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.
Poshmark
Publishers are shutting down. Emails are trickling in. False cheer pervades the air. It can only mean one thing. It’s time to write your ass off. It’s time to shut out the world and stay in your housecoat. It’s time to reflect on nothing and go forth into that bad night. I hear so many excuses for not writing that if I had a nickel. Do you feel me? I am daring you to get 15 pages done by the new year and then we’ll talk resolutions and weight loss. I love you but I love solitude more.
What’s your pledge?
Filed under: Uncategorized |
Betsy Lerner 
Following through on my pledge to retire. My excuse, which you may never have heard before, is lack of time. I’m kind of anxious but also excited about quitting the grind. We’ll see….
Mike, I’m green with envy. Someday, if the melanoma doesn’t get me first, I’ll be rocking that front-porch swing like a boss. I hope you enjoy every minute of your retirement. xo
Thanks, Averil. I plan on turning in my notice tomorrow. My goal is to focus on writing and having fun. Oh, and to get some work done around the house, too.
Mike, that’s a great pledge to make! I did it seven years ago and haven’t regretted it (yet). Be aware that at some point, you’ll wonder how you ever found the time to work!
Thanks, Carol. It’s great that you’re keeping busy. Last July, my daughter got me a coffee mug that had the words “Do what you love, love what you do” written on the inside top of the mug. I realized I was doing neither.
Lucky for you, now you can do both!
I am in hibernation mode. Put swimming on hold, using condo workout room Jan and Feb. Going out every 2 weeks for lettuce and milk. I am revising 2 novels. I work on one in the morning, the other late afternoon. Then the one from late afternoon in the morning and rotate. My goal is to complete both drafts by March. Then pay my $25 to Pub Marketplace and find an agent. It’s my time! Also have a critique on a full-length play that I plan to zoom with critiquer in Feb. I love early dark 5:00 feels like 8:00 so I gain 3 hours. Happy holidays.
No pages, no excuses. I’m trying to reimagine what writing is for me or what it could be. So far I’ve figured out what it isn’t, which I’ll assume is progress.
However, I do like pledges, and my favorite coffee shop is wearing its Christmas jammies, so I’ll pinky-swear to resume my 5am writing hour through the new year and see what it gets me.
Game on, Betsy.
My publisher gave me the rights back to my very first novel, so I’m updating that one and creating a new cover and will publish it in the spring. And then hopefully publish the one I’m working on next summer. But we’ll see if I can stop refreshing my email first. #probablynot
“What’s your pledge?”
I’ll follow up on the note I made in the draft to excise a character and tie up the loose ends of her removal. Even though she’s a not-insignificant character, the narrative has become bogged down and needs some tightening up. The finished work will have to do without her.
I underwrite. So I’ve added 1500 words to my essay. After family ordeals I’m coming home and getting that essay right.
Lots of family around for the holidays so, being a lover of solitude as well, I’m just going to have to escape to my office for a couple hours a day and work! fifteen pages is a good start to the ending of a YA novel I started years ago. I’m dying to see how it ends!