Okay, I admit it. I tried to take some pictures of the wild turkeys that roamed the grounds, but the sun was behind them and I ended up with black shadows. So, they looked like this as I drove past them along the road. It's spring and they were in the romantic moods that wild turkeys enjoy. They gobbled through the weekend, day and night. And that was just one of the great things about our retreat!
Fellow writers - you know how lonely our endeavor is, and how fraught with self doubt. The chance to meet with other writers, enjoy a couple of workshops, and write for an entire day can only be appreciate by the afflicted.
Along with the turkeys, we had a fabulous discussion about grammar and homonyms. I totally loved the impassioned discussion regarding comma use. AND - I finished my book revision. It was a major accomplishment. I also spoke with a fellow writer about publishing our 400 page novels in smaller chunks. Which means I could publish more often. She's been publishing since January. She pointed out the e-books tend to be shorter, she can charge less, and when she completes the story, she'll offer it complete. Her fans complain about always having to buy the next book to continue the story, but many of them have been very supportive and she's pleased with the progress she's made.
I look at my 400 page novel, knowing that I need to clean it up now, fix the typos and such. It will probably take months while I'm working my day job. More nights devoted to working, self imposed deadlines, and the constant nagging feeling that I may not make it to the finish line.
Sharing time with other writers strengthens me. Yes, I pick up ideas, review the constructs of language, discuss marketing possibilities, and commiserate. But I'm also blessed with writer friends who encourage me to just keep going.
There is so much to the story I'm writing: romance, intrigue, political suspense - the amazing story behind Shakespeare's work. So to my fellow writers, I send the message all writers need to hear constantly. Keep at it, one step in front of the other, little by little, you've never failed until you quit ... It's critical you hear those messages over and over, because it's so easy to give up!
Fellow writers - you know how lonely our endeavor is, and how fraught with self doubt. The chance to meet with other writers, enjoy a couple of workshops, and write for an entire day can only be appreciate by the afflicted.
Along with the turkeys, we had a fabulous discussion about grammar and homonyms. I totally loved the impassioned discussion regarding comma use. AND - I finished my book revision. It was a major accomplishment. I also spoke with a fellow writer about publishing our 400 page novels in smaller chunks. Which means I could publish more often. She's been publishing since January. She pointed out the e-books tend to be shorter, she can charge less, and when she completes the story, she'll offer it complete. Her fans complain about always having to buy the next book to continue the story, but many of them have been very supportive and she's pleased with the progress she's made.
I look at my 400 page novel, knowing that I need to clean it up now, fix the typos and such. It will probably take months while I'm working my day job. More nights devoted to working, self imposed deadlines, and the constant nagging feeling that I may not make it to the finish line.
Sharing time with other writers strengthens me. Yes, I pick up ideas, review the constructs of language, discuss marketing possibilities, and commiserate. But I'm also blessed with writer friends who encourage me to just keep going.
There is so much to the story I'm writing: romance, intrigue, political suspense - the amazing story behind Shakespeare's work. So to my fellow writers, I send the message all writers need to hear constantly. Keep at it, one step in front of the other, little by little, you've never failed until you quit ... It's critical you hear those messages over and over, because it's so easy to give up!
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