your 'real world' (i.e., non-blogger) friends know that you've written a book, or 2, or 3?


Wow, talk about the start to my day. My response . . .


Very few of my real world friends know that I write. It's really not something I share that often. I have no clue why. I just don't. Now, let me change that comment somewhat . . . very few of my friends that I see on a regular basis know that I write. Yes, that's kind of odd, isn't it? The majority of people who know I write are people I see once a year at the conference in MA (not a writer's conference, btw). Go figure. Writing has, for the most part, always been intensely private to me. There's also the thing where, when people know, they're always coming up to you and saying "well, you know, I have an idea for your next story". So, I keep my writing to myself. My blog link is out there on my Facebook page, so if people want to find it they can find it.


In no way am I ashamed of my writing, or anything like that. I'm just normally - this blog the main exception, well, my other blog to - not that talkative about my writing. As we all know, sometimes people just look at us in a strange way when we say hey, I'm a writer. So, I keep that little secret to myself . . . for the most part. Do you? How many people have you told? How many people haven't you told?



On that note, I bid you adieu . . . for now. There are other thoughts rambling around in my brain this morning. Too many to post here without boring, or possibly scaring, my readers. Have a great day.


S


p.s. sorry about the multiple spaces between paragraphs. It all has something to do with the photo. Now, you know why I rarely post photos. : )

8 comments:

Robyn Campbell said...

I keep that as my little secret, too. When I do mention it,I might tell people who don't know me, and I always hear this, "What books do you have out?" UGH Then I have to explain my DIRTY little secret, that I'm prepublished. They always say, "Oh." And look at me over the top of their glasses, if they are wearing glasses. If they don't have glasses on, they just turn and walk away.

But when I have my book and I'm embracing it in my arms, I shall have the last laugh! Bwa ha ha ha

Alex Moore said...

hmmm...you're right. i haven't told many people at all. i talk about it with my students because i'm encouraging them to write, but my peers? nope. ;)

Tess said...

I love a good, snarky post. Fire in the morning :)

It is difficult to share the writing dream (for me, at least) because the follow up question is "what is the name of your book" or "when is it slated for publication". People just don't GET how difficult and long this road is. See, now you've got me all riled and snarky.

Davin Malasarn said...

This is an extra bonus post with multiple interesting points to it!

First off, congratulations on finishing the draft! I love that feeling when you can sort of relax for a bit and reset yourself. It's like if you're rock climbing and you set in the next anchor point or something. (I don't rock climb, so that may have sounded really naive.)

As for who I tell about my writing, I used to be very private about it. I'm a scientist as well, and publishing in the science world is just as important as publishing in the writing world. So, I was afraid my co-workers would find my stories and that would hurt my work. But, the stress of that got heavy when I started to have more writing obligations: meetings and public readings and things like that. Now I'm more open about it if someone asks, but I often don't mention it on my own.

Looking forward to reading your work tomorrow!

Elana Johnson said...

Holy brown cows. *I'm* posting on narration tomorrow! It's been planned for a week!! How did you do that? Read my mind that way...? Freaky.

Cool on finishing the first draft!

Scott said...

Elana - it's a talent. Be afraid, be very afraid! : )

Robyn, Alex, Tess, Davin - I agree. I think part of it is that I'm (we're) not published yet. I don't think anyone would understand if I told them I had a closet full of manuscripts. Heck, I don't understand that!

S

Tess said...

Scott - I wanted to use your funny comment from my tombstone contest last week in a cartoon I am drawing up for part of a post on my blog. I will give you credit and link back to your blog here, but felt like I needed to get permission. Please let me know, thanks!

Scott said...

Tess - you have my permission!