Twenty Ten

Goals. When you put them on paper and stick to the plan good things happen. I exceeded my writing goals in 2009 and I hope to do so again this year. I have three finished short stories that I'll be submitting to journals over the course of the year. But the big fish in 2010 is writing and finishing a novel.

I've never had a goal to write and finish a novel. Thus far in my writing life I've focused on short stories. Not this year. I'm dedicating January and February to research. Reading novels and stories similar to what I want to write and researching late 1800's London and the wild American west. Oh, and outlining the story so I have a road map. In March I plan to start writing the novel and hopefully by August I'll have a working rough draft. I'll spend the rest of the year revising and hopefully by January 2011 I'll have a manuscript to send to agents

My Writing Soundtrack

I'm interested in how other people write, what kind of conditions are needed to bring a story to life from an initial image or opening line or character they've thought of. I like to write in public spaces but often find myself writing at home, listening to Josh Rouse. Seems like most of my writing time has been scored by Josh Rouse since I first discovered him when I was a freshman in college (99/00). Lately, though, I've been listening to Lewis & Clarke when I write, a band my friend Artist/Musician Caleb Engstrom introduced me to at a very intimate show here in Iowa City. I am most drawn to the atmosphere they create with their music and the folksy lyrics, which lend themselves to the sense of place I try to create in my fiction. Though I've found few videos of Lewis & Clarke on the net, here is a clip of them performing "Before It Breaks You," a personal favorite; this video should give you an idea of what I am talking about. Enjoy.