19 May 2009

Greetings by way of resolutions

These first posts are always difficult--we have such want to be momentous all the time, don't we? I'm probably a little more predisposed to it than most, too, but I'm doing my best to refrain.

It's hard to blog as a fiction writer--I get jealous of my time and words and I know I should be working on a novel right about now. I also have a predilection for untruths (because my reality is seldom as interesting as other people's), which seems to be at crossed purposes for this kind of endeavor. However, I also don't want to be entirely cut off from the reading and writing community, which is the peculiar situation I found myself in while finishing my first novel. I was working really well--and not reading and not talking to people. And now that the draft is finished and revised and I'm searching for a home for it, I find myself neither writing, reading, nor really conversing about reading and writing, which is a very dull situation.

So: I am posing a challenge to myself (and anyone is welcome to play along, either in the comments or in your own blog):

The 100/200 Challenge. (I made it up in the shower this morning. It's not a very good name, is it?)

The goal is to read 100 pages of something and write 200 words of something, every day, whether it be 200 words about what I've read, 200 words of fiction, or 200 words of non-fiction (because I have essays I always mean to be writing--I'm certain you do, too).

I'm adding to that goal an admonition to write about the experience here, what I'm reading and what I'm writing. I likely won't be posting those 200 words here if they're fiction or part of a larger essay, but I will be talking about what I'm reading and also looking for suggestions for what to read next.

I'm kicking off the reading with The Air We Breathe by Andrea Barrett, who is one of my absolute favorites.

I'm going to get down to business. What are you reading now?

2 comments:

  1. Wooooooords! <3

    I'm reading Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt. It's a medieval setting (though I don't think it's meant to be anywhere or anywhen specific in history) and the descriptions of the life and work in the book are delightful. I think you would like it.

    Also, might I suggest the groups over at librarything for potentially fantastic discussion of books.

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  2. I just finished In the Fall, by Jeffrey Lent. It blew me away. If you want my full review, you can go on over to LT and check it out. Link from my profile page to my review. I tried to paste a link here, but I guess that's not an option. I second the mayflower's recommendation for that site. Mighty fine discussions (with the inevitable digressions, which can also be fun).

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