I have been in a fiction frenzy of late. When it comes to writing, all I want to do is work on my fiction. Being a teacher of writing and the author of a book on writing, and a coach, too, who advises writers on ways to get through blocks and make headway on projects, I’m examining why it is that now I’m in a fiction frenzy as regards my novel.

I’ve been working on it for a long time. I did freewriting for a year and when I came to about page 270 of 300 pages of freewriting, I discovered my story. The rest, as it turns out, was backstory.

So a year ago January I started on the draft. Now I’m on page 251 of the first draft. Well, it’s not really the first draft. I do a draft and then I go back and tweak a little and then move on, go back a little, tweak, move on. Kind of a one step back, three steps forward dealybob.

I’ve passed the midpoint of the book–at page 251, one would hope I’ve passed the midpoint. And now my various subplots–and plot–seem to be coming into focus. The hardest part of the writing, for me, is figuring out what happens. I’m not an outliner or plotter. I tried once. I spent so much time on the outline and character biographies that when I was done, I no longer wanted to write the book. So I don’t do that anymore.

But now, all the pieces of the story are in motion and when I sit down to write, I can pick from a handful of plots/subplots/characters and begin with them, and progress the story.

Doesn’t hurt that the scenes I have been writing take place in Pennsylvania in the winter. In my book, it is snowing. Snow in winter is my favorite weather, so while I can’t have that here, by the beach in Orange County, California, I can have that when I work on my book. The other night on my show Kathryn Davis, author of The Thin Place (she was also an influential writing instructor of mine), said place is everything for her in her books. Without place, she’s unrooted, cannot go on. Now I see why. (By the way, that show will be podcast any day now–maybe even today. Go to http://writersonwriting.blogspot.com/ for updates.)

I had a deadline of April 1 but yeah, it’s not going to happen. Maybe I should have picked a day other than April Fool’s.

So, the point to all of this is, when you’re into a draft and find yourself dragging your feet, just keep going. Know that there will come a point when you will feel excited again, as you did when you were first starting your book, and you will feel as if you are flying. It’s like driving cross-country from coast to coast. If you’ve ever done this, you’ll know what I mean. You are just about to Kansas and you think, I can’t do this anymore. It’s too far. But you’ve come such a distance to turn back now. You’ve got to keep going forward. What’s the alternative? You’ve got to keep moving toward your destination, and soon the landscape picks up, there are mountains and interesting things to do and to look at. And then you are there.

It surely is about the journey, but you do want to get to your destination, too; to see your journey realized.

A nice piece in the Orange County Register that mentions my show, among other writerly-related happenings in the O.C.

Click here.

And a piece on E.L. Doctorow in Time, pointed out to me by the illustrious Jordan Finkler.

We’re all Catholics around here and tomorrow is the first day of Lent, which will find us on a soup diet (except for Travis; he can eat all he wants) and no more sweets (or alcohol for me and Brian). Actually, Travis is giving up candy and soda but not all desserts. Lo que sea…… tonight, we’re partying! Circus animal cookies, jelly beans, Milk Duds, white chocolate, and lots of Mardi Gras beads, wooo-hooo!

The books on the mantle have changed, too. From red (for Valentine’s Day) to black, for the time of contemplation and quiet.

Before I address the fact that I’ve been tagged, let me show you what I saw yesterday morning, our last day at Mammoth in the high Sierras. The rising sun streaked the wall of the guest room pink. Here, in Corona del Mar, architecture obscures the rising sun, oh woe.

So bleary-eyed, I pulled myself out of bed, found the camera on the nightstand, and pulled open the sliding door. The deck was icy cold. My eyes were drawn to the light on snow (the title to one of my favorite novels by Anita Shreve).

Now… about being tagged ….

Fellow ASJA member and blogger Candy Harrington (http://barrierfreetravels.com) tagged me this morning. What this means is I need to answer the questions below, or not play. Of course I’ll play. Here goes:

Four Jobs in My Life
Parts runner for a Volvo dealer
Countergirl at Dunkin’ Donuts
Avon lady (at 17)
Baker (first job in San Francisco)

Four Films I Could Watch Over and Over
Out of Towners (the original, with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis)
Some Like it Hot (Jack Lemmon, again)
The Odd Couple
Bladerunner
Dead Calm
(whoops…that’s five)

Four Places I Have Lived
Plainfield, Vermont
San Francisco
Altoona, Pennsylvania
Corona del Mar, California

Four TV Series I Like
I pretty much don’t watch TV, but my 11-year-old son and I will watch…
The old Dick Van Dyke show
Turner Classic Movie Channel
Knitty Gritty on DIY Network
Unwrapped on the Food Network

Four Places I’ve Been on Vacation
Rajasthan, India
Palm Springs, CA
the outback of Maine (camping)
Singapore

Four Foods I love
Hot fudge sundaes (which I stay away from but find greatly compelling)
Tofu turkey (homemade)
Butterfingers
Risotto

Four Websites I Visit Daily
asja.org (The American Society of Journalists and Authors’ forum)
writingclasses.com (Gotham Writers’ Workshop (online; one place I teach)
knittersreview.com/forum (knitting forum; yes…I’m obsessed!)
laobserved.com (LAObserved: Los Angeles media, news, sense of place)

Four Places I’d Rather Be Right Now
As I answer this question, I am at one of the four places I’d rather be (if I were home): Mammoth Lakes, CA, in the Sierras
Italy
Somewhere in Vermont where the snow grows deep
New Zealand

Four Bloggers Who Should Play
Victor Infante (http://ocvictor.livejournal.com)
Joshua Berman (http://blog.stonegrooves.net)
Anne Elliott (http://assbackwords.blogspot.com)
Bookish Wendy (http://thebookishgirl.blogspot.com)

Ayelet Waldman, author of Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, and wife of Michael Chabon, was on my show yesterday. At the end of my show, I usually ask my guests for advice for the writers out there.

Ayelet talked about the girls in prison that she teaches and that she asked them what was the most important part of a writer’s anatomy. (What do you think it is? Before you read on, guess…. I asked my own students last night and they said, “The eyes,” “the brain,” “the heart.” Her students gave similar answers. Yes, they are all important but that’s not it.)

“Your butt!” she said. Because if your butt’s not in the chair, nothins’ gonna happen. No writing is going to get done.

Yep. A writer’s butt reigns supreme.

Holidays are always festive around here. Brian should hold a class for men: How to do a holiday right.

From the bedroom to the living room and dining room, it’s about four steps. But there were paper hearts, pink and red, strewn across the hardwood floor leading to the dining room table clotted with Valentine’s Day gifts (Chet Baker CD, knitting books, journal, tank top, Jelly Belly candies) and more hearts and balloons. This is where I work, a foot away from the roses, transcribing my free writes from my Moleskine into the computer.

Travis is in holiday mode, just like his dad. A “you are the best mom” card and cut out hearts, too.

Of course after my protein smoothie I scarfed a ton of raspberry and blackberry candies. It’s Valentine’s Day, right?

Here’s a piece from yesterday’s New York Times about being careful which blurbs you wish for.