I’ve never been good about keeping a journal. It all boils down to consistency. There are days when I skip making an entry. Life can crowd out the time I need to write down my thoughts about a day’s events. I’ve also been reluctant to pose as an expert on the writing process. If I knew anything of value about writing, my work would already be in print. I went out on a skinny limb of a tall in 2022 when I shared my 365 days of thankfulness. The exercise forced me to put myself out there with my soft belly exposed. Thank you for joining me on my journey in the written word. Therefore, I plan to keep a journal in 2023 to document my progress. I will call entry #8: Rewriting Kidnapping the Iron Man.
Note: I consider editing an important part of the writing process. Editing is where all the artistry happens.
The project I am working on now, which is Entry #8: Rewriting Kidnapping the Iron Man
I decided to do a total rewrite of the long short story Kidnapping the Iron Man. I can’t believe I lost all traces of the first version I created. Maybe losing that version is for the best. The one I’m writing now will fit into the collection better. I worked on the story for an hour this morning, and I should have the first draft of it done tomorrow. I know exactly where I will place it in Tecumseh City Limits. While I searched for this story, I discovered another error I made while storing the third book in my Henhouse Series on my desktop and flash drive. I also decided to change the book’s name to fit the series’ mood better. The new title is Will work for Chicken Feed. A combination of events leads my ladies to take drastic actions to pull their business out of the red.
I am about to switch poetic styles again, but I have written a series of “Ars Poetic.” I might tackle the acrostic style next, but I am not certain yet. In reality, I don’t consider myself a poet. I got involved with poetry as a kid. I liked that there seemed to be few rules involved except to make rhythms. You could ignore punctuation and grammar if you wanted. That was my understanding as a child. I now know there is more involved than ignoring all the rules.
The book I am currently reading while rewriting Kidnapping the Iron Man
I finished Stephen King’s The Dark Half last night. I won’t say much about the ending because I wouldn’t want to spoil the book for anyone who might decide to read it, but I will say it was done in the typical King manner that can leave a person less than satisfied. Still, I appreciated this glimpse he gave us into a writer of horror writer’s mind. All I have to say is I hope Molly Shea doesn’t ever get writer’s block.
What I’m listening to today while rewriting Kidnapping the Iron Man
I am listening to The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East. I thought it would be the perfect set of tunes that would allow me to climb into the mind of two plumbers contemplating stealing a metal monster.
The thing I am most thankful for while writing entry #8, Rewriting Kidnapping the Iron Man
I am grateful to hear about the birth of another great-grandchild. James is the first boy born into the family in 14 years. We have two great-granddaughters. Rooster and I are happy to welcome this boy into the world.
This old lady says
That concludes all this old lady has to say about life and writing. My wish is that I contributed something to the conversation regarding life and writing. Have a fantastic and creative day. I hope the words come to you easily and flow from your fingertips onto the computer screen.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
Be sure to follow Molly on Twitter!