Well, dear readers, after already writing words, words, and more words, I now have to write MORE words. Perhaps I’ll just write the word “words” over and over again until there are finished notes comprised solely of the word “words.” Perhaps I won’t. Perhaps I’ll just get on with it, although what it will have to say about my getting on with it is anyone’s guess. I must say that I did write a full compliment of words yesterday. I got up at nine-fifteen after not enough sleep and the first thing I did was write words. I began by finessing, futzing and fixing the previous days’ writing. I’d only done a bit of that when the telephonic device rang and it was Muse Margaret to give me her report on the rest of the eighty-seven pages I’d given her, and I’m happy to report that the word was good and I could not have been happier with her report. She had one tiny little thing, where she felt I needed to add just one or two tiny lines of dialogue and she was quite correct and that was the first thing I did when I got off the phone. She’s really enjoying the banter of this book and she said she has laughed out loud several times and also said that she’s really enjoying the various and sundried characters.
After that lovely phone call, I finished the three Fs (finessing, futzing and fixing) and then proceeded on to new material and a new chapter. I wrote four pages, then the helper came over to pick up some invoices and we ended up going to the same Thai place that I went to the other night, where I had the same things I had the other night, with the exception of the Thai salad. It is really one of the best Thai jernts in town, albeit on the expensive side. After that, I came home, wrote another page, and then went to the mail place where I picked up three count them three packages, one of which included the new Blu and Ray for season three of Downton Abbey. I came back home and wrote another five pages, leaving me two pages away from the end of a chapter.
Then I had a one hour work session with Juliana Hansen, after which I watched the first episode of season three for Downton Abbey. I must first say that it’s fun to be back in that world, and I do love the music. But the first episode was loaded with not that interesting exposition, and then we were introduced to the Shirley MacLaine character. I love Shirley MacLaine, but there is, for me, something a little off, mostly to do with the timing of the dialogue she utters. It’s pretty good dialogue, along the lines of the Maggie Smith dialogue, but whereas Miss Smith is always perfect, timing-wise, Miss MacLaine just seems a beat behind and I found few of her lines landed, even though the look on her face told you she’d thought they’d landed. Otherwise, a lot of wonderful actors are back doing wonderful work. Then I wrote one more page, then watched the second episode of Downton Abbey, which I liked much better than the first. And Miss MacLaine was a bit better but still seemed slightly off to me. Miss Smith had some wonderful moments in this episode, and it was much less expository-sounding than the first episode.
I then wrote the final page (twelve in total), ending that chapter, and I wrote the first paragraph of the new chapter, just so I wouldn’t be staring at the blank page in the morning. That’s one of the lessons I was taught on my very first book, Benjamin Kritzer. What I would do there is finish a chapter and go to bed or leave or whatever. Then a few days later I’d go to start up again and it was like I’d never written the previous stuff, like starting from scratch, and I found that very unnerving. Then an author friend of mine suggested that I never finish a chapter without starting the new one with at least a line. Or to not end the chapter and just pick up exactly where I left off, the theory being that you know what you’re writing and once you pick up in the middle of something, you’re right back in the swing of things. That advice was the best and it’s never failed me.
After that, I finished my liner notes and got them to the designer, and then I uploaded the new Outside the Box episode to You Send It, and sent it on its merry way to Broadway World. It premieres Sunday at seven EST or four PST. Then I actually relaxed for forty-five minutes before having to write – you guessed it – more words. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall finesse, futz and fix yesterday’s writing, and then I will begin writing the new pages, with the hope that I’ll do at least nine or ten, which will take me over the 200 page mark, manuscript-wise. Then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then in the late afternoon I may have a visit, and then I’m supposedly seeing this person I haven’t seen in thirty years. So, the idea is to get all my writing done before that happens, and there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to.
Tomorrow, more writing, maybe a work session, and the weekend is definitely writing, definitely having a nice meal, perhaps even with dear reader KevinH, who’s coming into town to see our very own Mr. Brent Barrett in Peter Pan. Otherwise, it’s words, words, and more words. Plus prepping the announcement of the two new Kritzerland releases, plus the premiere of episode five of Outside the Box.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, finesse, futz and fix, write new pages, hopefully pick up some packages, have a visit, and then have another visit with someone I haven’t seen in thirty years. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Shirley MacLaine films? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall hopefully be able to clear my head of words, words, and more words, get a good night’s sleep, and then begin writing more words, words, and more words.