I’ve never been good at 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 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 this post Entry 242: Such is life.
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 242: Such is life
I moved through chapters 40-43 of Amazing Buchanan and the Beast today. This part of the editing process can seem tedious, but I’ve found it necessary. I found places where I could economize on words and still retain the meaning of what I wanted to convey. There was also one misspelling I corrected. I don’t know if I will finish by September 1st. Oh, well, such is life.
This afternoon I plan to work on posting. I must also write a few Golden Shovels using Rober Frost’s Mending Wall. The book I am currently reading drew my attention to Amy Lowell. I’d forgotten about this poet. I plan to use her pomes in September. I should be finished with Frost by then.
The book I am currently reading right now and Entry 242: Such is life
I am enjoying Jo Jo Moyes’ The Giver of Stars. There is so much happening in this book that I can’t even begin to explain everything. I usually stir away from a person from another country writing American historical fiction. The writer might know the historical facts but miss the more subtle aspects of the culture, especially if they are writing about the South or West. Moyes gets it right all the way down to the apple pie moonshine. Life was so brutal that even the women knew how to use a shotgun. This fact is something most Europeans don’t understand. The tone of her writing makes it seem like she is part of the culture.
What I’m listening to right now and Entry 242: Such is life
I am listening to Rooster’s instrumental blues playing in the background. Tomorrow, I plan to get up the gumption and select my own music.
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!
When I began writing my novel back in March, I thought I’d finish the first draft by July. But because I’ve spent so much time revising the novella that precedes it, I thought…maybe by September! Now September is just a couple of days away, and I’m still not done with draft #1.
It is what it is.
Good luck with your writing adventure!
Sometimes it goes that way. We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves, since we are going it alone.