Blessings In Disguise

It's been a busy writer's day.

President's Day weekend has been our little writer's retreat weekend for the last four years now. The same thing, the same weekend - no questions asked.

Well this year the park office staff screwed us up big-time by making our reservations for last weekend instead of this weekend.

So we cancelled said reservations and decided perhaps it was time to consider other options.

Since it was too late this year, the GK Brainstormers decided to get together today over here at my humble abode to cuss and discuss reading, writing, and stringing up the stupid people who can't pull their heads out long enough to figure out which weekend is President's Day weekend when they have a calendar sitting right there in front of them.

We weren't bitter about it at all - can you tell?

Milford Lake twill be our chosen venue for 2012, and we'll be trying something brand new and see if we don't kill each other in the process. Typically at Osage Hills we've each had our own cabin in which to write during the day and gather at the big cabin that evening for our main meal and meeting time. At Milford Lake, we've decided to get the big two-story, five bedroom, two living room cabin with a full kitchen. Divided between the group, it works out to be about $41 apiece per night, much better than the $85 per cabin per night rates we have been paying.

Plus there's an added bonus.

Gordon, our dearly departed (only from the group, not the earth), leader who, once he moved, was unable to make such a long drive south. However, our new retreat location will be less than half the distance and will allow him to rejoin us for our annual retreats. I think we were all excited for that.

So all in all, the reservations screw-up could end up being a blessing in disguise. Can we all say an "AMEN" to that?

Then maybe next year I'll actually have some time to write again. That is if I can find a quiet corner to myself.

Detours

Returned a bit ago from taking my son to see his dad this weekend. Even though I'm missing our annual writer's retreat down at Osage Hills, since my son is out of town I'm going to go ahead and take advantage of the time to write.

Not sure what I'm going to work on. Usually I spend time each year before the retreat thinking and focusing on some ideas that I'd like to flesh out while there, so I'll have material for our nightly readings.

My mind has obviously been occupied by more important matters of late. :-)

So I'm thinking this evening of what I might be able to work on tomorrow in regard to stories I currently have going, or if I'll just start book number nine.

Now that I think about it, I'm going to go back to something I started several years ago. Once again it was a first chapter I wrote based upon a dream.

Guess you could say I live in a dream world half the time - ha!

The story was a pretty interesting concept for me. I pounded out that first chapter so quickly after the dream I'd had that it might behoove me to go back and fully flesh the puppy out a little bit. Perhaps I'll work on an outline or something to decide where I'd like to go with it.

Typically I've never worked with an outline - just write and write and let the story flow. I figure I can always go back and add or take out things that don't work or bog the story down too much.

So many writer's advice books talk about outlining stories to make them easier to write. I've always preferred letting it happen, but maybe it's time to see if it works easier and flows faster when I think the entire thing through at the beginning.

Once again, I can always change things if my characters decide to take a detour along the way.

They like to do that, you know.

Layoff Disruptions

Last week I had to make a difficult decision.

Our upcoming annual writer's retreat is this weekend down at Osage Hills in Oklahoma. Funny - a Kansas writer's group going to Oklahoma for their retreat.

Hey, there's good reasoning behind that.

So anyway, I've been looking forward to getting away from the hustle and bustle to spend a long weekend doing nothing but writing and meeting with my fellow writers. It's a wonderful opportunity I look forward to every year. Our first year was freezing cold, a dusting of snow and active wildlife all day long. Perfect writing atmosphere! Last year it was cold but rainy the whole time - another perfect writing year. The wood was just a bit wet and hard to start though.

The layoff has sure thrown a snag into my life's plans. Since I have not yet secured ample employment, I canceled my cabin reservation last Friday. Kinda hurt. Yes, I have the money to go right now, but there's no telling how long I could end up out of work. My savings may need to last awhile at this rate.

Plus, for some strange reason, my son isn't off this Friday this year. They always end up with the Friday before President's Day out of school for teacher in-service. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. Looked at the calendar last week and he's got school.

Go figure.

So that rather sealed it for me to cancel my plans. With my son being in high school, I hate to take him out of school. His big choir trip to Memphis is coming up next month too, so he'll be out a few days for that as well. A few of his classes require him to actually be in class to complete his work (like drafting), so he'll have enough to catch up on shortly. Don't need to throw another make-up day into the mix.

So it's all working out for the best. For that I can't complain.

Even if I will miss everyone. To my fellow critiquers - have a great time. I'll be thinking about you. :-)

And if for some reason you hear pebbles on your windows or something drops down your chimney, remember that I'm miles away.

You can't blame it on me this time. It's probably Gary.

Brewing and a Simmering

There's a story brewing in my mind.

It's been a long time since I wrote anything of significance. My brain is about to burst with a new story idea, but I would really like to go back and work on some of the other novels I've already started. Finished one about a year ago. I'd really like to get another one finished sometime this year.

However, there's a new story that has been simmering for the last several weeks. I've resisted putting it into the computer but it's about time to go ahead and at least get the story started.

Think I'll work on it at the annual retreat.

Yes, it's that time of year again - time for our annual writer's retreat!

Several years ago, our critique group began an annual tradition of going to a lovely campground down in Oklahoma and renting their cabins for the weekend. Each of us had a cabin all to ourselves so we could write and gather together to eat and share stories.

Last year seemed especially productive for me. I had several short story ideas I'd saved for just the occasion. Been thinking I'd save this new novel idea to start at the retreat, but now I'm not sure. Seems like it's been so long since I've had any real productive writing. The job switchover to a new company was enormously time consuming.

Now that I'm being released from that job, I'm excited to see what I might be able to come up with during my down time. Just hope my down time doesn't last too terribly long. Need a job to pay the bills until my writing begins to payoff.

But I'm struggling with the fact that the retreat will be an expense that I really shouldn't do while I'm without a steady paycheck. Plus my son's final Europe trip payment is coming due the first of February.

Feel in a bit of a quandary. I can't stand the idea of not going to the retreat. But I really shouldn't spend the money when I can't afford to. But then if I get a job now, I won't be able to go because the new job will rightfully take priority.

What to do - what to do.

You know what? Right now I'm not going to worry about it. I'm still going to plan on going, I think. I'll deal with a job if I get a job by then. If I don't get a job by then, I'll see how the financial situation is a little closer to that time. No need to worry about it just yet.

And my story? I don't think I'm going to wait on it, now that I think about it. My last week on the job is quickly approaching. I'll have some time on my hands then, so it will be a great opportunity to get a headstart on the story.

I can always work on it more at the retreat. Looking forward to the writing time. Hurry up Friday!