It has been several months since I last posted. Profound apologies to regular readers. When work is running full-bore, with multiple clients needing writing services, it is difficult to find the time and the inclination to work up a blog post.
New month's resolution: more frequent posts -- even if they have to be short and sweet.
In the gap of postless time, I have put most of the finishing touches on my big, two-year project for the USHJA. They have been, without exception, a dream client in every way: professional, appreciative, and dedicated to producing a product that is exceptionally worthwhile. I am honored to have been included in its creation.
I also finished the rough draft of the screenplay for the biopic I started at the end of 2008. Now the polishing process begins. I helped steer a friend of mine through the editing of her non-fiction book proposal. (At the time, her project is under serious consideration from the first agent she sent it to. Fingers crossed, and time will tell.) And I spent some concentrated time drafting chapters for Ryan's book. That will be my main focus for the rest of the month.
The key, as all writers know, is to keep pushing forward. Keep writing. Keep editing. When one project ends, you can't afford to rest on your laurels. It is utterly imperative to keep on keeping on.
You never know where your work will show up. In 2005, while I was working on Geoff Teall's book on Riding Hunters and Jumpers, I posted some thoughts on writing forewords. I later worked those ideas up into a more formal approach to the topic and posted it as a free article on how to write forewords on Muse Ink, my writer's website. Thanks to the amazing interconnectedness of the internet, those remain available to those who might need them.
Several times a month, I receive a note from someone who was called upon to write a foreword, had no idea where to start, and was able to work up something wonderful following the simple steps suggested. Since I love teaching and working with writers, and since I don't get to do nearly enough of it one-on-one, I always love getting those e-mails and feeling like I've done something worthwhile that day -- without half trying!
Yesterday, Georganna Hancock kept the Foreword ball rolling in her Writer's Edge blog on "Linked-In and Forewords". Not only did Ms. Hancock give a nice plug for the content of the Forewords post, but she also had kind words to say about Muse Ink in general. What a wonderful warm fuzzy to start my week with!
