More Shakespeare Research

These days my writing time is mostly taken up with writing for the Summer Shakespeare blog. Yesterday's entry ("Superlative Obscurity") was an enjoyable exercise in research and writing. As a blog entry it is probably a little long (I'm still getting the hang of length), but I just couldn't seem to stop once I got going. How bad is that for a would-be author? Sometimes my love for history and my enjoyment of writing come together nicely. My research led me to an old book in our attic--two volumes with no date and very little publication information--that is a complete works of Shakespeare. The information in it was so quaintly written and copious that I found myself virtually tied to the tome for hours. You can read that one and any others I've posted by clicking here.

Writing--Er--Submitting Is Hard Work

Yesterday's writing session saw me get my Which End Up? manuscript resubmitted. (I actually made all of the requisite copies, cover letters, etc., and mailed it.) I'm starting to realize that getting the manuscript in the mail is half the battle--at least for me. I also got the next blog finished for Summer Shakespeare. Still no word on Hamilton's Pond. Waiting is so hard!

What's the most difficult part of writing for you? Ideas? Rewriting? Submitting?

Blogging in ABC

I'm sitting in ABC blogging and writing. I've managed to update my manuscript submissions charts and write a submission letter for Which End Up?--submission number three for this picture book, but who's counting? My submission letters are getting better, I think. I'm trying to focus more on the things that a particular company finds important and using those buzzwords in my letter. This publisher requires exclusive submissions and also requests that authors state their previously published works. I was able to list Mumsi Meets a Lion and the blogging I do for Summer Shakespeare. Speaking of which, next on my to-do list is a new blog promoting the educational materials I've written for that site.

Also on my to-do: Daniel's Day research about a family with a special-needs child.

1947 Research

I spent part of the morning yesterday researching the year 1947 for a video project I'm helping write a script for. What a fascinating year: advances in microwave and transistor radio technology, female students given full student privileges at Cambridge, CIA formed, Israel granted statehood, first Dead Sea Scrolls found, Jackie Robinson's joining MLB, Hollywood 10 indicted, and so on. How very interesting is the idea that almost any year taken in isolation would seem to be so pivotal. There's a story in there somewhere. But maybe it's already been done to a certain extent in the late-80s/early 90s television show Quantum Leap. (What ever happened to Scott Bakula?) There is truly nothing new under the sun.

Comedy and Tragedy

I've written before about my taking a writing test and being accepted as a freelancer by publisher out West. I have been eagerly awaiting my first big assignment. Yesterday evening I received an communication from the editor thanking me for my patience but informing me that the series I was hired to write for has gone belly up. It was really quite humorous: "Thank you for your willingness to write for _____. _____ has been discontinued." Once again I find myself thinking that I'm glad I'm not depending on that to put bread on the table. The editor did inform me that they are keeping my name on file should a need arise elsewhere in their company. Ahhhhh, the economic downturn affects us all.