Hard Work

Yesterday I received an encouraging e-mail from an author who reminded me that writing is hard work.

I agree, but sometimes it's more than hard work.

Today the work has been Herculean, arduous, formidable, and painful.

If you've ever climbed a mountain, you may have experienced a false peak. It's that point you focused on while your legs and lungs burned like fire. You poured out your last bit of energy because you just knew you'd reached the top. And then? You raised your eyes to a five hundred foot vertical incline carpeted with loose gravel.

That's where I am today. What am I going to do?

I will get some rest and nourishment so that tomorrow I will have the energy to put on my boots and move forward.

WHAT I'M READING THIS WEEK: Tricks (Ellen Hopkins)

We're Not Islands

Why are so many writers connecting with each other through the internet, even though it bites (sometimes hard) into our writing time?

Because we need each other. We love to stay in touch and share our challenges and success stories. The Parisians had their salons, we have our Twitter, our Blogs, our Websites et al.

Here's something special: The fabulous Edith Cohn has posted her first author interview (with author Jo Knowles) on her blog. Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/q2z8af

I am so grateful for my writing tribe and am thrilled to see it growing!

SCBWI Grant

So last week I got the news that I won the SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grant for a Contemporary Novel. I've spent a week thinking they must have made a mistake. I just read the announcement on the SCBWI website. It must be real, right?

What does winning this grant mean? I'm not sure, but I think it must be REALLY REALLY REALLY good news. My first reaction was disbelief. Then I said, "Yikes, I've gotta get that final revision done."

A day later I said, "Cool. Maybe I could attend the 2010 SCBWI Winter Conference in NY... Yikes. I've gotta get that final revision done."

So basically, what this grant means is that I've got a lot of work to do. A work I love.

Thanks to all of you who helped make this possible.

WHAT I'M READING THIS WEEK: Fever 1973 (Laurie Halse Anderson)

Inspiration

What helps me to write everyday?

I love to read.
I love to write.
I love to read what I write, mostly.

What inspires you?

WHAT I'M READING THIS WEEK: A Bad Boy can be Good for a Girl (Tanya Lee Stone) Prom (Laurie Halse Anderson) All the Broken Pieces (Ann E.Burg) Kaleidoscope Eyes (Jen Bryant)