I have always been a long-distance writer in the sense of doing novels over other formats. I know from experience that I typically start out with scene one and am never sure what's to happen after that. Just how I work. I have learned to stay away from attempting poetry. The form is a diamond with many facets and escapes me. The short story, I learned to work at it and I have, I believe learned well and have done now several collections of my own and have been involved in a number of anthologies. So I have done pretty well with the novel form, the short story form, but one form of art I have not attempted before is the NOVELLA.
Darned if I have not found my first novella to have gone quite well. So well that I am in the midst of a sequel novella to it as I write this. CHICAGHOSTS is the series title. I find that I am having fun with the form, and I have surprised myself with it.
Like anyone, writers fall into habits that are comforting, and we begin to believe our own assessment of our strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes to our own detriment. Not unlike life itself, eh?
I'm reminded of what some old timers told me when I was young about this creative life, writing life, the life of imagination. They'd ask, "Are ya havin' fun with it?" After a resounding YES from me, the old timer would shout back, "Then keep doing it! When it stops being FUN, stop doing it!"
I am working on my 64th title - that new novella sequel called Chicaghosts - The Spiral Hole. Guess what. I am still having fun and I started having fun with it in Jr. High. And YES, I am now an old timer.
Latest cover art from most recent books:
Darned if I have not found my first novella to have gone quite well. So well that I am in the midst of a sequel novella to it as I write this. CHICAGHOSTS is the series title. I find that I am having fun with the form, and I have surprised myself with it.
Like anyone, writers fall into habits that are comforting, and we begin to believe our own assessment of our strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes to our own detriment. Not unlike life itself, eh?
I'm reminded of what some old timers told me when I was young about this creative life, writing life, the life of imagination. They'd ask, "Are ya havin' fun with it?" After a resounding YES from me, the old timer would shout back, "Then keep doing it! When it stops being FUN, stop doing it!"
I am working on my 64th title - that new novella sequel called Chicaghosts - The Spiral Hole. Guess what. I am still having fun and I started having fun with it in Jr. High. And YES, I am now an old timer.
Latest cover art from most recent books:
