What? You thought I gave up?

Wow, a whole week goes by without an update. I suppose that's what the holidays and work can do to you. Since I've spent so much time getting things ready for family time and presents, not to mention my additional responsibilities at work after the promotion, there hasn't been much time for writing. That's why a week went by, because there wasn't really anything to blog about. I keep updates to show how the process has been going, but since nothing really has happened, then no updates.

Not a day went by that I didn't right something at least. You have to write, even if it's only a few sentences long. If that doesn't happen, the main character will die a slow death because you didn't keep the idea of him/her alive to know what they're supposed to do. It sounds odd when I word it like that, I know, but it's the truth.

I chose today to get back into the swing of things because I finished all my Christmas stresses, I mean, Christmas shopping, so some proper amount of writing was done. It's writing sessions like the one I had today that really get me going on doing this professionally. See, I was stumped on how to handle a certain sequence in my story. The characters had met, they had to meet, but the next incident couldn't happen for awhile yet, so I was stumped at how to handle their interactions for a the next few story days. So, like any writer who is stumped/blocked, I did the only logical thing: I kept writing, knowing damn well that what I was writing would most likely be crap. What happened? I gave the characters something to do that not only better developed both their personalities but provided a balance to story elements I had already planned. That, my friends, gives a man hope.

On top of this, my friend Dustin lent me a copy of "The Writer's Market," an almanac of publishers, so that I know who to contact once I feel that the first few chapters are in good order and a synopsis is complete. Best case scenario once I send out some query letters would be that somebody likes the idea I have to offer and gives me an advance to finish the novel. I wouldn't quit my day job if that happened, but you can believe I'd lose some sleep making sure the advance meant something. Here's to hoping!