When Writing Your Novel Stalls

Committing to writing a novel is a tremendous joy and a tremendous burden. When you combine it with a full time job and at least three hours a day in the car driving to and from work, it makes for lots of stress. But the rewards are immense. The unraveling of thoughts and the re-weaving them into a coherent story people might want to read is a challenge but it makes me feel wonderfully creative and filled with purpose.

The past week has seen little movement toward more pages of "Safe Places," despite having enrolled in NaNoWriMo and needing to keep up with my daily word quota. But here is a weekend in which to play catch up. So on a sunny Saturday morning I am back at the computer looking at my chapter outlines and getting into chapter eight of writing my novel.

But first a little side trip.

On Wednesday night I held a book event at the Salvatore LaRussa Dance Studio in Middle Village. The event was largely attended by co-workers who came to support my literary efforts. I am grateful to all of them for sharing a part of me they don't get to know at work. I was a great feeling to see my colleagues relaxed and discussing things other than session notes, curriculum and caseloads. It was a pleasant night out, at least for me.

Here are a few pics from the event






I love sharing my writing with my reading audience because that's what writing is all about. We don't engage in this neurotic, solitary activity without thinking ahead to publication and the joy of touching the hearts and minds of our readers.

So off I go to head into the next chapter. Let's see what challenges and joys come into Meghan O'Hara's life as her story continues on the screen of my computer. Will she save the pregnant teenager? Will she get her wish or will it be thwarted by the corrupt councilman? Will the return of an old love be a second chance or a disappointment. You'll have to wait till the book gets published to find out. But that won't happen till I write the novel, so off I go.

Have a pleasant weekend.

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