The weekend has been busy! Saturday, I attended the all–day Don Maass “Emotional Craft of Fiction“ workshop put on by the Maryland Writers’ Association. Don is not only super insightful, but approachable and hysterical! I took tons of notes, and got in some writing exercises that will appear in my novel, “The Blade of Ages.” That’s not all, though!

I got to meet Chris Abela who is another Marylander who will be attending the Superstars Writing Seminar in February in Colorado Springs. She is yet another sister by another mother! This writing community is definitely my tribe. She was funny and welcoming and introduced me to her friend Clare as well. 

Finally, yesterday, I sat down with 6 or 7 different examples of spreadsheets to work on outlining. I’ve created a single spreadsheet to outline the series and each book. (I’m planning seven.)

Today I’ll find out if this spreadsheet works for me as I begin to enter information that is scattered in notes here and there, as well as outlining guidance I have taken from Dave Farland‘s “Million Dollar Outlines” and “My Story Can Beat Up Your Story” by Jeffrey Schechter. I will admit that I have been frustrated this past week, not writing as much as I wanted to actually put on paper, though if you ideas have made it here and there, but I’m excited to fill in the outline and see where it goes!