My next online workshop

It's been a month since I posted last. The good news is that I just began my second online writing workshop. I will be using this workshop to enter a short story contest for Writer's Digest. Below is my introductory post to the discussion board for our first lesson.

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I am a 31-year-old married man who works for a large Global consumer products company in the Chicago area. My two biggest passions are running marathons and trying to tap into my writing soul.

My major writing goal for this year is to complete NaNoWriMo in November, a feat that scares me far more than running 26.2 miles (see www.nanowrimo.org for details).

My story idea is for a contest submission that is due to Writer’s Journal by June 20. The main rule of the contest is that the short story must begin with the words "They could see..." Here is a single-sentence description:

A 12-year-old boy and his younger sister are stranded in a roadside car wreck during a Minnesota snowstorm with their father who has suffered a stroke.

Balancing many goals in life can be difficult

I decided that I didn’t leave enough time to write a quality story for the Writer’s Journal contest. I am falling short with this mini-milestone to submit a story to the Write To Win contest that is due to tomorrow. I have written 1,083 words of a story that is not well put together and has a ton of work left to do. My wife read it and the look on her face told me that. I suppose trying to do this the same week I ran the Boston Marathon has been a tough task.

I will make a more focused commitment for the next deadline—June 20, 2007 for “They could see…”

In the meantime, I am pasting the first scene from my incomplete story to display the valiant effort put forth.

He reached for…

…the gold-plated letter opener out of a birch memory box that rested atop the credenza. The den inside the old Colonial was uncomfortably cool even for July. Wade pawed his antique mail sword carefully with veins bulging from his frail hands.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” whispered Allison as she clenched Greg’s hand. “I can’t believe I agreed to this.”
Allison showed her husband a hopeless frown. She wished he would yank her out of her chair so they could dash out of the old man’s house together. Instead, she found him gazing at the crown molding and the vintage canvas collection that adorned Wade’s study.
“We can get through this, Ally. Your mother asked for this meeting to take place. The least we can do is respect her wishes,” whispered Greg.
“Respect her…?” Ally’s hand flew out of Greg’s grasp in a blaze. She tightened her lips, while she lunged her head straight ahead. Her sarcastic response was interrupted by a familiar voice that crooned from behind her.
“Yeah, we’re at Wade’s now,” barked Danielle into her cell phone. “Once we sign the papers, I’ll meet you at Cedar Woods. Tee time is set for 10:00.” It was a classic portrait of Danielle, who again was blissfully defiant of the destructive gravity that women in their family had battled for years.
Though Allison appeared steady, her eyes seeped out the occasional tear. She was unable look at her mother’s long-time attorney, her husband and especially not Danielle. She diverted her stare into the tapestry of wood knots on Wade’s executive desk in front of them, which looked like a universe of frozen embryonic creatures to her.
Wade gave Danielle a polite smile, which prompted her to end her phone conversation. He then held out his weathered hands like an ordained prophet as he greeted the three mourners, stirring up a strange energy inside of his plush Connecticut estate. Danielle stood distant from the married couple, ruffling creases out of her khaki slacks.
“As you may know, we don’t typically read the deceased’s last will and testament in person like this, but we know your mother was far from typical. Madeline designated me as her executor and asked that I assemble us together,” explained Wade.
Madeline’s longtime advisor drove his letter opener into a massive manila envelope with geriatric force. Danielle balanced her Starbucks cup and swayed breezily from side-to-side. Wade appeared distracted by her pendulum swing.
“Danielle, please, won’t you sit down?” Wade paused his shredding of the large packet and motioned one of his puffy, decrepit hands toward a leather-wrapped chair beside Allison. Danielle sneered as she slid her large bottom onto the armrest of the large recliner opposite her older sister.

See more progress on: Do NaNoWriMo

Struggling

I’m struggling to gain confidence in the direction of this short story that I started for the April 20th deadline. It’s April 12th and I’ll be busy running the Boston Marathon this coming Monday. I don’t have a lot of time.

I read the last issue’s winning story, which started with “The box was small, but…” The winning author immediately took that phrase into action. That’s my issue. I don’t think I have enough action so far.

