This is the end of the winter workout! We did it! Woohoo!
This workout has been a challenge and a joy for me. Overall, it accomplished what I needed it to - getting me back into a writing routine. This challenge wasn't really about the word counts or page counts or types of stories I was reading, but truly about falling back into a habit so I can get to the writing life I desire. And in that regard, IT WORKED.
As a side effect of this workout, it also helped me define where I really need to be going and what I really need to be focusing on. I discovered that I really wanted to learn more about plot as a technique (so you can expect some plot articles coming up on the blog soon!). I discovered that I want to write my novel (Camp NaNoWriMo April 2016 here I come!). And I discovered that at this point in my life, weekly goals with buffers are MUCH more attainable for me rather than daily word count goals. I didn't expect these things when I created this challenge, but I'm glad they happened.
On that note, here's the final list of what I did this week:
What I Read:
- How Writers Write Fiction Week #7 Revision
- Burroway on Revision
- Ferrente
- Tea Obreht "Retrieval"
- Ron Carlson "Keith"
Prompts I Followed:
- Re-vision one of your stories you wrote during this 5-week workout. Try one of the techniques to make it better - juxtapose new elements in, rewrite it from scratch, figure out your "why" for this story and fall in love with it again. Find a literary magazine submission period that you think this story would be a good fit for, and make a goal to finish this story and submit it! Remember, you don't write in a vaccuum - send your darlings out into the world!
- Write a story that includes a fish. Whether this is fish for dinner, or a fishing trip, or a fish on the wall, or some other kind of fish is up to you. But the fish MUST make an appearance.
Happy Writing!
♥
