While Waiting to be Published: Recent Comments

Comment on NaNoWriMo And Remembering Anne McCaffrey

2011-12-06T02:32:28Z

Yes, there is a novel before the stories (The 75th Story), a novel of the stories (probably 2 given their lengths -- even after interrupting novellas A Ming Marriage and Novella 37 are taken out), and a novel between the stories (this year's NaNoWriMo My Husband, The Stranger).

- Lisa Shapter

Comment on NaNoWriMo And Remembering Anne McCaffrey

2011-12-04T13:15:39Z

I also like how much of her fiction depends on sheer exultation as they rocket through space or step onto an alien world or fly on the back of a dragon. Glad you share your thoughts about these stuff.

Comment on NaNoWriMo And Remembering Anne McCaffrey

2011-12-03T09:15:12Z

Anne McCaffrey will be missed, like you, Lisa I remember her works fondly from my early reading days.

Congratulation on finishing nanowrimo, I like you idea of converting your story series into a novel. Was that your plan all along?

Comment on Inaugural Typecast

2011-06-09T13:58:39Z

Of course, I love reading your typecast:)

Comment on Basic Clay

2011-01-27T21:13:46Z

Bradbury's Zen is an excellent book. (And, as he says, at the rate of a short story a week they can't all be awful.) I had forgotten that about King and I'd never read McMurtry's -- good to know! I've read too few really good books about writing ...

(I think trying to do some writing, each day (at about the same time) helps.)

I would not be doing this if I did not have a narrator in a white-hot fury who slaps down his sidearm, opens up his keyboard, and insists I take down what he types. The moment he decides something else (gardening, shooting old boots off fence posts, building mosaics) is more therapeutic I'm out of a project.

Comment on Basic Clay

2011-01-27T13:05:34Z

I'm currently finishing up Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" and was interested to read that 1,000 word daily goal. I know King's writing memoir, he stated writing daily at least 6 days a week, but didn't share a count. Another memoir, Larry McMurtry mentioned 5 pages a day. I've set my own goal as 4 pages a day, which is roughly 1,900 words, but I haven't hit those goals since Nano last November.

I really need to get my head set, as I have a novel to finish and several short stories started. I really need to finish some drafts!

And I agree with your clay analogy. I think that daily writing puts us in a place where the process is second nature and once that happens, some really cool things can come to life!

Comment on A Good Clip

2011-01-26T19:18:35Z

I like being at this place. (And I've been so disappointed at the falloff of rejection slips that I've decided to write more stories.)

Keep at it and you will be here, too: each step falls naturally after the previous one.

Comment on Cold Snap

2011-01-26T19:01:44Z

Only to the main character: the novel is about his 75th story and I discovered I could not finish it unless I knew how the earlier 74 stories panned out.

Comment on Cold Snap

2011-01-25T12:55:13Z

I have to ask, why 74? Is there a significance to that number?

Comment on A Good Clip

2011-01-20T19:27:05Z

I enjoyed reading this post. It might be humorous to you, but I look forward to being in a place where I am getting daily rejections like you...

Keep writing and good luck.