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 14: It’s about time.
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 while I write entry 14: It’s about time.
I finished m rewrite of chapter 2 and started on 3. The characters are coming alive for me again. I’m also cleaning up the plot a bit. Will and Mazie met again after the event five years ago in the French Quarter. I worked on intensifying the attraction. Chemistry has to exist between these two characters from the beginning. The flame has to be so intense that Will has to fight hard to extinguish the flame. It’s funny how you can see all your flaws when you examine a thing you worked on in the past.
One of my biggest flaws as a writer is my search for perfection. Rooster pointed out that fact to me yesterday when he said, “I think it’s about time you got busy and put at least one of your books in print. You’ve had enough feedback to know it’s good enough.” That is easier said than done since I have no idea what I’m doing or which direction I want to travel. I am not one of those people who have a hard time deciding. It appears that I have two choices. I can self-publish or start querying again. Sometimes, I feel stuck in a valley between the two and can’t decide which hill to climb. I agree with Rooster. It is about time I decide. Maybe I should write about that.
What I’m listening to today while I write entry 14: It’s about time.
Since my story is set in New Orleans, I thought I’d put Elvis Costello’s Secret, Profane, & Sugarcane. I don’t know how I got this CD. The music has a very rolling-down-the-river feel, and the melodies with the old-time feel have definitely put me in the mood.
The book I am currently reading now.
I am still reading Alexander McCall Smith’s The Lost Art of Gratitude. Isabel takes Charlie to a birthday party, and Minty invites her to the garden. She unloads a big secret on Isabel and requests her help. Remind me never to accompany an acquaintance to a garden. Jamie asks Isabel to marry him, and she goes shopping for a ring. I am enjoying this beautifully written piece of prose. I am finding this style drastically different from how Stephen King writes. There is room on the bookshelf for all different styles of writing.
The thing I am most thankful for now while I write Entry 14: It’s about time.
Today, while walking, I ran into the lady who always draws my blood at the doctor’s office. She is very good at her job. She hasn’t hurt me once in the years I’ve been going to that clinic, and she always finds a vein. I never feel her stick the needle into my arm. I told her she was my favorite vampire.
This old lady says
A saying common around here goes something like this: “It’s time to fish or cut bait.” I think I’ve reached that point where my writing is concerned. I guess the biggest obstacle in my path is me. Well, until next time, have a great day.
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.
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