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 97: The Importance of Research.
Note: I consider editing an important part of the writing process. Editing is where all the artistry happens.
My morning writing before I started Entry 97: The Importance of Research
I took the morning to do research. There are some important rougarou facts I need my expert to know to make her sound credible. I won’t use any of it because I will develop a magic system unique to the beast, but I also want to establish consistency with the folklore already in existence. Also I need to refresh my mind on APA formatting. I also need to look into various poetic styles to determine if I would like to write in one of them.
The book I am currently reading right now and Entry 97: The Importance of Research
I started reading the final J.D. Salinger book this morning. RAISE High the Roof Beam, Carpenters begin these novellas. Seymour─An Introduction follows. This short work contains the further adventures of the Glass family because Salinger tended to recycle these characters. I agree with his logic of not throwing a good cast of characters away once you’ve gone through all the trouble to create them.
What I’m listening to right now and Entry 97: The Importance of Research
I dished up some good old-fashioned down-and-dirty southern rock this morning when I put Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “One More From the Road and jammed through my morning pages. I saw these guys play at a small theatre in Broad Ripple with Kansas. The audience consisted of a dozen people, and our group made up six of that dozen. People didn’t come because nobody had ever heard of either rock band. We had a fabulous time. The experience felt like throwing a private party.
The thing I am most thankful for at this moment.
Today, I am thankful for the sound of honking geese. I heard their call early this morning while doing my morning pages. Spring has arrived when the geese fly back. They are better predictors of the seasons than a groundhog any day.
This old lady says
Spring has arrived the same way as it does every year. Mother nature will always have her way. The trees will start to bud in about a week. They will turn beautiful pastel shades of pink and white. I can’t wait to experience the warm temperatures and the beauty.
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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