What are you...

[TPoptarts]

Eating: canned fruits. With chopsticks. Because I don't have a fork and the kitchen's already closed. But I found chopsticks in my backpack. (Duh I put them there... but it was like ages ago ) Actually I have like a Swiss army knife that has utensils but I'm too lazy to dig it out. I have another Swiss army knife that I carry in my backpack everywhere but that one doesn't have utensils. Ain't I pathetic

[Distracted]

I just ate lunch with chopsticks. Chopsticks are cool.

What am I doing?

I'm writing a novel. I'm on chapter 5. And BnB just sent me Lerteiran back again, so I guess I'll take a break and see what I can come up with there. It's sort of schizophrenic to write two things at once. My brain keeps wanting to switch from one to the other and I mix 'em all up.

[Asso]

It's sort of schizophrenic to write two things at once. My brain keeps wanting to switch from one to the other and I mix 'em all up.

And nevertheless it is challenging.

[blacknblue]

I just ate lunch with chopsticks. Chopsticks are cool.

What am I doing?

I'm writing a novel. I'm on chapter 5. And BnB just sent me Lerteiran back again, so I guess I'll take a break and see what I can come up with there. It's sort of schizophrenic to write two things at once. My brain keeps wanting to switch from one to the other and I mix 'em all up.

Can I please get some more sneak peeks on that novel? Whether you want my beta service or not. You got me hooked on that dang story now. If I have to wait until it gets published to see how things work out I will go quite, quite mad. Surely you could not be so cruel?

[Distracted]

Okay. Let me get a couple more chapters done, though. It's going very slowly.

[blacknblue]

Quality takes time. Fine wine does not age to perfection in a single year.

[Distracted]

If you say so.

I'll find out this weekend. I'm going to a writer's convention where I get to enjoy the experience of (and pay through the nose for) having a panel of professional editors dissect what I've written so far. Joy.

[blacknblue]

Don;t let them derail you. I have seen several people who started out with real artistic talent for example. Some of them in my own family. Then they took some art classes and became hopeless. Their "Teachers" screwed them up by harassing them into doing it in ways that were unnatural to the way that my friends thoughts worked, so by the time they got out of training their innate talents were buried beyond recall under massive piles of useless technicalese. They knew so much about how the "teachers" did it that they had forgotten how THEY used to do it naturally and freely.

Same thing with music. I know people personally who taught themselves how to play a musical instrument by picking it up and practicing with it, buying some sheet music and reading it, looking up the various notes and just continuing to fiddle along. I also know people who took lessons for years and never got past the preliminaries. You can't teach someone to be creative. Either they have it or they don't. And you already do. And people already like to read your stuff.

Remember that the literary critics, "experts", and intelligentsia of their days used to deride both Shakespeare and Twain. Now both authors are classic immortals and the "experts" have become forgotten dust.

[Asso]

Don;t let them derail you. I have seen several people who started out with real artistic talent for example. Some of them in my own family. Then they took some art classes and became hopeless. Their "Teachers" screwed them up by harassing them into doing it in ways that were unnatural to the way that my friends thoughts worked, so by the time they got out of training their innate talents were buried beyond recall under massive piles of useless technicalese. They knew so much about how the "teachers" did it that they had forgotten how THEY used to do it naturally and freely.

Same thing with music. I know people personally who taught themselves how to play a musical instrument by picking it up and practicing with it, buying some sheet music and reading it, looking up the various notes and just continuing to fiddle along. I also know people who took lessons for years and never got past the preliminaries. You can't teach someone to be creative. Either they have it or they don't. And you already do. And people already like to read your stuff.

Remember that the literary critics, "experts", and intelligentsia of their days used to deride both Shakespeare and Twain. Now both authors are classic immortals and the "experts" have become forgotten dust.

An indubitable truth.

[Alelou]

You never know what you'll get from panels of experts. If they were doing really well, they probably wouldn't be on panels of experts. Then again, there aren't that many writers who do really well in this country, so these conferences are often a supplemental source of income. (Hmm, sounds like Star Trek actors....)

You'll be fine, though. Believe me, you're already way ahead of the game.

Have fun, enjoy meeting other writers, and keep good track of all those contacts, especially any agents, so you can hit them up when it's time to market your book. That's really what those writing conferences are all about.

[Asso]

Commander Tucker Proposes.
I'm waiting for this one.

[Aquarius]

COOKING: Oven-baked BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and salad.

The neighbors are coming over to watch Heroes tonight.

[Asso]

COOKING: Oven-baked BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and salad.

The neighbors are coming over to watch Heroes tonight.

[Distracted]

You never know what you'll get from panels of experts. If they were doing really well, they probably wouldn't be on panels of experts. Then again, there aren't that many writers who do really well in this country, so these conferences are often a supplemental source of income. (Hmm, sounds like Star Trek actors....)

You'll be fine, though. Believe me, you're already way ahead of the game.

Have fun, enjoy meeting other writers, and keep good track of all those contacts, especially any agents, so you can hit them up when it's time to market your book. That's really what those writing conferences are all about.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I'm gonna go schmooze and hand out my new "writer" business cards. It's kinda pricey for a meet 'n greet, but I guess ya pays for the atmospheah. I've never been to Cape Cod before, and the last time I was in New England it was in high school on our way by bus to Quebec for a Francophone youth convention. Anybody on the board from that neck of the woods? What's the weather like in Rhode Island this time of year?

[Aquarius]

COOKING: Oven-baked BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and salad.

The neighbors are coming over to watch Heroes tonight.

C'mon over, Asso! Dinner's at 8pm my time!