Halloween Hangover
Back to reality, leaving the enticing world of the haunted behind.
The season was a success. I always have this feeling of accomplishment after October but then a swift decline in overall moral. I am overwhelmed with the passing of another year. November and December feel very much like an epilogue.
This year I intend to stay positive—I am trying out optimism, seeing how it fits—and I will practice this newfound outlook with self-reflection.
On Writing:
Beyond the Horror Month posts, the newsletter has been inconsistent. This was in part to an extraordinarily hectic summer, but I also dedicated a lot of extra brain cells for drafting a project that I never finished. I feel like I am always in two states: drafting or not drafting. I am never finishing or editing. My biggest hurtle as an inspiring writer is my inability to complete a project. Maybe I should be talking about THAT in therapy.
I’ve set a goal for the rest of the year, filling the gloomy evenings with something productive, completing a first draft—a first draft of anything, old or new. Right now, I am leaning towards a new project that I’ve roughly laid out on scrap page in the back of my planner. (Believe me, the story on a scrap of paper is ALWAYS more enticing than whatever is on your Word document.) But unlike some of my previous projects, I think this one has a real hook that could be marketable in the future. Yes, I am counting chickens, but I am trying to be more realistic with my childhood dreams.
I may update further on this subject later in the month, but for now I plan to set aside an hour a day in the evening for drafting. With any luck, I could have a (very) rough draft by the end of the year.
Something I wrote in the Notes app while walking:
A dusky rose evening. When a thunderstorm passes close by but not close enough for rain to touch. Cool tendrils of air. The sky goes pink, and wet asphalt turns purple. The greens become new. It only lasts a moment, and then the night goes violet.
My Notes app is full of little vignettes and strange one-liners that lose their meaning shortly after I write. I often will pull up my phone in the middle of the night or while walking when inspiration hits. They are more often forgotten and not utilized in my actual work, but they are a great way to keep the craft sharp, work on observational skills.
Most of the time, the notes go something like this: she’s always watering sand.
House of the Dragon and other Fantasies:
Life feels less without my little show about dragons and my little show about hobbits. With both HoD and Rings of Power ending their seasons, I am left with the grim realization that much of my heart rented space for large corporations (HBO and Amazon). I need new shows to fill the void for two years. Any suggestions?