Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Exit music (For a blog)

I’ve really enjoyed working on “The Anatomy...” for the months I have. It’s been fun developing a book online; I’ve met some great people, I’ve grown as a writer, and I’ve learned a great deal.

The Community of bloggers has be a constant source of courage and inspiration for me. It’s an experience I am not leaving behind, but coming back to in due time.

Life can throw some heavy curve balls at you. I’m proud of the fact that I posted every page I have without my own internet connection, from public libraries, and internet cafĂ©’s; but this is just a sign of my current poverty.

Some time ago I threw down and decided to live life on my times- in doing this, I made several errors of judgment, each forcing me to live a more and more frugal lifestyle, which is not what I really want- a little bit of comfort goes a long way.

The clean up I’m indulging in still affords me space to write- space to write, but not to dedicate the time I would like to to “The Anatomy…” Rather than doing many things poorly, I’ve decided it best to get my lifestyle back to where I want it and then resume publishing “The Anatomy…,”

I’ll be back sometime, just not soon, but I’ll still be around.

Thanks to all the people who supported, advised and helped me; thanks to all those who commented on posts and encouraged my strange project. Keep blogging, keep writing and keep dreaming of worlds undreamed.

Thanks

Tom.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Not one second less

Do not approach a story as a mathematical formula. Avoid ideas that a story is a series of separate elements. A poem is not made up like a batch of scones.

Story is a stream rippling over rocks and not easy to control without impeding its flow.

Don’t be afraid of rewrites.

It’s OK. Successive drafts is how to polish ideas into story.

A piece of string is exactly twice as long as it is from one end to its center. It’s much more troublesome to ask how long it takes to write a story.

It simply takes as long as it takes.

You’re not competing with anyone- no one else will ever write quite the same story as you can.

This is your great strength.