The Writing Line

March 1st 08
How are you doing with your writing goals?
Have you made progress on your writing resolutions?

Even though I spent most of January organizing my files, documents and synchronizing pc files in three locations, I managed to average sending out at least two pieces a week. I am currently hoping to jack that up to 5 a week, especially since they are finished pieces, manuscripts (essays, devotions, articles) and fillers.
One play (Alyce Times One) is has reached first draft status, my screenplay ( Silence In Heaven) is going through another revision in March for a contest in May. Meanwhile, my second script is reaching the closure of it’s initial birth. It needs at least 15 revisions. I have another one waiting in the wings after Alyce Times One has been read/produced. The producer will be co-writing that script with me. It’s a story of redemption.
Then while continuing my observations of the crazy planet, my goal is getting paid for writing about them. A related goal, though unspoken is to be fully present wherever I am. It is very easy for me to want to stay indoors and write all day. But beyond a few days, I’m needing to get out and see what’s going on for myself, even if it’s just down the street.




While writing this, I see (on XM) The Streets of Philadelphia. Since I have a friend who lives there, I stop to listen. Bruce Springsteen sings while I think about why did I used to hate his music so much? Lately everything I hear, I like. It unnerves me because Radio Nowhere has to be one of the best songs I've heard in a long time.

The keyboard whose sound bordered on Xylophonic has disappeared. I realize that it was that sound that drove me away from his music.

Oh well. Listening to XM makes me want to stay in today.


I have to get out. DVD's need dropped at the library and I've made some of the worst coffee this week. I think I'll go to the Village Coffee shop and have a large cup of whatever they are brewing today. It can't possibly be worse than what I've done here.

Authors Choice

If you could have lunch with an author living or dead, who would you choose? Why? What would you ask them?
I realize there are people who are totally inaccessible to their fans. After giving this careful consideration, I thought Maurice Sendak would be interesting to talk to. Not about his illustrations, or his writing.

“Did your faith to influence your work? What are some important things that you would want people to know about you? What do you view as the most important aspects of your career as writer/illustrator?”
Then I remember reading Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion and The Year of Magical Thinking. Her words reach right into my heart and make themselves at home. And after I set the book down, the words swim around in my head like a school of fish.
I found myself thinking about her stories and her life and the smooth molasses way she poured them out. I kept going back to them again and again... For weeks I pondered her life without her writer husband John. I found myself worrying about her.

“How are you doing now, Joan? What are you working on?”

Day One

I only recently heard about this 365Blog thing. I was reminded of a poet, forgive me I do not remember who, that wrote a poem a day.
It seems a good exercise, and I write most everyday. This will with out a doubt motivate me like nothing else. Hopefully my writing will improve. I'm going to encourage a few others I know who are pretty prolific and see if we can spark off of each other. I'm shooting for a bout 300 words give or take.

So far as I can tell today, there are 1345 registered b 365ers. I will try to register and be 1346...So here we go, one lap around the sun...!