Tuesday, February 16, 2010

For My Next Trick!

For the first time in five years, I sat down and wrote a poem. And I didn't even feel the slightest bit silly while doing it.

I've spent a significant amount of time since finishing my revision of GENERATIONS researching agents when I should have been polishing my synopsis. (I just took a break mid-blogpost to go work on it--talk about distractable.) I still have a ton of blogs to visit from Sunday's Love At First Sight blogfest, too! I'm determined to get there though! These blogfests are one of my favorite parts of being a blogger!

I want to thank everyone who stopped by here and commented on my COST OF LIVING excerpt! I do want to get back to Thairon someday, and take another shot at revising and bringing the manuscript up to par with my current writing, but it isn't a priority-- yet.

Now I'm curious, though! How many of you, my fine readers, have a character you ADORE that you've placed on the shelf in exchange for something greater?  Will you ever dust them off again? Do you find them pestering you in the middle of the night to give them another chance? Share a little bit about one of the characters that you had to give up-- or at least shove into the back of your mind for a while-- in the comments! I can't believe I'm alone :)

13 comments:

  1. Well. I've only written the one novel so far, so ask me again in a few months ;-)

    I love writing poetry! I actually have a few poems out on submission right now. If they're rejected, I'll probably post them on my blog someday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm pretty terrible at it, no joke. I gave it up a while ago because I just came to the realization that I had no talent. This one wasn't so bad though!

    I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm pretty awful at poetry, but occasionally I do try.

    Hatshepsut was someone I started writing about ten years ago and she wouldn't leave me alone. She was dusted off, but in an entirely different form than my original incarnation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! ten years, Stephanie! That's intense! I'm glad you've finally done right by her :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do have main characters I adore but have, for the sake of my future as a writer, shelved. I am still in love with them, and all it takes is a few glances through an old manuscript to revive those old feelings :( Someday, maybe

    ReplyDelete
  6. I understand totally, Diana! Every time I open up Thairon's document, I get reabsorbed by him. It breaks my hurt to turn away and go back to work on something else.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for your comment on my blog, and I'm so happy you enjoyed my piece. Which DVD did you just watch? I would love to know. I'm impressed you caught the Hadassah reference. I was trying to be sneaky. ;)

    I love the story of Esther and thought it would make a great sci-fi fantasy. Of course I will lose a lot of the religious implications, which is sad, but it has so much potential.

    And to answer your blog question--Elyzbeth Bynts. She was my first character and I used her name as logins for years. Unfortunately she didn't fit the story in my head so I let her take a vacation. I recently did pull her off the shelf and she is getting a good dusting ready to try a new story. Hopefully I can do her justice this next go around.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh-- I didn't watch it, unfortunately, I just saw it on the shelf and read the back and was like "this sounds soooo good." I'm kind of into biblical stories, myself :) But you never know what you're going to get when people remake the stuff, so I didn't buy it. It was at Target, and I think it was just called Esther.

    I'll be rooting for Elyzbeth!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great post--and I love that we got to witness your distraction. Definitely made me laugh!

    Um..I've put a few stories I love on hold, but not any characters. Only because my characters talk to me so much they literally won't let me ignore them (and yes, I realize that sounds crazy, but you're a writer, you understand, right? RIGHT?) But I do have characters who I force into smaller roles then they probably deserve, and I may do some short stories with them or something so they get to have more fun. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Shannon-- I know EXACTLY what you mean! My characters are the same way.

    Short stories sound like a really good idea-- Let them have a little fun, go for a walk, get into some trouble! I might do that myself :) Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well, as you know, I've momentarily shelved my one semi-finished novel. Perhaps I should say quasi-finished? Pseudo-finished? You know what I'm talking about. I'm trying to distance myself from the characters and the story, and then revisit it...but I can't stop thinking about it altogether, anyway.

    And I thought your poem was lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Which character do you think about the most from that book, Sarah?

    And thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Two. The main two. Sallie and Evan. Not usually together, though. I sort of think about them and how they are doing and what they are up to in my plot (or what they should be up to, anyway).ratto

    ReplyDelete

Comments are Love!

(Nota Bene: During #NAMEthatBUTT season, all comments are moderated and your guesses are hidden until after the butt is revealed!)