SNOW DAYS

Today was a writing day. With three inches of snow on the ground and driveways and sidewalks replicating the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, I chose to stay indoors. After a hip fracture and hip replacement, the possibility of sliding on the ice wasn't something I wanted to risk. I spent the cloudy cold day reading flash fiction stories, critiquing flash fictions from the members of my online writing class, and creating some new story germs from prompted free writes. All in all a creative day.  I even revised a couple of stories and finally, finally sent out a short story and three poems in hopes of getting them publsihed. I feel relaxed and productive even though I didn't get to organizing my art supllies in the plastic bins I purchased last week.

Productivity and creativity are measured by numbers of words on the page. I'd say about 1,000+ today. And I am confident my genre jumping days are narrowing. I am so focused on flash fiction now I can even put aside poetry for the moment--at least until my two online flash courses are over. I feel a new respect for this tiny literary form. Though I love novels, the concision and intensity of flash fiction make these stories deeply rewarding in 1,000 word or less. to think one free wirte of 800 words could be the entire first draft of a story. Ahhh, bliss.

I hate winter and long for summer days in warm sunshine and cool shade. I count the months until I can retire and move to warmer climates. But in the meantime I will use these cold snowy days to fill more notebooks with story drafts and to send off my literary babies to find fame (though not fortune) in the pages of literary journals.

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