I spent little time on the Internet the last couple weeks. I used my time wisely, reading novels, chapters, and proposals for the novel workshop. Along with reading Zuckerman's book, Writing The Blockbuster Novel. After work each day I was pretty much reading. I didn't dare go on the Internet. It's such a timesink!

So, this last weekend I went to Lincoln City for the workshop. We went through fourteen novels from Friday noon to Sunday noon. My novel was right smack dab in the middle. I had my suspicions about it before I sent in to be critiqued, so it was no surprised to hear those things. It was a short novel, only 50,000 words which basically makes it unsellable. Did I learn anything to improve it? Yes, I have ideas on how to fix it like maybe making two novels out of it, if you can believe it. Then there's the idea to focus on the wishing well I have in the novel and get rid of the novel's opening with the antagonist.

A New York Editor read and commented on all the proposal packages. John Douglas, a freelance editor who is the husband of Ginger Buchanan, editor at Ace. Dean read John's comments, both generally and individually. John's comments were very valuable in this, another detail that made this workshop worthwhile.

With reading Maass' book and Zuckerman's book, plus the refocusing on our critiques while in workshop, I'm eager to start on the next novel. As for my first and current novel I think I'll have first readers read it as I work on the next one. Then next fall and winter, I'll see if I'm ready to attempt fixing it. Or I might even do what I can now and then get it in the mail. Decisions, decisions.

Only one thing was missing while staying and Kris and Dean's house on the coast. No writing!