Mama and the Ground Glass Resurface

Posted on by M.K. Waller in Uncategorized
English: This is Alpine, Texas with the six-th...
This is Alpine, Texas with the six-thousand foot plus Ranger, Twin Sisters, & Paisano Peaks in the foreground. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Monday’s post, I announced my goals for Round 3 of A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80):

    • To write 300 words a day, five days a week; and
    • Not to haul myself out of bed at 5:00 a.m. to write the 300 words.

So far, the latter goal has been easier to accomplish than the former. Nonetheless, I made my 300-word minimum and then some both Tuesday and today.

I’m working on a short story that began as a ten-minute timed writing at the Writers’ League of Texas Summer Writing Retreat at Sul Ross State University in Alpine a couple of years ago. I spent the week in Karleen Koen’s class, Writing the Novel: The Basics. That was probably the most productive week I’ve ever had. Karleen told us she couldn’t teach us to write, but she could teach us to play. And she did. She’s teaching the class at this summer’s retreat later in July. She also teaches for Rice University’s Continuing Education Department in Houston. Anyone who has the opportunity to take one of her classes should do so. Lots of writing, lots of fun.

The timed writing that I hope becomes a full-fledged story begins, The day I found Mama stirring ground glass into the eggs she was about to scramble, I took the eggs away from her and called a family conference. When I started, I had no idea where it was going. Back at home, I added to it and showed it to my critique group. They said I should work it into a novel. I still didn’t know where it was going. Or where I could make it go. But it didn’t seem like novel material, at least in my hands. Last summer, I tried to turn it into a ghost story but kept running into obstacles, the chief of which was that the plot was forced and downright silly. Now, a year later, an invitation to write a different kind of story has come along. Once again I dragged out Mama and the ground glass. And this time I think I can pull it off. It’s not over till it’s over, of course, but I’m optimistic.

It takes time to get some things right.

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To see what other members of ROW80 are writing, click here.

29 thoughts on “Mama and the Ground Glass Resurface”

  2. Reblogged this on Kate Shrewsday and commented:
    Kathy. One of my oldest blogging friends and a completely superb writer. Someone that one day I really would love to see in print. Every now and then she does a ‘drawstring post’ and tells us how her writing is progressing. This is one such post. Her wit pervades every word.

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    1. I’d love for you to read it. I’m still mulling over all the possibilities, but I believe I can make at least one of them work.

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    1. I’m so glad you’re doing library work. It’s exactly the place a generalist like you should be working–the home of God’s plenty. My boss was wonderful. On paper, I was her boss, but she was really my boss. We argued about that a lot.

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    1. Thank you. Peace seems to be one of the requisites for writing. At least it makes things easier. Thanks for visiting and commenting. And peace to you as well.

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      1. Dear Kathy, I’ve been away for several weeks from posting and from reading blogs. I did post this past weekend and so this evening I’m reading blogs to catch up. I see that you haven’t posted since early July. I’m hoping that means you are writing. I’m hoping also that nothing is amiss in your life. Peace.

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  6. Great! It seems that you are like me in having a story evolve as you write it. Let it happen – the only way it can is if you read yourself back into each scene and then write. Amazing the way what emerges, if one is truly on a roll, works itself into a meticulously worked out plot!

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    1. I’m a pantser. I read that Tony Hillerman wrote his mysteries that way. A character would appear and he wouldn’t know why, but he would keep writing, and chapters later he would find out the character’s purpose. It takes a lot of trust to work that way. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Good luck with your writing.

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      1. In contrast to the Rowling style, which is recorded as being that all details have been thought ahead by the time the writing is done.
        I have tried something like that – for me, the story invariably wanders off the prescribed path and does its own thing so why bother!

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  8. Enjoy meeting both of your challenges! I have no problem NOT dragging myself out of bed at 5 am to write. It is far easier to just roll over. 😉

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    1. Thank you. Some of us are 5 am people. Some of us aren’t. There’s no doubt which one I am. Thanks for visiting and commenting. And sleep well.

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  9. Good lines and lies sometimes need to simmer before you serve. Sounds like this one is ready for the table. Go get ’em–and good luck!

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    1. It’s sort of like the watched pot never boiling, I guess. But wouldn’t it be nice if stories were more like fast food? Or maybe not. I wouldn’t my lines and lies compared to a Big Mac. Thanks for visiting and commenting.

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    1. Yes, and it isn’t easy for a writer who’s a certified control freak. Thank you for visiting and commenting. It’s so nice to see you here.

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      1. That must be difficult. But then who ever said writing was easy? They obviously never put more than 1 sentence together at a time.

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    1. Thank you so much. I’d be honored for you to read it. I just have to keep plugging…Thanks for visiting and commenting.

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  12. I think you are going to like my ROW80 sponsor post, which deals with…writing as passion and play.

    Your goals are lovely. I have never gotten up at 5am to write – but I am often still up writing well past that hour, blissfully.

    All of my stories evolve and shift with time and experience. When it’s right, really right, I think you will know it! =D

    And that is an amazing first line!

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    1. You’re wise to pass up the 5am writing time. As you can see, I am blissfully writing at nearly 2am. That doesn’t work for me either, since I’m never in the mood to cook dinner or do anything else the next day. Of course, my passion has nothing to do with cooking. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Best wishes for a productive Round 3.

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      1. 3am here, now. I’m just done watching PBS, “Pioneers of Aviation”, answering comments, and contemplating a hot shower, some planning,and maybe another thousand or two words before I sleep….

        Around here, early mornings often mean it’s time to go to sleep. Since the kids are homeschooled, we never have gotten into that early-morning rush, so our days just sort of unroll, everyone according to what they’ve got planned, or when they fell asleep….

        It’s a great life for a Writer Mama!

        Now I’d better finish that sponsor post you just reminded me of, before I forget again.

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