Michele Venne's Blog, page 6

Turning on a Faucet

Looking back on the past 5 days, I see that I’ve spent time with two projects. As it happened before, when I have a nonfiction project and a fiction project, I gravitate to the nonfiction. This type of nonfiction especially: math workbook. I have the lessons titled, the vocabulary words listed, a checklist of the pages/activities to include in each lesson, and though there is writing and some…

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Old Perspective

When I look at my list of titles in the series I’ve started or have planned, it gets a bit overwhelming. I can easily “see” myself working on each project. The characters, setting, and plot events appear in flashes. For me, stories develop as I write them. I’ve been writing and publishing for 15 years, so I know my process. I’ve also accepted the obstacles that pop up as I make my way through a…

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One Last Spark

The last of the rolling changes has arrived. The college class that has consumed much of my attention the last 8 weeks (and the classes I’ve taken since April) is done. I took the oral final yesterday morning. This afternoon is a short timed-test online, the final assignment. A bit of celebration tonight to mark the end of the class. If all goes well, my certification renewal will go smoothly…

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The Cusp of Change

It’s like loading the last box into a moving truck. It’s like standing in the driveway for the last time looking at where you spent part of your life. It’s both the excitement of what’s next and saying goodbye to a comfortable routine. This is how I feel when I know a (planned and anticipated) change is coming. The last of the planned rolling changes is happening next Thursday. So…

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The Promise of Progress

If progress on a project seems to have stalled, I’ve discovered that the promise of progress is enough to get me through. It’s not writer’s block or procrastination. It is a lack of available time. I’m two weeks out from the next transition. Once that one rolls over, I’ll breathe easier, the tension in my shoulders will dissolve, and my time will revert to writing. I’m still dabbling in…

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Daydreaming

While driving, I think about stories. Some may say it’s not productive, but it beats worrying about things I can’t control. In the car, I’m a captive audience. I can focus on the vehicles around me, and I need to since I drive in the 5th largest city in the US. But I can also consider which stories to work on and what might happen to the characters. I’m proud to call myself a linear discovery…

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Learning

I didn’t know there was such a thing as “summit season.” The end of September through October is a time where digital conferences reign. I received my first email inviting me to 3 free summits before the end of the month. As they say, nothing is really free. As soon as someone signs up for the summit, their email address is shared with the presenters. By the next day, one can expect a dozen new…

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Taking a Break

Transitions. A second month of August weather. Thirty homework assignments a week in this final class for recertification. A vet appointment for Holly. Work. Some moving pieces, some parts stalled out, others waiting for attention. Yep, sometimes a break is needed. Some rest. A chance to relax and just be. Let things settle, let temporary priorities rise to the top, and do what needs to be done…

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The Stream

The flow has started. It’s a trickle, but before long, it will deepen. and the depth over rocks and debris will expand. This is how I think of my writing. Grateful I was able to log in with other writers for three days this week, I’ve made a little progress on the holiday story. While driving, which seems to be my biggest piece of downtime, I thought about how the title will fit into the story.

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Transition

I remember a time when I didn’t have a horse. I filled my life with starting my career, finding fulfilling relationships, and figuring out how to be an independent adult. When I found a horse, it was as if my tilted world righted itself. There have been stretches of time after I decided to write my first book that writing wasn’t part of my daily or weekly routine. Returning to that artistic…

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