• Life of the Mind,  The Story Behind the Book

    Just Another Week in Suburbia: Revision ~ Part 1

    Writing’s a spill. Even the most calculated first draft is a mess. But revision is where you find shape. After I’ve finished writing something, I’ll read it repeatedly while my head’s still in that world, fleshing out the story as much as possible. When I’m done, I’ll put it away for as long as possible – for at least a month. But I’ve got manuscripts that have sat in exile for years. Often, ideas for revision will occur to me – it’s always the same: once you step away from the computer, that’s when the ideas come. I think this is because when you sit down to write, you put…

  • Inside Entertainment,  Life of the Mind,  Little Diva Rising

    September Housekeeping

    Okay, lots of little things happening this week. So this won’t be your typical overlong blog, but a blog in four parts.   Little Diva Rising This weekend, we filmed a new opening (because the original opening became too impractical), and refilmed one small scene that had begun to nag at me. We had a slate of outdoor scenes planned, but Melbourne had other ideas. Rain pounded down through the morning and early afternoon. Once we called it a day, packed up, and went to lunch, Melbourne decided to stop the rain. Hmmm. Shooting of those outdoor scenes has been rescheduled. As we near the end of filming, I find…