On Writing

Okay, I’m waaaay behind on my blogging. So I’m just going to jump in with a few of the blogs that have been floating around in my head. The first one started out to be: I AM Jealous of Diablo Cody… but now, nearly two months later I’ve decided I’m NOT jealous of Diablo Cody. Really… I’m not. Seriously. I even saw the movie. And here’s the deal. I’m not jealous of Diablo (real name: Brooke) Cody because her first effort became such a huge deal (Best Original Screenplay, for crying out loud!!) How can she possibly follow that? I … Continue reading →

My favorite Stephen King quote is “I have the heart of a small boy… I keep it in a jar on my desk! ” I have a jar on my desk, too. It’s labeled: Brilliant Ideas. It was a gift from a sardonic writer friend of mine who has a wicked sense of humor. The current contents of my Brilliant ideas jar is: a couple of Halls cough drops, two disgusting pieces of hard candy, a paper clip and a piece of chalk. Go ahead, dare to me write something using these trivial items — but don’t bet the farm that I … Continue reading →

I received an email from a writer/director friend of mine announcing that he’s (finally) in the final editing phase of a documentary which has consumed the better part of his last year… a substantial amount of funds… and pretty much all of his (and his wife’s) attendance at our monthly writers’ group meetings. He tentatively described his mood as “excited and extremely scared at the same time,” “One minute elated, the next minute depressed.” I call this the: “I’m Near The End-drome. ” It’s a creatively schizophrenic combination of exhaustion and euphoria over actually making it to The End — … Continue reading →

Well, we read each others stuff… find and gently point out mistakes… share information… and when our friends get published we BUY their books! We also send words of encouragement, like these, which I received from a writer-friend of mine today. (I will link to his blog as soon as he has one! hinthint). “I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals.” Butch Cassidy From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Written by: William Goldman My friend sent this quote as an affirmation that he believes the subject matter of my book is a NOVEL idea… let’s … Continue reading →

When you are a freelance writer (for hire) the assignments come to you. Maybe you have to go out and troll for them a little, dangle a pitch or two here and there. But once you’re in — as long as you continue to deliver quality work, on time and on budget — the work flows to you. You feel the most bereft of time and sleep. Deadlines are always too short, Rewrites are always too long and the most expendable item in the equation is your SLEEP. So it goes. However, the day you decide you are a freelance … Continue reading →