Poor, sad computer

This week has been a sad one in our house. We had to put our nice computer to sleep. We could tell it was going to leave us soon. It wasn't feeling well at all. We'd be in the middle of doing something and the computer would suddenly just shut off for no reason. So the other day, Mark quietly and gently shut if off and took out all its parts. He took the computer off the desk and it sat peacefully on our floor for a while before Mark loaded it up in the van . We ordered another computer so it can come live with us, though of course we know it won't be the same as our old computer. Farewell, old computer. You have served us well.

The lunch that keeps on giving

Why just eat lunch once when you can eat it over and over again?

First paycheck

A real, actual, check (with my name on it!) found its way to my mailbox today. It was for a (very) small article that will appear in a magazine. So now we have actual proof that someone, somewhere thinks my writing is good enough to put into print.
So, the question is, now what?
I still want to publish novels and write more of them. I think. Even on the days when my brain can't make up a whole paragraph, somewhere it knows it likes fiction.
But if I could write articles, a few hundred dollars at a time, it wouldn't tax my brain nearly as much. I can't even tell you how many more headaches it causes me when I have to make stuff up and be clever about it, too.
I don't have time for both right now. Sometimes I don't even have time for one.
But at least somebody gave me a nice little piece of paper which gives me hope. I will deposit it in my Someday There Will Be More of This account.

Lies about writing

I could probably write a series about writing lies. You know, those well-meaning tips that are supposed to teach you how to write because some actual published author did it that way, so you should, too.
Here's the first one. If you are bored by your writing, then your readers will be, too. If you think your writing is no good, so will your readers. Wrong! Here's why:

1. First drafts always stink. If it's boring, convoluted, and just plain stupid when you write it, it doesn't mean it has to stay that way.
2. Writers are their own worst critics. Most of the time I am bored with my own writing simply because I can't imagine what I'm going to write next. Or I just don't want to write anymore because it's hard.
3. Even successful writers don't think much of themselves, and generally don't know what will sell and what will not.
4. Web-surfing is so much more exciting. Writing is work, and work is boring.
5. Not all readers are alike. I am sometimes bored by books other readers can't put down, and vice versa.