Still dealing with the aftermath of the water-heater debacle. Some of the water got into the neighbor’s basement and she’s pissed at us now. Don’t misunderstand, I feel bad that she suffered water damage, and even told her husband as much (she won’t speak to us). Even offered to help pay repair costs (but she has to speak to me for that…or send me the bill…we’ll see).
But in the midst of the drama, I got some good news. Or at least, a recognition that made me grin like a silly…something…for a couple of hours. Last week, Miriam Goderich at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management posted a contest in their blog. The basic premise: if you were writing a memior about your life, what would the pitch be?
I placed amongst the finalist (first place 😉
I’m trying to ride the fading euphoria of the announcement in the midst of the drama of the exploded water heater. I’m not big on drama in my real life. I’m even less enthralled by conflict. But at the very top of my ‘things I don’t like in my real life’ list is ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’.
Which has led me to add another tick to my ever growing list (see excuses)of reasons I’m not writing as much as I’d like to. I think I’m withdrawing from putting my characters through conflict. I’m not having any trouble with the explosions, or the death, or the gripping grief of losing a loved one. I’m having trouble with giving any of them verbal confrontation. Maybe if I could make my characters do it more (I never used to have a problem with it), I wouldn’t be such a doormat in real life ^_^
And for those kind people who said they’d read my memior if I ever wrote it…once I’m done living that chapter of my life, maybe.
Is there anything you shy away from in your writing because it bothers you in real life?