Friday, April 24, 2009

My Writing Progress

This has been a good week for writing. After feeling stuck and unfocused for about three weeks as I settled into my new home, I am finally making progress on my novel again. I'm trying to flesh out four scenes that a reader in Paris suggested could be emotionally deeper, and this week I've made progress on two of them. One of those is my incredibly troublesome first chapter. This time around, it was youtube that helped me out. I set part of the chapter in a cockfighting arena (my novel's called Rooster), and there was some very illuminating (and very sad) footage on youtube about this subject. I set some videos to play and just wrote while I watched them as if I were simply documenting what I saw. The 500 words or so will probably reduce down to a few sentences, maybe less, but the most important thing is that it helped me move forward again, and I think I have some authentic details.

I also had an exciting lunch on Wednesday. Mary Yukari Waters, the writer I've raved about on multiple occasions here, met with me in a great little restaurant called Hurry Curry. I'm going to interview her for this blog and for, The Los Angeles Review, Upstairs at Duroc SmokeLong Quarterly, and this first conversation was very illuminating. Plus, she offered to give me a blurb on my book if I never need it!

The Los Angeles Review officially accepted "Red Man, Blue Man" and a small literary magazine in Paris called Upstairs at Duroc accepted a piece of flash fiction I wrote called "Enchantment." They actually asked me to do a public reading at the publication party, but alas, I'm here and they're there.

14 comments:

  1. Very exciting stuff! Lots of good news in this post.

    I do the same thing, watching videos and such to get over a hump. Sometimes, even just for motivation. Nothing gets me in the mood to write like a good action/fight scene in a movie.

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  2. Except for the cockfighting on youtube which I could have done without knowing about (I'm squeamish about hurting animals which is why I don't eat them)this is a good-news post, which I love! Making progress AND two pieces accepted! WELL DONE! :)

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  3. Great news, pal! One day you'll be as famous as me. Ha ha. Let's hope not, eh? :)

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  4. Davin, this is all excellent news! I'm very excited about the LA Review, because it's well-known and because "Red Man, Blue Man" is such an amazing story. Let me know when it hits the stands so I can nudge my LA friends into reading it.

    I'm glad you're making progress on "Rooster." I know you've been circling around those four scenes for some time. The interweb is a great way to sort of brainstorm and find new inspiration. This helps me legitimize my own web-surfing ("What are you doing?" "Research!").

    Nicely done with the future blurb from Mary Waters!

    Say, a month from now I won't be working on my own novel. Maybe you'll send me your ms...

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  5. So much good news! I'm very happy for you!

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  6. Yay good news!

    It's always fun to watch videos on youtube as a form of research. Not that cockfighting is particularly fun, though.

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  7. FaceBook, blogging, cell phone and GREAT NEWS? Can your life GET any better?

    Congratulations and I can't wait to see the interview! :)

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  8. T.S. Guppy, fight scenes, huh? Usually watching fight scenes (between people, not chickens) just makes me want to choreograph more fights scenes with my friends, friends who have since outgrown my silliosity.

    Ann, sorry about the cockfighting. It is a very sad thing. In my research, though, I have found a lot of information regarding safeguards that have been put into place. Some roosters--in countries where cockfighting is still legal--actually wear boxing gloves now. I don't condone it at all, though. It's definitely a bad element in my book.

    Justus...thank...s...

    Scott, I'll keep you posted. Hopefully I'll know when it hits the stands! I'd greatly appreciate if you would read my book. Just let me know when you want it. Likewise, if you want a reader for your book, I'm ready anytime.

    Thank you, Lotusgirl!

    Mariah, no, it's sad to watch the cockfighting. But in general youtube is very addictive for me. I end up searching for strange words like "generosity" or "invisible kangaroo" just to see what I get.

    Robyn, I'm still very undecided about whether or not these things are making my life better or worse!

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  9. I used YouTube for help on a couple fight scenes. Kav Magra baby! :) I'm just glad I don't have to watch cockfighting.

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  10. Congrats!!!

    ...and whoa...cockfighting. Wow. I bet that was some powerful writing.

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  11. Pas de problème, mon ami.

    Did I get it right?

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  12. That's great news on all fronts :) Keep up the good work (and isn't youtube a randomly valuable ... uh, maybe tool isn't the right word, but ...)

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  13. I am so IMPRESSED, Davin! You get to meet with amazing people and interview them and get blurbs? WOW! I am so happy to know you and to be able to chat with you. I hope one day we can meet for lunch and some literary chat. Maybe if we move to LA when my hubby makes it big in acting, LOL.

    Youtube has helped me with writing, as well. There is so much on there when you need some quick research!

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  14. Dude, it sounds like you get a fair amount of stories accepted. That's awesome! It's very inspirational to me, and I'm going to jump back into my short stories.
    Congrats on all the good news!

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