Where have I been?
I haven't written in this blog in almost a year, and it's time to get moving! In that year, I have worked hard on "showing up" on the page, writing every day. There are times I can do it, but I notice I have to keep at it. If I take a day off, it becomes a few days, then a few weeks....I've widened my network of writer friends, even going on a five-day retreat at one of these new friend's house in Vermont. I wrote 10,000 words in 5 days, a huge feat for me. I ask for help from these kind souls, and that request is always filled, even by a few sentences of encouragement. Means the world to me.
But I have a new non-fiction book out!
Good news is that my craft beer book, which went under contract in December, 2013, finally was published this September. So take a look on Amazon or ask at your local book store for What's Brewing in New England (Down East Books, 2016). It's the most up to date book about New England craft beer!
Mystery writing update:
As for the mystery writing, I finished a first draft for the cozy mystery When Irish Eyes Are Dying, which takes place in Ireland. That was a huge feat for me: FINISHING. It's been read by two writer friends and I have everything organized into piles:
-Pile 1: the printed manuscript, as "shitty" as can be, as Anne Lamott gives us permission to write it;
-Pile 2: the printed class instructions from an online Story Arc class;
-Pile 3: the printed instructions from a class in Revision.
I have begun rewriting the opening scene, and am happy to report that it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I'll keep going.
November is for Nano:
Even though I'm busier than a one-armed paper-hanger, as my Mum used to say, as in my beer book was finally published in late September and I am doing book signings and planning a launch party and writing articles for the brand new Maine Brew Guide, it's November. And that means National Novel Writing Month.
During NaNoWriMo, you write at least 1667 words per day, which will total 50,000 words at the end of the month. Getting to 50K is a "win" in NaNo lingo, and I've only done that once. I've tried at least 10 times, and those efforts are good jumping off points for projects I can go back to. And the one I "won," is somewhere in Scrivener-land. I'll have to get in touch with their support team and see if they can pull it out of the ether for me.
Why am I subjecting myself to this? Because after Day 1, where I wrote 775 words in a 25-minute timed segment, I could see that I indeed can do it. That number, 1667, used to scare me to death. Now that I've been using the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes on a task, 3 minute break, repeat), I've learned how to face the empty page, just keep the fingers tapping, having faith that some ideas, characters and settings will come floating through my consciousness and onto the page.
Just sit in the chair
Some years ago, I heard then Poet Laureate Ted Kooser interviewed about his writing process. He said he wakes up at 4:30 a.m., gets his coffee, then sits in his big living room chair with a pad and pen. And he waits for the words to come. He said, "If you don't sit in the chair, the words won't come." So I'm a believer, and that is huge progress for me.
As for my progress in NaNo so far (it's only Day 2), I had to stop at that 775 word count yesterday, since I had a deadline for an article I promised to write about Maine chowder. But I sat down this morning, on Day 2 and pounded out the rest of Day 1's word count. After I finish writing this blog post, I'll set my timer for 25 minutes and get half of today's count written. Break for a yoga class, then I'll make more coffee and write the other 833.5 words.
Thanksgiving dinner? Piece of cake! Or pie. Now back to "the page." This book is called Stay Tuned for Murder, about a radio cooking show host in 1945 Dublin.
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