I finished the first draft of the story Saturday night. I wasn't feeling up to going to a meeting, so instead of flipping back and forth between re-runs of crime shows, I wrote. And wrote. And wrote.
Thirty-seven pages later, I felt the story had been told. It's essentially a good story, I think. Maybe not a new one, but a good one. Monday? I think, I re-read most of it. I guess that was just yesterday. It's full of .... errors? Characters misnamed, few loose ends tied in slippery knots, that kind of thing. But it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. A complete short story. Perhaps, if I rework it a bit, even a novella. And I can be happy with that.
I hate editing, and it'll take me a few more days, I suppose, to do what's necessary to turn it in. That brings my "page count" for this course to fifty-five pages -- I've exceeded the requirements by thirty pages. That may not go over well with the instructor. I don't know. We'll see. Gee, it's an independent study, so perhaps he'll give me credit for an additional course. It would be a nice bonus, though I don't know what I'd do with the credits -- where I'd put them. Again, we'll see.
The days are cooler now. I know that the hot weather isn't over, but the daily "eighty-five again" weather seems to be past. The pumpkins are turning orange already. We've eaten one slighty underripe watermelon from the garden. Tonight's dinner, except for the rice and the chicken, was all homegrown. Salad, vegetables for the chicken, tomatoes for the Spanish rice, all the herbs, and the side of hot peppers (a pan-fried hotter than hell relish)....and it was wonderful. I ate like a horse. My hands burn from chopping Hungarian hot wax, jalapeno, & cayenne peppers with no gloves.
I'm reading Alice Walker The Color Purple and feeling a little inadequate. How does she do it?? Trying to think of a concept for an epistolary story. Something that hasn't been done. I like the "Dear God" concept. Maybe I need to quit thinking & just let it come. Or not.
Enough rambling. Haven't been to a Tuesday night speaker meeting in awhile. Think I'll go get dressed in something appropriate (and not just for the kitchen & garden) and go.
Till later....
Thirty-seven pages later, I felt the story had been told. It's essentially a good story, I think. Maybe not a new one, but a good one. Monday? I think, I re-read most of it. I guess that was just yesterday. It's full of .... errors? Characters misnamed, few loose ends tied in slippery knots, that kind of thing. But it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. A complete short story. Perhaps, if I rework it a bit, even a novella. And I can be happy with that.
I hate editing, and it'll take me a few more days, I suppose, to do what's necessary to turn it in. That brings my "page count" for this course to fifty-five pages -- I've exceeded the requirements by thirty pages. That may not go over well with the instructor. I don't know. We'll see. Gee, it's an independent study, so perhaps he'll give me credit for an additional course. It would be a nice bonus, though I don't know what I'd do with the credits -- where I'd put them. Again, we'll see.
The days are cooler now. I know that the hot weather isn't over, but the daily "eighty-five again" weather seems to be past. The pumpkins are turning orange already. We've eaten one slighty underripe watermelon from the garden. Tonight's dinner, except for the rice and the chicken, was all homegrown. Salad, vegetables for the chicken, tomatoes for the Spanish rice, all the herbs, and the side of hot peppers (a pan-fried hotter than hell relish)....and it was wonderful. I ate like a horse. My hands burn from chopping Hungarian hot wax, jalapeno, & cayenne peppers with no gloves.
I'm reading Alice Walker The Color Purple and feeling a little inadequate. How does she do it?? Trying to think of a concept for an epistolary story. Something that hasn't been done. I like the "Dear God" concept. Maybe I need to quit thinking & just let it come. Or not.
Enough rambling. Haven't been to a Tuesday night speaker meeting in awhile. Think I'll go get dressed in something appropriate (and not just for the kitchen & garden) and go.
Till later....
Comments
And to be fair, some men play the objectification game, too, capitalizing on their macho appeal, but the truth is, a man isn't necessarily handicapped if he chooses not to use it. A woman is. Take a look at the women of popular music. No matter how much talent you have, if you're not a perfect '10', you don't have a shot.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/18/music.sexysingers.ap/index.html
And thank you for the link...In Search of... is one of my favorite pieces of womanist writing!