Where it’s at

The new layout hotness that is Waveflux allows for off-the-cuff blogging as well as longer and (it is to be hoped) more thoughtful and considered composition. Still, there are other kinds of writing taking place behind the scenes here, material not intended for the weblog but still worthy of note, as this site functions as much as a personal notebook as a public blather-blog.

I’ve been writing short fiction for some years now - a whopping three publication credits under my belt - with greater or lesser dedication depending on the availability of the muse. It has been noted that waiting on the muse is not the most productive way to get writing done, however, and I’ve tried to get back to a more disciplined approach to writing. This column is where you can expect to see occasional signal flares indicating progress, or regress, as the effort continues.

Currently: I have one story out and about, awaiting judgment in a contest at the Seattle-based litmag Glimmer Train (Portland! Portland-based!), which is perhaps my favorite literary magazine. The editors there are warm and enthusiastic about short fiction and have rejected my previously-sent manuscripts thrice (but with warm enthusiasm all the same).

And: I’m working on a longer project; that is, I’m writing a novel but am too bashful to flat-out say so, so I just call it “a longer project.” I read somewhere that it’s bad luck to talk in-depth about works in progress, so I don’t think I will. Not now, anyway.

Also: Toying with another short piece. Something I can work on when the “longer project” flags a bit. Just to keep the hand moving.

Not much more to say about any of this just now. More later, if work goes well and I’m not feeling overly shy.