A DREAM – A STORY – A JOURNEY
November is just over halfway through and with it NaNoWriMo begins to wind down. With under ten days until the end of the challenge, I wonder where many writers are finding themselves. As for myself, at over the halfway point, I am still very much at the beginning of my story. I started out the... Continue Reading →
Just as humans young and more mature are getting ready to create some mischief in search of some candy tonight, writers are preparing to create some words in search of a story tomorrow. Hopefully, candy and mischief will be involved in their pursuit too. National Novel Writing Month kicks off tomorrow, November 1st, and it’s... Continue Reading →
I finally finished the chapter/scene I’ve been working on for months now. It happened all at at once after many small sessions. The monumental effort it took to finish this chapter felt disproportionate to what it usually takes, but I know that’s not a unique case. Last week a very good friend of mine called... Continue Reading →
This week I received another rejection. It was great because it both reminded me that my work is out there, being read (if not for a long, long while) and that I need to continue querying to keep getting rejected. Of course, rejection is not the end goal in querying. I query (sending out letters... Continue Reading →
My goals from July of 2021 through this June changed in so many ways. Looking back on what I thought would happen and what I’d hoped to accomplish and comparing it to what actually happened and what I was able to accomplish is really difficult. Few things match up and none of it truly encompasses... Continue Reading →
After I spent time last week digging through paper and digital files, looking through notebooks and papers, I realized I needed to be smarter about how I was archiving feedback. I paused from my revisions to work on an archiving system I hope to really lean into and follow moving forward. Not only did I... Continue Reading →
One of the most helpful things when I am revising is looking back over the feedback I’ve received on previous drafts of the piece. The challenge I always find myself battling when I get there though, is finding it and the process of reviewing it in a way that helps me during the project. As... Continue Reading →
Last week as I was revising, I felt the familiar hesitation creeping into my writing space. I sighed, knowing exactly what it was, and kept working. At some point though the feeling started filling the space and I knew I needed to confront it. There is always a moment (usually several) during a writing project... Continue Reading →
Last week I went back to my desk, opened my story notes binder, and returned to my story. It felt like letting out a long sigh and a tension I didn't know I'd been holding released from my shoulders. My characters were waiting for me and together we waded into the words. There is a... Continue Reading →
The migraine I’d been suffering from week before last turned from a two day episode to a nearly five day episode. To say that it rattled me and my plans slightly would be an understatement. I’ve always said it’s important to be honest about whatever sickness or things that come up and limit my time... Continue Reading →
Nikole Breault 