When I set out to learn about my mother's bridge club, the Jewish octogenarians behind the matching outfits and accessories, I never expected to fall in love with them. This is the story of the ladies, their game, their gen, and the ragged path that led me back to my mother.You know it’s DAY 8 because the sun is shining, your monitor’s humming, there are Wheat Thins shards in the bottom of the box and your brassiere is snug but not too snug. Yes, bitches, you’re writing. Can you feel the burn? Yes, I had a better day today. Self loathing in abeyance for a bit and a good simile can make my day. Keep going, keep going, keep going.
What’s your poison: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essay, villanelle, etc.
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Betsy Lerner 
Nonfiction, totally. I wish I could write fiction, but it just never rings true. (I’m going to have to look up villanille).
And the writing today went well, in a finding the clove of roasted garlic in the marinara sauce kind of way.
Non-fiction is my default for both reading and writing. It’s where I find the most satisfaction. I was definitely not on fire today, but I finished my blog post for tomorrow, pictures and all, and I’m feeling good.
Essays, articles, columns anything with a byline and I’m your bitch. For me fiction is Main Street, the avenue, the boulevard. I’m great at side streets and divided highways and continually strive for Main. I just wanna make something up.
I’m trying to come back to fiction, but I’ve fallen hard for poetry and am finding it hard to make the shift. I’ll admit that I’ve cheated on my story in a couple of these sessions.
Poetry is the best!!
Fiction with the ring of fact, the shimmy of the poetic.
Poetry and nonfiction. The other day my friend said that she could write a poem and that the experience would be complete. She didn’t have to publish it. But essays are so much work! She feels like publishing is part of the experience. I’ve been thinking about that.
I think about that, too. I wonder if I enjoy writing poetry because no one will read it. I could also bury a novel, of course, but it’s such a huge investment of time that you almost have to show it to SOMEONE just to prove you actually finished the fucker.
That whole concept really gets in my way. I flung myself at my first book and wrote it exactly as I wanted because I believed it was just for me. Then I did show it, and publish it, and wished I hadn’t. Now I don’t trust Future Me to guard the impulses of the Present, and my writing is suffering for it. I’ve not figured out how to get around this.
Why do you wish you hadn’t? Hm. Guarding against Future You is a struggle. She is always changing!
I have your published books, Averil, and I have read them, and intend someday to read them again. When you’re good, you’re very, very good.
the hard truth of fiction.
rea
FICTION. UNFORTUNATELY.
To you, Jody, I reveal my – gulp – class of ’69.
And I’m nonfiction, unfortunately.
Nice to meet you!
This is working for me. I’m trying to figure it out, and all I’ve come up with is “When the student is ready, the teacher comes.”
My question for Betsy: what made you come up with this? Was it conscious or unconscious, your own need coupled with the need you know most writers have, an act of God, your prayer or your anger? Love? Fear?
Where did it come from and why is is working?
I seriously took a workout class for thirty minutes for thirty days.
It really made a difference. Not so much in my body, but a feeling of I could do anything for 30 minutes a day. And my own writing was becoming more erratic and like that.
I did my thing – a little shy of the goal, but I hope to make up for it today – HOWEVER, I feel the need to take a step back before I write myself onto some side road that’s a dead end. I’ve been writing like I’m out for a Sunday drive – oh, let’s take this path and see where it leads.
Yikes. I’m at almost 60K with this . . . MF’er, . . . and I feel like before I get lost, or can’t get back home, I need to think about the structure.
Poems mostly these days, but I’m also reading and making notes on the second draft of a novel manuscript. Glad you had a better day. Keep going, keep going (you, me, everyone!)!