26 April 2011

Why the Lull?

Yeah, I know it's been quiet around here, not even a #FridayFlash, and I have one all set in my drafts folder ready to go. Life with it's illnesses, doctor's appointments, family visits, Irish Dance classes for a daughter, and Kung Fu classes for the son have kept me busy. Even the type-in of the 1st novel's revision has come to a halt.

Not that I haven't been developing my craft. In the lulls between the sometimes frantic chaos of life, I've read two craft books: Story Engineering-  by Larry Brooks and Elements of Fiction Writing - Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card.

Of course, I'm still reading other books too. Just finished listening to the audiobooks from the Hunger Games series by Suzanna Collins. The tension of the games, the corrupt and heartless government, the love triangle and wondering how it would all work out (or rather -- after I peeked at the end of the series after listening to the first book, I wondered how the journey would end where it did) kept me up a few nights and away from note-taking duties. Now I understand why so many people are fans of the series, and now count myself as one of them.

There you have it, the reasons for my lull.

As for what's next ... I'm typing up my notes from the craft books, so I'll share my impressions on those soon. Then I'll get back to finishing stories and online writing courses, and incorporating the new information into developing new stories.


Until next time ...