Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud

Keeping a journal has never been one of my strongest pursuits. I find it boring talking about myself for an extended period. This year, I wrote blog entries telling the tales about the things I’ve encountered along my writing road. On this writer’s journey, I’ve run into bumps, got stuck in ditches, and sometimes the scenery becomes tedious. The repetition of editing can become monotonous. Computer glitches can become obstacles along the path as tiresome as construction zones. It can leave a person stuck in technical traffic for hours. The best solution to such problems is sometimes to drive a different route. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for this new stage on my writing journey. Therefore, I titled this post Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud.

Remember, editing is an important part of the writing process. Editing is where the artistry takes place. It’s where a writer thinks with their head to catch mistakes. Editing is the sweet spot where the delete button comes in handy. It’s where the creator decides which words belong to the reader and which ones remain with them.

My morning pages and Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud

My word count for the day is 1855. This chapter was hard to write. I don’t know if it was the material I dealt with or if I’m running out of steam. The middle of a book is the hardest part for me to write. I know where the story starts and where it will end, but I often get bogged down in the middle. The pieces that make the story possible get blurred. Things need to follow a logical sequence. I am also introducing new characters that will play a major role in the next books in this series. I hope to work out these issues to finish NaNoWriMo before the Thanksgiving holiday. We plan to go to my daughter’s house, but I still have cooking to do for the meal. I can’t afford to get stuck in the mud.

What I am currently reading and Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud

The war is over, and nothing seems to be the same for the people who live through it in Martha Hall-Kelly’s book Lilac Girls. Kasia returns home to find another woman who has replaced their mother. Caroline helps Paul recover from his time in a camp only to have his wife return from the dead.

The music I selected today and Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud

I listened to Rusted Roots Evil Ways.

The stuff going on in my life at the moment and Entry 323: Stuck in The Mud

(This is the part that might get boring. You can skip it if you want.)

It occurred to me today that most of my hard choices in life are already behind me. I will probably live in the same house I’ve been in for thirty years until the day I die. There aren’t many career decisions looming on the horizon. I’ll sit at my computer and write my stories. There might be a few dollars to be made if I ever decide to publish, but it doesn’t matter much. Our daughter came for a visit, and I realized she’s at a time when she faces many hard choices.

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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