Here's an article called "Wrangling with Characters." The lovely editors of Glimmer Train Stories asked me to write a short article on the creative writing process, so I chose something immediate and, I hope, potentially helpful to people participating in NaNoWriMo this next month.
I have to say, I'm indebted to Susan and Linda at Glimmer Train. They have a gorgeous magazine, filled with beautiful stories, and it is, aesthetically, a beautiful magazine. In addition, they pay their writers. And if you don't understand the unusual and extraordinary nature of this fact, then...well, you're probably not a writer. It's rare, I'll just say. So, whether you're a reader or a writer, it's worth subscribing to this magazine. It's great bedside reading.
Tomorrow, I'm off to Chicago, and I haven't packed yet. I'm excited and nervous. A little sad that my hardbacks didn't arrive by UPS yesterday so I could take them with me, but I'm unruffled. How can a writer not be optimistic at this point in the game? I'm looking forward to seeing my fellow writers at the Hopleaf on Tuesday, too.
I still have trick-or-treating to do with my son tonight, so I'd best get a move on....