The Serious Writers Group

Serious.  We did serious writing.  Would you like to see?

Prompt:  Write a scene in dialogue of someone accusing another of being crazy and the other denying it.

“Are you crazy?”
“Easy.”
“You can’t take the corner that fast!”
“Hold on.”
“They’re still behind us.”
“I know.”
“Do you know where you’re going?”
“Kind of.  Mostly away from them.”
“What kind of get away driver are you?”
“The kind you hired.  Cheap.”
“Oh, shit.  Oh, shit, Oh, shit. Oh, shit.”
“We’re good.”
“That’s a red light.”
“I know.”
“There’s traffic.”
“I know.”
“OH MY GOD!  AAAAAAHHHHH!”
“No problem.  Are they still behind us?”
“Hang on. I have to remember how to breathe first.”
“Let’s get on the freeway.”
“No.  No, don’t.  We’ll get stuck in traffic.”
“No, we won’t.”
“We lost one of them.  The other’s still coming.”
“I don’t hear them.”
“I don’t think the siren’s on.”
“That’s not a good sign.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.  It’s just not a good sign.  Hang on.”
“Watch out for that ditch!”
“It’s not that bad.  We made it across the median.”
“Yeah, without our back bummer.  They’ll be able to make us for sure.”
“If they catch it.”
“Woah.  Watch out.  Look out!  Yikes!”
“Okay, freeway was a bad idea.  Let’s get off.”
“Let me out.”
“Do you want to get caught?”
“Yes.  The money we pulled from the bank isn’t worth this risk.”
“The cops think so.”
“Well, that’s their job.”
“Hang on!”
“Are you nuts?  We won’t fit through there.”
“Yes, we will.”
“No, no, we won’t.  Slow down.  Turn around. Stop!  Stop the car!”
“No, watch.”
“I’m not watching.  I’m covering my eyes.”
“Chicken.”
“Is it over yet?”
“Yes.  And guess who isn’t following?”
“Are you kidding?  Did you lose them?”
“Yep.”
“No way.”
“Yes, way.”
“Man, you’re good.”
“Told you.”
“Where we going now?”
“Back to the hideout.  You have cash to count so you can pay me.”
“About that.  See, the teller got the silent alarm before I got all the cash I thought I would get.”
“What are you saying?”
“We may have to renegotiate your fee.”
“My fee.”
“Yeah, see, there isn’t enough here to really cover costs, if you know what I’m saying.”
“Looks like enough to me.”
“Well, yeah, but there’s not really enough for both of us, so I thought since you’re only the driver, you could take a cut.”
“Only the driver.”
“Yeah.”
“All right.  Listen, we should get the money out of that bag.  I have one in the back seat that should work.”
“Where?”
“Take your seat belt off.  Look.”
“Oh, here it is.  Wait, what are you doing?  No, don’t!  Don’t!  Slow down first before you push me out the door!”
“Sorry about this.  My fee is non-negotiable.”
“Wait!  Wait!  We can talk about this!”
“No, we can’t.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Apparently, I am.”

I'm practicing for my radio play.  How'd I do?

I hate being proven wrong

From an AIM chat transcript with my friend, Laura:

Me:  Draft 13 of my short story is done.  *sighs* How sad is that?
Laura:  Lol! Actually, I think that makes you normal.
Me: I dare you to find me another published writer who has done 13 drafts.
Laura:  http://blog.karenwoodward.org/2012/12/how-many-drafts-does-it-take-to-write.html?m=1
Me: Well, fine.
Laura:  *g*
Me:  >:-P

Granted, Karen Woodward talks about novels in her blog, it was refreshing to see someone who uses a multi-draft system to complete her work.  Of course, I wonder how long it takes to run through her mult-draft system.

My husband sleeps next to me in bed.  He woke at 4 am this morning, as he tends to do the first morning off his third shift schedule.  I pick at my script, slowly but surely, while the first season of Sherlock plays on the bedroom telly.

I have NEW IDEA for when the short story is done (by Monday, at the latest.  I am presenting it to the writers group).  And once the script is done, I am shifting back to novel mode - even though it terrifies me to death.  After the last review of my short story came back from the Clarion editor, I realized I do suck at editing my own work.

The Clarion editor made the simplest suggestion to improve my story - and I kick myself still for not seeing it.  It was the best advice I have ever received on my work.  And yet, I'm ashamed it had to be given.  The next group of skills I need to work on is editing.  And I don't believe I will have any help from the writers group on that.  Its fearless leader gives his novels one pass before setting it off to a beta reader.  Once those corrections are made, he self-publishes through Amazon.

Call me old fashion and crazy, but I would like my second novel to be published by an actual publishing house.  I don't know why it is a dream, but it always has been.

I hear what you're saying.  "Second novel?"  I doubt I will possess the skills to properly edit my first novel for circulation.  However, I should be ready to go by the time I finish draft zero of my second novel.

Well, back to it.  Hubby snores.  It's the perfect backdrop sound for the script.