It’s a busy week in San Miguel de Allende: the Writers’ Conference is on and there are many writers in town.
Yesterday I heard Tracy Chevalier‘s keynote address on the importance of history (wonderful), and tonight my husband and I are going to hear Scott Turow. Tomorrow, Gloria Steinem, and Saturday, Jane Urquhart.
I likely would not have written the Josephine B. Trilogy had it not been for the advice of Jane Urquhart, who was writer-in-residence at the Univ. of Ottawa when I was trying to figure out what to do with my very messy draft of a contemporary-mystery-comedy. I’m especially excited to see her.
As busy as all this sounds, I’m taking it relatively easy this year, because I’m working on draft 5 of The Game of Hope.
Something I wish I had the patience to do:
“I have done the second draft of all of my novels in longhand so that I slow down and think about what I’m doing more. That has been extremely helpful.” — Russell Rowland in a 5 on interview. He also has some very interesting things to say about self-publishing.
Interestingly, Tracy Chevalier writes in longhand, and then types the day’s work into the computer at the end of the day.
An excellent overview: The 8 Habits of Highly Successful Young-Adult Fiction Authors
What I’m reading now: All My Puny Sorrows, by Miriam Toews. Wonderful!
The photo of San Miguel de Allende at the top is by photographer and friend Leah Feldon.