I didn’t write a lick last night. I have tonight and Friday night. Sat and Sun nites are shot. Probably won’t write on Monday, since we’ll be in Boston. I have the plane rides in both directions. Then Tue, Wed and Thursday.

I was hoping to have more confidence and be in a better position with this project. Onward!

See more progress on: Do NaNoWriMo

My next short story is under development - Apr 20th

Work travel has been a bit crazy but I am back writing again. Never mind the fact that I am running the Boston Marathon in, um, six days! However, the Write To Win contest deadline is APRIL 20TH. That is 10 days away, basically.

I have begun digging into the minds of 32 year-old Wade Fendingham, his older sister, Danielle, and 27 year-old Allison Stark. I’ve got an idea, and a mere 1500 words to work with.

“He reached for… the gold-plated letter opener…” – Write To Win starter line, with my object…

It is the mid-1980’s and Allison is off on her first ever mission with the International Rescue Committee, serving out goodwill to the starving, repressed people in Sudan. The Darfur Conflict is several years off, but the civil war is well under way. Allison is living out a lifetime dream, working in a far-off land, connecting with people and driving positive change.

Before her journey, she befriends Danielle in Manhattan, with whom she shares a yoga class. Shortly thereafter, Danielle introduces Allison to her socially awkward younger brother, Wade, who happens to be a commercially successful author.

It was painful to get this far, but I have a number of directions I am contemplating taking the story line. I am concerned about length. Nevertheless, I will submit a story to this contest. My postmarked envelope will go no later than April 20th, 2007.

See more progress on: Do NaNoWriMo

Get cracking, mister! You're a short story author with a deadline!

I haven’t been free writing the way that I know I should be as of late. I need to get cracking on my next milestone toward NaNoWriMo, which is to enter a “Write To Win” contest sponsored by Writer’s Journal. The deadline is April 20th. I need to deliver a brilliant 1,500 word or less piece of fiction.

Last week, I free wrote starting with the opening phrase “He reached for…”, as suggested by the contest. The next thing I knew, the character of Wade was grappling a letter opener with a high anticipation of its contents.

It was postmarked from Sudan, where Maria is stationed with the Peace Corps. Maria has clearly made a major impression on Wade, during a single day’s meeting during Wade’s recent journey to Africa.

I just looked it up and Sudan is presently an inactive station for the Peace Corps. Intriguing plot line, perhaps?

Get writing, Ryan…

See more progress on: Do NaNoWriMo

Who are Maria and Wade?

I tested myself with a free writing exercise. I started with the Writer's Journal contest started phrase: "He reached for..."

It landed me inside of the consciousness of a man named Larry, who minutes later, I renamed Wade.

What do we know about Wade after 10 minutes of free writing and three hundred words?

He is an author.
He is desperately in love with a woman called Maria, whom is thousands of miles away.
He has met her only once in the nation of Sudan.
His sister's name is Danielle and is in the Peace Corps.
Wade is tired of writing to Maria. It has lost its luster. He needs to see and hear Maria.

I need to make this story come to life.

Finished reading my 2nd novel of 2007

I read Brian Freeman’s “Immoral” and would say that it was a fairly interesting read. If I had to give favor to one of the two books I have read so far this year, I would have to give favor to “Human Capital” by Stephen Amidon.

From his bio on his website, I found the following quote from Freeman interesting:

“I recall James Michener saying that you should only get published after you’ve written a million words,” Freeman says. “I must be just about there.”

One of the compelling comparisons that come to mind about the two authors was their choice of imagery in their characters’ sexual escapades. Amidon was extremely delicate, forcing the reader to look for clues by sharing quizzical details on the sexual act. Freeman was more direct and descriptive; very racy and erotic. Amidon tended to focus more on the emotional impact of the act and how it was playing out in the characters’ minds.

I read an article in Writer’s Journal about Jerry B. Jenkins and his book “Writing For The Soul”. I learned that he is very much a Christian writer, which is fine, but I must say I am not overly-religious, which I am sure some of my fictional ideas would suggest. I’m thinking about getting it as many of the reviews on Amazon rate it highly as a motivational book.

See more progress on: Successfully complete my 2007 goals