On writing: Writer's Conference

There's a big writer's conference coming to Asheville in November, and I can't decide whether or not to go. I know I should, of course; there will be agents and did I mention agents? Besides that there is a great line-up of seminars and workshops.

But I doubt I will go. I get claustrophobic just thinking about it. Surrounded by writers, many of them with books published, all of them jockeying to get noticed. It scares the hell out of me.  I can't imagine sitting around and talking about my book to a room full of strangers.

I'm not even the shy type--last week I spoke to a college class of fifty students with only an hours notice; no problem...but, the idea of standing up and reading from my book....hell no. Maybe I still don't consider myself a true writer, yet....

Still, they say so many authors get their agent at these conferences, so I know I can't just write it off. So, for now, put me down as undecided....

On Writing: My Last Beta Reader

Sorry I haven't been blogging as much lately, but the good news is I'm putting finishing touches on the book. My wonderful beta-reader, David, just finished reading and commenting on the last 2 chapters and thinks [with some tweaks] it's ready.

He has been a motivating, life-saver [book saver, actually], coming onto the scene at the perfect time. I was in a bout of doubts with my rewrite when David and I got into a reading list discussion [writers ask everyone what they're reading, like other people ask your sign...] David, it turned out, also loved literary fiction; actually he reads some how-brow stuff that I wouldn't get, but something made me ask him if he'd read mine, and he agreed.

Before giving me his  first comments on Chapter 1 and 2, he apologized in advance, hoping I wouldn't take offense. His notes were painful to read, with words like "amateurish" and tons of crossed out passages and corrections. I laughed out loud when I read his comments. They were brutal...and dialed-in. He was exactly right...at one point he wrote "you're a better righter than this..." on the margin.

Overlaying David's advice onto that I'd received from my [terrific] earlier beta- readers before has been really helpful, and instead of bringing me down, I know it's making my book better.

Halfway through reading the book, he came to me and said that I write really characters well and that he couldn't wait to see where the story went, which made my day.

And what did he think when he finished it? He loved it!

I'm grateful to David and my other beta-readers for giving me the time and commitment to help me with my book. Let's see where it goes from here....Geoff

On Writing: Reading Now

Lately I've been reading two books at a time, one "real" book and one Nook book. I take the nook to the gym and read it on the treadmill or bike and I read the book at home, usually in bed.

Right now I'm reading "The Invisible Bridge" in the book, and just started "The Last Werewolf" on the nook.  The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer, is literary fiction; and as such is building slowly, and I look forward to seeing where it goes. The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan is upmarket horror [?] maybe, a genre I haven't read in years.  The reviews on it are mixed, so I'm looking forward to seeing where mine falls. Already-through 50 pages--there's been humor, murder and crazy sex; so yeah--I think I'm going to enjoy it. If nothing else, it's nice to step away from my usual reads...

What are you reading?

Last Chapter

For those of you that have been following my posts, you know I've been editing INTO THE MIDDLE DISTANCE since January. At this point I've been editing longer than it took to write the novel. Which is good, I guess.

On one hand I know I'm doing the right thing be being so diligent, but on the other I miss the creative process. I've written a few short stories and have jotted down ideas for my next novel [actually ideas for the next character, not much on plot].

Maybe I'm stalling. Afraid to finish. Afraid to put it out there and have it rejected like my first book.  I know I need to see it through before I dive into my next one, or I'll have a shelf full of unpublished novels when I die.

Now that I sounded all that out, I realize I just need to sit down and finish chapter 20 and see what happens. Wish me luck.

Movies on Writers: Midnight In Paris

Recently I saw Woody Allen's new movie, Midnight in Paris.

I loved it.

Maybe it was because I could relate to the main character, [played by Owen Wilson] an aspiring author facing his doubts about his own writing as he prepares to get married on a trip to Paris.

A great romantic comedy, it is at times moving and hysterical, and, as a bonus, it stars the great literary characters of the twenties. 

For those of you in Asheville, it's still playing at the Carolina. If you see it, please leave a post.

Have a great weekend.

The Writing Life: Quitting a book

As an aspiring author, I should be reading all styles of writing in fiction. And, I should finish every book I start. The reasoning: even books I don't enjoy can teach me something about the craft.

Here's the problem. Of the three books I started last week,I managed to plow through the first one, get half-way through the second before giving up, and abandoned the third on page 4. Each of these books are by author's who's acclaim I'd give my first born for [sorry Ash], and I've read every other book one of the authors wrote, and loved them.

So, if there's a lesson for me in this, I guess it's that there will be people that love my book and people that quit it on page 4...and everything in between. And now I know to be okay with it, either way .[Not a chance, actually; but it's the lesson for the day.]