Another short week, overshadowed by deadline work for a nonprofit fundraiser. I did find time to squeeze in some more transcription of the original manuscript on the “Margery” project.
I also did some brainstorming–and took actual outline notes–on two new projects. Both are different takes on identity, which seems to be a hot topic these days. One is set in the “Betelgeuse” universe and is a further development of the character at the center of that universe. This would be the third book in that world, although I’ve only barely drafted the first second and am about a third of the way through the first.
The one post of this week was actually scheduled months ago, when I looked up when Constitution Day would be. The beauty of an editorial calendar for a blog is that you can schedule posts well in advance. That doesn’t solve the problem of procrastination. I wrote most of “Happy Constitution Day!”on Constitution Day in the car on the road home from Vermont. (No, I wasn’t driving, at least most of the way.)
In other news…
Observations: Despite hustling much of the week, I took some time on Friday evening to walk the waterfront in Burlington, Vermont. I treated myself to a maple creamee (the unofficial state dessert) and set out to watch the sunset.
Soon crowds of people, mostly young and probably UVM students, came flocking down for the big show. I enjoyed the company but retreated to the sculpture garden further south, where the crowds were thinner. My only company was a couple of young lovers, watching the sun set over the lake, and this fellow–“The Lone Sailor,” described below.
Interaction: Got a nice writeup from our daughter, who shared “Happy Constitution Day!” on Facebook with the comment “My dad wrote an interesting two-minute read about 9/17 aka Constitution Day. It’s a good read and very thought provoking.” Thanks!
Professional development: Subscribed to a couple of new podcasts on fiction writing (the other one is a bit self-serving and redundant). I’m also exploring Fiverr for logo design for the blog and business cards.
Next week: Continue the logo search, move forward on “Margery,” and a couple of posts–another “Cuss-tomer Service” would probably be more popular than rhetorical criticism, but the latter is probably more important.
In case you missed it …
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Puff and fluff, 1979
Reading Time: 2 minutes Any local news editor understands the delicate balance between what readers and advertisers expect and what you think is important.
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In Other Words … Season 2, Episode 19
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many people don’t even have the time or focus for an entire book. The culture of short videos and podcasts has taken over, to our detriment.
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Top-of-the-head inventory, 1979
Reading Time: 2 minutes “Items in Stock” was, in truth, a misnomer. Some were complete, or ready for a final draft or a rewrite. Others were ideas or characters in search of a plot.
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Award-winning coverage? (1979)
Reading Time: 3 minutes Newspapers have associations, which sponsor competitions. But it’s a long trip from “thinking of sending it” to actually receiving an award.
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A dead-end job? (1979)
Reading Time: 2 minutes Now, Howard. Listen carefully. It’s important to be honest with a potential employer. But there’s such a thing as being TOO honest.
