My blog description says it well - I write whatever is driving me at the time. So my blog is peppered with political, social, and personal items. Sometimes I don't post what I'd like to write about because it is too personal. Sometimes it's too work-related and I must guard the privacy and confidentiality of our clients. Sometimes I'm too busy writing for work and sometimes I skip blogging in favor of ... READING!
YUP, I'm an avid reader and have gotten back into the habit of reading books regularly. Thank goodness for the Kindle because holding a physical book open for any length of time hurts my hands too much. I'd actually gotten away from some of my favorite authors because of that. Now, most of them have republished for ebooks and I'm back in reading heaven.
But I am also writing regularly in hopes of publishing a book. You might think that if I want to publish, I'd be writing every chance I get. Yet over the past two months I've done more reading than writing. Reading is research for an author and it's not just research into specifics about the storyline the author is working on. It's a search for writing style, voice, and pacing that helps the author figure out their own style and where to go with their own work. It helps the author make choices along the road to their completed work. And it's just darned good fun. I read for entertainment as much as for enlightenment. I enjoy reading and want my readers to enjoy reading my work. As I read and find myself particularly enjoying an author's work, I consider why I enjoy it. I don't need to emulate that author's style, but I do need to understand why it draws me and even compels me to read everything they publish.
It's too soon to announce what I'm writing about. It will take some time to finish this particular book, for it is a full-length novel. But I have some unpublished works, including some short stories, that I may resurrect and publish. I've received some good advice from editors when I tried to publish these many years ago. Taking their advice, I can polish these and get them back out there -- and continue on this larger work.
If you read my blog and want me to post to it more regularly, post a comment that encourages me to stay in touch with you. Without readers, the blog is merely a personal exercise.
To Susanna Sturgis, one of those editors who critiqued my earlier work, Thank You. Your words encouraged me. You gave me concrete, constructive criticism that has helped me reconsider some choices I was making in my writing. Maybe we'll meet some day and I can thank you in person.
To all the readers out there, keep on reading!
To all the writers out there, keep on writing!
