Workshop generating fantastic ideas

Wowsers, the muse is awake. Thanks to the lessons in the workshop ebook I bought. Did I mention how cool it is? My fingers are getting numb from typing so much. I need more programs to keep track of my notecards and ideas.

I had NO IDEA there was a formula for determining how many scenes you should have per book, per chapter and per character. Thanks Holly. Read the section about Book math.

I ventured further into the book and checked out Lazettes information on short stories. She really breaks it down and lets me know WHY my short stories have not done well in contests and have been rejected lately. Yep, apparently I stray from the topic a bit too much. In a novel it is okay to explore the idiosyncracies of the character. In a short story there just isn't time to stray. I have no trouble with obstacles. My problem is pulling away from those obstacles and travelling down the path to ideas that aren't necessary for a short story. Danger is necessary. Thanks. I tend to forget that! It seems so simple. I get tied up and lost in all the details. I guess I'm really a novel writer. Short stories make me feel limited. Yet I want to write a few and feel successful.

The more of the workshop I read the more I realize I am doing things right. I have been all along. I think writers doubt themselves more than people in other fields. We work alone. We sit facing a computer screen or writing on paper and we have relatively little feedback until our project is finished or nearly finished.

If you were raised like me you thrive on feedback. What do I do? I meet with other authors. I go to workshops when I am able to schedule it and afford it. I read a lot of books and author blogs. Holly Lisle has an entire site devoted to helpful articles and information for aspiring authors. There are hundreds of other places to find people and resources if you are just starting out. I have some resources listed in my Links sections and Resources sections and several other authors in my Writers Blogroll. Check them out.

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