Minor Discomfort

Failed title of the day: Minor Discomfort. (You know this story has to be about jailbait, a concept which, in the wrong hands, is doomed to to be bad... I, for one, shall not go there...)

Anyway... hello! Long time no write. That's because I've been busy finishing my latest book. You heard it here first. I finished the manuscript yesterday. (And by 'finished,' I mean I'm just now getting started... because hearty revisions are yet to come, I'm certain.)

I'm very excited because I've actually accomplished what I set out to do a mere month and half ago when I quit my day job.

I'm looking forward to next week's holiday, when I won't be distracted by having to run from my family and hide in my room, tap-tap-tapping away on this keyboard. I may still run from my family, but it won't have anything to do with writing.

(I'm kidding! You know I love you all... and I cannot wait to eat yummy food, listen to Christmas carols, and fall asleep underneath the sparkly tree at my mother and step-father's house in Massachussetts. Ah, just thinking about it now is making me giddy.)

Isn't it funny how I pretend people actually read this thing?

HARD

Hey there. Failed title of the day = HARD. Try to to write that story. You'll fail.

Probably.

That title actually isn't so bad... and I must admit, it's a last minute replacement for the failed title I'd been thinking of for the past few days. For some reason, this morning, my original idea flew out the brain and left the country. But HARD is good enough. It's a little racy, a little gritty, and waaaay dumb. I don't know what the story would be... but it sounds like a sexy cop novel. Or something.

So here I am a little farther from the raft. The writing is getting HARDer. Last week really tripped me up for some reason. Maybe it was the holiday and all the obligations which come along with that...

But I really think my biggest stumble came after I read an article in the New York Times about the publishing industry and how everyone is freaking out about future sales and acquisitions and how many folks are leaving their jobs or getting fired... And blah blah blah, economy woes, blah, blah, blah. Ugh. Some advice for struggling artists out there: nix the articles in bourgeois publications about how the market for your work sucks and you're doomed. DOOMED. Said articles are not helpful for 'creativity.' (Mmm, the balm of cynicism feels so good.) I've spent the past week with my mind a whirling, wondering if I've made a mistake, and cursing the banks for f-ing up the world just when I finally have the balls to try to make a change in my life...

I'm about to start on today's pages... My characters are finally learning the TRUTH about their situation. I'm about to set up their race to the finish line. (On your marks... BLAM!) Over the weekend, I plotted out the end of the book -- and realized (once again) that what I thought was going to be a tight, quick, economical little story has metastasized into a full-fledged epic. It's possible that my trip-up (and creative psych-out) was caused by realizing the book won't be complete within the next 50 pages, as I'd planned. I'm learning that I just need to let that go. I've got to become an organic farmer and tend my crop without the pesticide called Negativity (Blecch, sorry... that was awful. And so, there's another failed title for ya: A Pesticide Called Negativity. Try to write that story. You'll fail!)

Seriously, I'm thinking of taking my laptop and sitting underneath the dining room table (or in my closet, or on top of the washing machine) just to get a different perspective. I wonder if that might help...?

At the very least, this week, I'm staying away from the New York Times.

Cheers!

The Diary of a Sad-Sack Muffin

So I decided (just this second) that one feature of this little blogging experiment will be: titles for imaginary failed novels. Henceforth, you will find the imaginary title at the top of each post. Today's: The Diary of a Sad-Sack Muffin. Go ahead, try to write that story. You'll fail.

Anyway... an update. I've finished week two of this full-time novelist gig. Week one was extra-ordinary. Oh such freedom! I went to a movie, met up with friends for lunches, dinners, spent a little money I do not have, explored a couple museums... joined a dang Dungeons and Dragons group. Oh yeah, and I did some writing.

Week two was different. More real. A little more lonely. (I keep reading in different places that writing is a solitary existence... um, yeah.) But, and this is a big BUT, (ha, big butt) I've more than doubled the manuscript's pages since I quit the job.

To give some perspective: from the end of August to the beginning of November, while working full-time at the hospital, I'd managed to produce a meager 35 pages. A good beginning, but the writing time was way too inconsistent. After two weeks of writing every day, I've pumped out (ha, pumped) an extra 55 pages. That's write (oops... right), I'm up to 90 pages, suckas. More important, I'm happy with the book, so far! (I know! Unbelievable!) If I can continue at this rate, I hope to be done by the beginning of December.

Despite all the realness, the trying to figure it out-ness of my new life, so far, the move has paid off, at least metaphorically.

So I guess the point of this entry is to tell you all to quit your jobs. You'll be much happier. Most of you will probably all be fired soon anyway, so why not beat them to the punch?

Cheers!

The First Day

Hi,

So, I left the office last Friday with a large bag filled with stuff. Pens, folders, paper-clips, post-it notes... all stuff I probably should have left there, but I really don't think they'll miss it. I did leave the electric stapler and a few Halloween gourds, so I'd say it was an even trade.

It really didn't hit me until this morning that I quit. This past weekend was so action packed, I didn't have time to think.

So far, I slept in later than I thought I would or should. I sent an email to my editor, letting him know my new situation and asking for an update on the manuscript I turned in two months ago. And now, I'm wasting time writing this little entry before I actually get down to the writing.

I haven't looked at the new book for several weeks -- and I'm hoping I'll be able to dive right back in. I hope having much much more time to do so doesn't make it more difficult.

We'll see what happens. I have tons of social invitations this week -- all of a sudden I'm so popular! Also, there are tons of movies I want to check out. But why do they keep raising the price of tickets? Last theater I went to charged 12.50. I guess that's going to be one of my luxuries I'm going to have to cut back on... Netflix will have to do.

Anyway, I'd better get started before the day gets away from me.

And it's official...

Now I understand the screaming...

You have to hear it to believe it...

I've lived through a lot here in New York City. Fourth of Julys. New Year's Eve's. In Astoria, when Greece won the World Cup, the streets flooded for twelve hours.

There is such power in the voice of the people. And this is the loudest I've ever heard it cheering...!

You have to believe it to hear it.

11:11 11/4/08

Headlines put Obama in the lead.

Rooftop. Brooklyn.

I've never heard such incredible shouting from the streets below. It is constant. Steady. From ALL directions.

Like a battle cry. Triumphant.

We are ready for you.

I am so happy.

Made my Morning

Days are getting rougher heading into the final stretch of the "job." Strange. I thought it would be easier. But thank heavens for this.




I forgot about this website. They just came out with a book, which is doing quite well. Good for them. Now I have something to do at work today!

xo