The Next Work: Part I
Back in 2011, my sister in-law was battling cancer. I was in the Austin Hospital, awaiting surgery on a broken leg after being hit by a car. She was in another hospital, awaiting surgery on the removal of a tumour. She texted me and assured me that one day we’d take a walk in the park together. I marvelled – and have to this day marvelled – at her attitude: she was facing life-threatening surgery, while I had a broken leg. The following year as she continued her fight, I had other friends who had to face cancer in their lives. One friend had to deal with his partner developing…
Revision and Genre
My WIP has long been neglected. It was never my intention. Usually, when I finish anything – be it short story, novel, or screenplay – I launch straight into revision, and keep revising (reading it over and over) until I can get nothing more out of it. Then I give it a break, then start the process again with a fresh mind. When I’m certain I have nothing new left to offer, I’ll send my work out to alpha readers. Their feedback will contain stuff that I either can no longer see, or was never able to see. As an author, you have all the answers in your head. But…