DIY MFA Week 3: Check In & Assignment

Tuesday, September 27, 2011


• Did you meet your writing goals this week? How did it feel? 
Yes. I’m in first pass revisions of my first novel and I’m on Ch. 5. I’d hoped to be further along, but I’m at least making progress. It felt good, and I’m getting more comfortable and less resistant to editing and revising. I’m very uncomfortable when doing something for the first time. The goal for the week is to complete the first pass (which is just for the big stuff like plot holes and character development) and start the second draft, and complete one short story.

• How’s the reading list coming along? 
My list overlapped so much I just condensed it into one for simplicity and to not trigger my ADD. Coming along very well, but finding it hard to get much reading done as working on the novel and short story are at the top of the list right now. I’m making progress but I’m mainly reading books about the writing craft, especially the couple I have on crafting the short story and the ones on editing and revising. I’m reading them more than I am fiction right now.

• Read anything interesting you want to tell us about? “The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle” by Steven Pressfield is really helping me work through my fears around my tendency to censor myself in my writing, and also to work through my resistance to editing. And I’ve started “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. And also “Flowers” by Scott Nicholson, a collection of short stories.

Plus I’m preparing to participate in The Muse Online Writer’s Conference in October, and NaNo in November. NaNo plan this year is to try my best to salvage the second novel that derailed in Nov. 09 since I hadn’t edited the first in the series at that time. I’ll probably do another first draft for it this year. I was unable to participate last year as I moved twice during November.
I was going to say I have a little too much on my writing plate, but that is just resistance! Assignment: 
Where to find characters:
  • Real life.
  • Situations
  • Pictures
  • Quotes




Go out and look for interesting characters so you can start boosting your character stash. Where did you come up with the idea for the main character in your current work-in-progress?


My character Lily came from the idea that what if a person had the ability to raise the dead? How would she do it? What would happen if she did? Would what came out of the grave be the same as what went in, or would that person be different. If so, how? 


I tend to get the situation, and then have a character come to me that will not react well to the situation. I think that helps to build the tension in the story, and also gives me an excellent opportunity to develop the character throughout the story. 


Back to work now. :)

2 Friends Said:

Dan DeWitt December 9, 2011 at 7:11 PM  

I'm honored to be a part of your reading list. :-)

Dan

Helen H. David December 10, 2011 at 12:12 PM  

Dan, I'm honored that you have visited and commented! Thank you! I'm reading "Underneath" now, and I love it!

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