Dogged Dog Days

August is finally drawing to a close, and I can't tell you how pleased I am that we'll soon leave these torrid temperatures behind and maybe, just maybe, catch some relief. This particular summer drained me, left me weak, tired, uninspired to write or photograph or cook or so much of anything. I spent the summer watching the grass turn to crackly brown straws, seeing my beloved flowers dry up and disappear, musing that maybe next year, maybe next year it would be different.

I apologize for not posting all these months. That was wrong of me. I should have written something, if it only was I hate this!!! and I didn't do that.

Here's a little catch up, if you're interested after all this time.

Someone asked me to edit his 408 page manuscript. My first editing job. Sort of took me by surprise, actually, that anyone would ask me to edit their work. I took the job on and worked diligently for a month. I hope I helped. That's what I strive to do.

I found an interesting article today that I'd like to share with you. Here is the link: http://rockyourwriting.com/2012/08/the-slow-writing-movement. It's a great article, and so timely in this day and age of sustainable living.

I'll post again but in the meantime, write. Write like you mean it, write with your whole heart. Don't be afraid of the "judges." Just write.

Ciao!

Fiction Writing

Someone, another writer friend, once told me that fiction writing is largely autobiographical. Although I realized that we based a lot of our character formations on things that happened to us, that affected us in one way  or another, it didn't occur to me that fiction writing is autobiographical. Now my friend is writing about himself as fiction and I see that's his perspective because his fiction work is largely autobiographical.

But. You know how I like to think about things and examine them and turn them over and over looking for clues on how it could  be.

J.K. Rowling came to mind at once. Are her characters simply extensions of herself, her personal view on the world,or is it just a fantasy she made up? What about other authors such as John Steinbeck, what about Jenny Cruisie, how about Deborah Harkness? Hmmm....so I'm turning the stones over and over again, following this line, peering atthat jagged blotch, and I'm realizing that some of my work is fraught with my own thoughts, foibles and views of the world.

Hunh. I suppose my friend would be right, if you know your ying and yang, if you are in touch with the light and the dark side of your personality, if you truly understand youself, then I think he may be right.

What are your thoughts on fiction writing? Do you believe your writing is an extension of yourself?