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Friday, October 21, 2011

Just in Case You Asked

When people find out I am a full time writer, they typically react one of two ways:
(1) They ask me if I've written a novel . . . when I say no, they lose all interest.
(2) They immediately launch into a long and involved regaling of how they have ALWAYS wanted to be a writer . . . and here is their idea . . . . and this is what they have written of it so far . . . and could I connect them with an editor or publishing house please?
RARELY, ever so rarely, someone will respond with a, "Really? How interesting . . . tell me about it."
So, because I'm feeling self-centered today :), I am going to pretend you asked me this and I'm gonna tell you what I've done in the last 24 hours to give you an idea of what I do.
1. I am writing a book on heat waves . . and have found VERY LITTLE info out there to help me. Very few books, for sure, even at Powell's, Amazon and the library. So I have been downloading technical articles from the web and trying to understand what I am reading, and then taking notes.
2. I just finished filling out the Excel sheet columns for 2,212, yes, TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWELVE, medical assessments. I had to click on the link, watch the video and then fill out info about it. It took forever and when I was done, I went out and celebrated.
3. I am writing assessment questions over a dinosaur unit. I am writing it at three different levels, so have to adjust my vocabulary and type of questions.
4. I am writing a college course on American Literature, so have been researching elements about Early American writers and finding articles to reference for the course.
5. I am getting ready to write a book about trains during the Civil War, so have been at the library gathering resource.
6. I am writing 23 passages and 78 items for grade 1. Sound simple? It's NOT. The vocabulary for first grade is so limited (less than 200 words or so) that it is very, very hard to come up with sentences and stories to write and stick to those words only.
That is THIS week's agenda. Just so ya know. In case you were gonna ask. And heck, even if you weren't.

3 comments:

Bev said...

WOW!! You rock!!

Ami said...

Wait... you're a writer?

Wow. You think you know a person...

Ami said...

And in re-reading this post, I realized that you left something out.

You write ALL THE TIME. You're up late. Up early to talk to editors etc. Your time is never your own. You have kept writing through deaths in the family, several illnesses and everything else that goes on in a person's life.

And you just keep writing.

One of the definitions of heroism is someone who just keeps going with their task no matter what shit gets thrown in their way.

Just one of the many reasons you're one of MY heroes.