After spending nine months on a first draft and another year and a half on revisions, I resolved to make my next book a more streamlined process. That’s why I’m spending October of this year on research, outlining, and pre-writing, and I hope to use NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) to write my rough draft….
Category: General Interest
It’s Research, Dear
When I plan a trip, one of the first things I think about is what kind of research I can do there. Not because I’m looking for a tax write-off (because, hey, I still have to pay for the trip even if I can write some of it off later), but because I want to make…
Q: Fiction or Nonfiction? A: Both.
I spoke to a writers’ group in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after the publication at age twenty-six of my first book, a nonfiction guide to backpacking and camping in developing countries. I described the vagaries of finding an agent and publisher, and revealed to the audience my real dream as a writer. I told the group…
Life’s Wake-Up Calls
For the past few months, I’ve been so focused on my own stuff that I realize I’ve been missing the bigger picture. Time to reevaluate. As some of you may have heard, we’ve been moving—downsizing—and I’ve been angsting over a variety of things: 1. Downsizing. How do you get rid of a thing that someone…
Driving for a Paycheck
I’ve finally figured it out! There are two signs on each car I drive seen only by Special Drivers. (Special, of course, meaning unusual, distinct, specific and obviously run-of-the-mill.) I’m sure the sign on the front bumper says, “Pull immediately in front of me, proceed really, really slowly, and then wash your windshield.” The sign…