Once upon a time...

[dampscribbler]

...before I got pregnant, I was writing a novel. While I was pregnant I was exhausted, and all my creative energy seemed to be going to gestation, so I ignorantly thought, 'well, when the baby is a couple of months old, I can get back to writing.'

Ha.

The baby is now 10 months old, and I'm only just starting to get back to writing. But Oregon has this wonderful organization called Literary Arts, and one of the things they do is provide fellowships to writers. The application is due tomorrow, so I've dusted off my pages and I'll be taking them downtown tomorrow, 10-month-old baby in tow.

I hadn't looked at the novel in ages. Turns out, it's really good. Not perfect, but heck, it's the beginning of a first draft. Considering that, it's really *really* good. It was so hard to tell when I was in the midst of the writing. Time has provided a great perspective. I'm motivated to start working again.

I won't know about the fellowship until December. Meantime, I guess it's time to start fighting (that voice in me that says "clean the house, do some grocery shopping, surf the web...") for time to write.

Comments

[lucyshoe.livejournal.com]

Wow - that's great! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed over the next six months that you get the fellowship!

And just think, Maggie will almost be a year a half and will practically be taking care of herself by then and you'll have all that extra time to write!

No?

Good luck!

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Oh, yeah, "extra time" is something I expect to have a lot of! ha!

Good luck on your thingy today.

[hhw]

I was just looking at the LA application yesterday. I'm not planning to apply, but I also wasn't sure what I'd be asking for, or what they were expecting people to request. The average amounts given are too small to cover living expenses, for example, though obviously every little bit helps. I wondered if folks request funds to go on retreat at Soapstone or stuff like that.

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

In my case, I'd apply the money to daycare, but writing retreats certainly would be a good use, or extended time off of work (some employers can do that), or travel to do research, say if you're writing a historical novel...that kind of thing. Maybe classes. Paper and postage for shopping your completed ms to agents and publishers, maybe.

[tamyranev.livejournal.com]

Oh, good luck! I love that feeling of going back and rediscovering a piece after being away from it for a significant amount of time.

(not even thinking of writing as I'm stuck in the midst of remodeling hell and my in-laws arrive tomorrow)

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Maggie decided to be disagreeable about the whole thing, so it took all last night and most of today to get the application done and taken downtown, but we got in just under the deadline. Now it's hurry up and wait til December, I guess.

Hope your visit with the in-laws goes great. Good weather for it. Hope that bathroom is done now. :-)

[spectral-line.livejournal.com]

Good luck! That's fabulous... I'm sure you're a superb writer.

That reminds me, what was that book post I said I'd respond to after I got back from Hawaii? Now I'm inspired to write it...

[dampscribbler.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's been an exciting process, at least. Gets me feeling more involved with writing than I've been in quite a while.

Let's see, where was that post...oh, here it is:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/dampscribbler/87237.html