Someone asked me the other day why I wasn't posting updates on my writing or my novels anymore on this blog. So, if you're curious, I'm writing as much as ever - perhaps more than ever in fact - but because I write so much, when I write a blog post it is more relaxing to write about something else, so the blog has taken a performing-arts flavor over the past few months. I hope you enjoy it. Also, it makes more sense to blog about the novel once it is about to get published, so writing-related posts don't seem timely right now and probably won't for a bit more time, although I might write something about craft or inspiration once in a while. I'm re-reading my creativity go-to book, Creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (I love, love, love that book) and I'll definitely write something soon on a new painting of mine that I'm particularly proud of.
A lot of good things have happened to me writing-wise this year, the most important of which being the Writers' Program at the UCLA Extension School. I took an online course there with the phenomenal Robert Eversz, co-founder of the Prague Summer Program for Writers, who has been hands-down the very best writing instructor I've ever had. My writing has improved tremendously thanks to him, and I like to think I was a good writer before. I feel so blessed to have found a writing program where the instructors hold the students to high standards and want them to be the best they can be, instead of simply pocketing tuition money and letting students get away with being "lazy" writers (if you're a writer you know what the expression means, if you're not it's not important for this post). In my line of work it is very rare that someone gives me direct, thoughtful, constructive feedback solely aimed at improving the job I'm doing and I have felt really grateful at the opportunity. I've also much enjoyed the whole class and the other students' novels-in-progress. I only wish I lived in the LA area so that I could meet more of my fellow novelists in person!
I've also been nominated for a writing award, and I'm waiting to hear whether I've been accepted to a Master Class in Novel Writing. In the meantime, I keep polishing my draft, and on occasion I slowly prep for the next book I have in mind, although slowly is the key word there, given the other commitments I have. I am ecstatic with how positive this year has been on my writing. Things started falling into place after I returned from Utah, and I hope the year will finish on an even stronger note. All this to say, I'm not writing about Writing at the moment but I'm Writing instead! And that's a very good thing.
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