One last post....

before I officially leave for vacation.... errr... the conference.
I just wanted to make a note here that I've been learning so much through "Make a Scene" by Jordan E Rosenfield and through Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress that it's making me question a lot of things.
It's never made me question how badly I want to write, and hope to someday be a best selling author. No, it made me question my own writing skills. Notice that I didn't say ability. Ability is something that is innate. I think I have at least a little bit of that. I did, however, use the word "skills". Skills can be grown, changed, and even matured. I think my skills need a little of all of that!
My dilemma is simple. Right now I cannot afford classes, and I cannot afford to work (me working would push us into a much higher tax bracket, and all my money would go to pay taxes!! Not cool) so I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. But here's what I can do, in micro steps, in no real order:
1. Finish studying the creative writing books that you do have (5 total)
2. While you are studying, write short stories, edit them until complete
3. Send the edited story to a critique group, edit again
4. Send the story to a publisher
5. Get rejected. Learn something from it.
6. Start working again on novel (from scratch)
7. Send parts of the novel to critique groups
8. Edit, edit, edit
9. (Someday) submit to publisher.

 This video sums up EXACTLY why I want to write by one of the guys who got me into writing in the first place, Ted Dekker.




Cheers!
L Finch