Clean first draft, before the pens took over. So, it has occurred to me that I haven’t actually told you guys what my novel is about. Bad writer! Without further ado, my novel in a sentence: A young art protege, thrown into early fame, yearns for a normal life with her immature parents, only to…
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Believe or Not…I’m Walking on Air
Friends, Cheers, MASH, Golden Girls, Facts of Life, and Greatest American Hero (see title – and YouTube clip). What do these shows have in common? Memorable theme songs. Even though MASH didn’t use the lyrics (suicide is painless didn’t really fit the show) the song is hummable. What happened to theme songs? Some new shows…
Block Revision Has Begun
Well, I’ve started. Block Revision, that is. This is a process – a major process, a very long major process – that involves going scene by scene and fixing things. Finally writing on the actual manuscript using all the worksheets and index cards from the past few months. The process: You start with your new…
Quick Fix: Loser
LOSER By: Jennifer Gregson “You are a loser.” Roger stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His head hurt. The party had been loud, but the music couldn’t drown out Mindy. Everyone saw her dump him. Everyone saw her leave with the captain of the football team. Everyone would be talking about it on…
Other Side of the Coin
Okay, so last week I told you about five pop culture phenomenons that I didn’t get until it was too late (although, is it ever really too late to join a fandom?)….this week, it’s the opposite. Five things I just don’t understand – and, trust me, you’re going to be upset. 1. Mad Men. I’ve…
Worksheets, Index Cards, and Timelines…oh my!
I’ve been busy, as little man has napped really well lately, and I’m nearing the end of filling out worksheets and playing around with my outline cards. I’m getting ready to actually start cutting, rewriting, revising, and reworking my manuscript. I’ll be using those worksheets I spent weeks painstakingly filling out, I’ll be using the…
Late to the Party
While my little man was trying to wake up this morning, and I thought about this here blog…my mind wandered to television and some of the new shows we’ve been watching in our house. This led me here – five pop culture phenomenons that I started liking way too late. 1. Firefly. I love Nathan…
Quick Fix: Nothing Better Than a Good Story
NOTHING BETTER THAN A GOOD STORY By: Jennifer Gregson Lola turned the street corner, her heart racing. “Yes!” she yelled, dropping to her knees. She wiped her hands on her blue and white Monroe High School cheerleader sweater. “I found it, I finally found it.” Practice that morning had started as usual, but then she…
My First Draft Sucks! Now What?
Now what? Well, I eat chocolate. Of course, I do that on most days so nothing really helpful there… No, no….come back. I have a solution. It’s this magical thing called REVISION. Ooohhh, see how it sparkles?!?! OK, it doesn’t sparkle, but it is magical. It can turn your shitty first draft into something wonderful…
Hello Again, Internet!
Good Morning, Internet! Sorry, was that too loud? I’ll try to use my indoor voice from now on. (Also, it’s afternoon – I should really look at a clock now and then.) See, I bought this domain name a few years ago while I was working on my solo cabaret show. It had promo pics…