Starting anew. Blegh.

One of the stories I submitted as part of my Clarion application (summer sci-fi/fantasy writing workshop) had been more or less a work-in-progress for a year and a half.  It started out as a 10k-word reworking of Rumplestiltskin and ended up closer to a 6k-word twisted version of a Grimm story.  I'm proud of it, and I'm glad to be done with it--not because I'm tired of working on it, but I just so badly want it to be the emotional roller coaster I kept seeing in my head.

So.  I sent that story in with my application.  And now I've got an idea for another story, this one more of a modern-day, urban fantasy story.  I've got a separate folder in my "Original Fiction" file for all the notes and ideas I've got, and I wrote out the bare bones in a kind of semi-outline, and just now I opened up another new document to begin the actual writing. 

But dear god, I'd forgotten what it's like to fight against the blank page.  There's nothing on the page.  It's overwhelming and I've got no idea where to start. 

Juuuulyyy

I finished my story and got it in on time. :) It’s been about two weeks since the deadline came and went, but I’m still quite pleased with myself. I went to the gym in the morning, did a final read-through and edit, and then submitted it—all before I headed off to work. It was a good day (except for the work part).

Yesterday, I went down to La Jolla Shores and surfed for the first time in a year. Couldn’t find anyone to go with me, so I just went all by myself. I’m pretty terrible, but there were probably three different instances where I managed to stand up (crouch) before the wave ended. The first time I managed it, all I could think was, “Ahhh, so this is why surfers keep at it…”

And this morning, after I got back from the gym, my mom and I got all my housing for next year sorted out and paid off! I’m so glad that’s taken care of—one less thing to worry about, you know? I’ll be living in the largest of the res halls at U of Edinburgh, and will probably be surrounded by first years. It wasn’t my first choice—or second or third, really—but I’ve only heard one bad thing about it (that it’s noisy, since it’s next to a huge street full of bars and clubs). Everyone I’ve talked to who lived there last year had a really fantastic time, so I’m not real worried at all. Ear plugs are such a small investment. ;)