The Writer on Saturday Morning

Saturday mornings (and sometimes Sundays too) are the most productive times for me. I wake up early, as my body is conditioned to do all week long, and in the quiet of my still sleeping apartment, I nurse a cup of coffee (or two!) and write. It is the most magical part of my week and I look forward to it.

While the dishwasher is rocking and the coffee is brewing behind me, I thought I would put down some of my thoughts, news and other miscellaneous items.

The critique group looks like it's going to begin in a week or two. Again, it will be only three members - two non-fiction writers and myself - but I don't mind. I haven't touched my poor novel since NaNoWriMo in November, and this group has given me that nudge to pull it out again. As I do, I am looking for some guidance on structure. I read a lot of fiction so I have a general sense of how to structure a story, but as a first-time novelist I really want to nail it. I asked some friends in the Austin WriterGrrls group for advice and Wendy Wheeler, a fabulous Renaissance woman, directed me to some notes on the 7 Point Plot Outline on her site that I am currently taking a look at.

In other news, plans are in the works for a third panel event at BookWoman. The store manager has signed off on my new idea and I already have some great leads. I will keep you posted!

In that vein, I should mention some other exciting events going on in Austin that have caught my attention. I had lunch yesterday with Laura Pressley, a SafePlace board member I interviewed for my first piece on domestic violence in The Good Life. She brought me up to speed on some excellent legislative work they are doing.


In addition, SafePlace is having a Field Day Festival on April 18 where my friend and former interview subject and panelist Michelle Mock will be speaking. She is a strong woman with a dynamic story, and those of you in Austin should come out! If you plan to, leave a comment here and let me know - I'd love to meet you.