Thoughts about Father's Day
First off, I apologize for not following through on the bonus blog I promised, last time. It's been bad times, at work, and I've been depressed and upset about the situation. Needless to say, it doesn't make for productive writing.
Anyway, I wanted to share bits of advice from my father, and from my father-in-law, and how they relate to my writing:
Dad: "You can get a lot gone in twenty minutes." I was little, don't remember how old, and it was twenty minutes 'til bedtime. I remember whining about how I couldn't do anything in that time. Dad, speaking from his Army background, said I could. So, I went to my room and completed an entire race with my Matchbox cars. Now, I am amazed how much of a difference twenty minutes makes in the morning, and in the evening, when I make myself sit down and write. On a good day, I can hammer out 1-3 pages per session, so 2-6 pages a day, at best. That adds up fast when I'm on a roll, and it comes in handy when pacing yourself during National Novel Writing Month (November).
Dad-in-Law: "Measure twice, cut once." My father-in-law is a shining example of the American Dream, working his way up the ladder in the construction industry. He started as a member of the clean-up crew, when he was 18 (or maybe younger), climbed his way up the various levels of carpentry, and now he is the general superintendent for the construction company he works for. Measure twice, and cut once, to be sure the wood is correct the first time, thereby saving yourself headaches, later. Well, recently, my new Critique Partner pointed out that I've been measuring once and cutting twice. I have something that resembles a novel, but by not taking care of how I measure and cut my words, I stuck myself with boring characters and a flat narrative...and only 6 weeks to clean up at least the first two chapters. I'll tell you more about that in two weeks.
In my defense, I feel Susannah is a really cool Amish girl, and Stephanie is a catty, hard-nosed antagonist with a powerful testimony. But, they need to come alive and jump off the pages at the reader. That is my challenge, these next six weeks.
My advice to my daughters: "Be excellent to each other." A little common courtesy goes a long way, simple things like saying "please", "thank you", and "excuse me". Holding the door for somebody who has their hands full. Letting another drive over into your lane when they're trapped behind a semi. Turning off your cell phone when a flesh-and-blood person is talking to you. There's so much hate, anger, and rudeness in this country, anymore, so even offering a smile can make all the difference in somebody's day.
Now, I WILL have a bonus blog, this coming Thursday. It's a flash fiction piece related to Susannah's Gifts. I hope you'll check it out. Have a great week, and keep me in your thoughts and prayers regarding my work situation.
Eric