Wednesday, July 30, 2008

This is My Home

Here in Pittsburgh, TV station KDKA has a "This is your home" campaign. I'd like to share with you a piece of what has made Pittsburgh home to me:

http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/americorps0730.aspx

Monday, July 21, 2008

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Submitting Again

I am submitting poetry again. I'm not sure what's made me do it. I think I'm craving results-- results of any sort, really. Even rejections would make me happy; I consider rejections a measurement of how much I've tried. And since I have all of this random poetry I've written in the past two years laying around, I thought why not?

Ironically, I'm also thinking about writing a poem that begins with the line "You killed my poetry." Not directed towards anyone in particular, of course. . . ha.

If things were simple. . .

I would have picture books floating around at different publishers right now. But things aren't simple, so instead I'm sitting here with a list published by SCBWI trying to find a home for Mango Dance, totally overwhelmed by the mass number of publishers and their imprints.

You know, it's ok, though. Doing the grunt work is part of being a writer, and something we all have to go through. What is starting to drive me crazy is the number of people I see asking other writers to do the tough stuff for them. "Can you recommend an agent?" "Which publishers publish multi-cultural picture books from the point of view of a five year old boy. . . " You get the point. I don't know the best publisher for your manuscript, simply because I don't know it as well as you do.

If things were simple, I'd have my thesis written by now. Totally revised too! But the world doesn't let me sit down and work non-stop on any one writing project. I have responsibilities beyond writing. That's just the way it is. But, I make time to write because I love it. I may not always be in the mood for it, but once I get started, it's like a natural high and I don't want to stop.

If things were simple, I wouldn't be stressed out right now about a million different things. Then again, if I weren't stressed out, I wouldn't need writing to relax me.

Thank goodness things aren't always simple

Friday, July 11, 2008

Thesis Update

It has taken me four excruciating weeks to get caught up on my thesis. I don't know what's been going on with me, but I've been totally unmotivated.

Maybe I was just worn out, or maybe my old "I don't have to do anything productive in the summer!" additude came back. Whatever it was, I think I've kicked it.

I finally have my office 100% unpacked and set up, so I've been doing my writing at my desk like a real writer. Music playing in the background, internet disconnected-- it was the best feeling in the world last night to pound out those pages.