I was at work Monday. They were painting the Big Boss's office. I inhaled paint. Monday night, Tuesday = asthma big time- OK, I can deal with this. Call in sick. Finally breathe fine-plan to work on Wednesday. NOPE, wake up Wednesday with severe dizzy spell-every drink so much that the room spins when you lay down? That was me. Was able to call in sick and that was it. Ok, will work Thursday. Yeah right. I think my body just decided to call in a strike but forgot to let my brain in on it. Or is my brain considered management? I have had this pain before. Not much anyone can do for it-guys you can stop reading- it is a cyclic cyst. It doesn't cause severe pain every month but when it decides to be painful my whole body reacts. I had coedeine from the last time this happened. The only alternative is a hysterectomy, and "since the benefits of not performing the procedure outweigh the benefits of performing the procedure at your age...." Well, I am stuck between a rock and pain. Coedeine is nice-missing pay is not. OK guys, you can come back now.

Time off wasn't a complete waste; I read Stephen King's "On Writing". Considering the fact that I have not read any of his fiction-that I remember; the man has some good points. The idea of writing just to make a sale defeats the purpose of using your gift. Doesn't mean you can't improve your writing skill, but it means to get your story out of your brain first, then develop it. (The reason I haven't read King is more of fear than anything else-active imagination leads to nightmares! Although, now that I know the background of how he comes up with his ideas, I may read his most recent book-hubby picked up Hardcover for me.)

For as long as I could remember, I have told myself stories-except since November of 2001. I finished telling myself a "Happy Ever After" and then my self telling stopped. I don't know why. But after that time, I started having depression type problems. I just realiZed that folks, so please give me a moment to digest.. here.

OK, back folks. Funny what you can learn about yourself while typing away. Time to translate my self telling stories to written word, (had to erase 'wrotten').

Anyway, got some good practical advise from a master storyteller/story salesman. Plan your time. Lock yourself away from distractions-ie same time every day for set number of hours/words. Can play music but no tv, no games, no guests, visitors, phones-just you, your chair, your table, your equipment and write. Doesn't have to be great or even good, but it has to be honest to you and to your character. Get the story out of your brain. When all done, print it, then put it away for awhile. Start working on something else. Something different. For a couple of weeks at least-if not longer. Almost forget the story. Then pick it up with a pad of paper and a pen and be prepared to edit and make notes. Then retype and rework. Lose 10% of what you had before. Then print again. Then let your Very Important Reader(s) (VIRs) read and get back to you. Editing, on what works, on what drew them in, what made them laugh, cry, what lost them. What you can loose-where you need to add. Discuss with them. See their point, then work again-if you have more than 1 reader and they both say the same thing in the same spot-most likely they are right, if they disagree-its a wash. Oh, and once you know what you are doing, try to write for your VIR. This book will be a reference book!

This is a very brief synopsis, but I learned a lot. There is also a practical exercise that he gives instructions to do and email to him. I a really tempted to do this and email it to him. I don't know if he is still accepting the exercise since the book was release so long ago-I think in 2000 or so, but even if all negative feedback-well it gives me a starting point.


On crochet front-I finally figured out what type of baby afghan I am making for DD to give away-variation on one large granny square. It will not have groups of 3 stitches in 1 hole, but will have groups of three stitches then a space. I am making it up as I go along-it is not bad looking.

Re: previous post-my first chapter is not a prolouge at all-but a main portion of the story. It is just very long. I don't think that I am going to wory about chapter lenght as much any more. That can be rearranged later.