I was satisfied with that definition and myself for a while before it occurred to me, can you write a story where the purpose of the story is to find change in a verb? That is, can the point of the story be for the action to change?

I still find change to be a necessary component for a story, even if the change is to leave one state and then go back to the way it was before. Of course, that’s still change; two changes in fact. But if you have a scene where nothing changes, all you have is an image, not a story.

Anyway, I decided to see if I could write a story where nothing changes but the action. I think I have accomplished that task, thus rendering my previous definition moot, or rather, incomplete.

I have a couple of short stories I plan to put up on Smashwords by next week. Once I get it posted, I’ll let people know where to find it. It’ll be free, of course.

Until then, as a bit of a writing challenge, see if you can come up with a story where the only thing that changes is the action of the story.

The other half, actually traveling the path can be just as hard. Sure it’s easy at first. Once you decide you’re going to do something, motivation abounds. The energy for your new projects/hobbies/lifestyle whatever it is you’re looking to change about yourself flows like a freshly tapped well. After the shiny has worn off, that’s where the adults are separated from the little boys and girls. I mean, if you’re truly looking to change yourself, you have to be that person even when you feel like all motivation is gone.

As I’ve mentioned on this blog, I had high hopes for this year in terms of getting a lot of writing done, but it just hasn’t panned out. Mind you, I’ve done okay. Just nowhere near what I was looking forward to accomplishing. I spent some time thinking about it, and rather than lament squandered opportunities, I focused on gathering knowledge about myself.

I came to a conclusion. I wasn’t thinking about being a writer enough.

I was thinking plenty about my writing, but I wasn’t thinking like a writer should. Or at least, the way I presume a writer should be thinking at this early developmental stage where I’m at.

How does a developing writer think, you ask?

Beats me.

I’m sure it’s different for everyone, though it seems reasonable that step one is finding a process that works for you. I’ve spent over five months working on my sequel to Dim Speak and I had hoped to be done with it in about four. One of things I’ve been thinking about a lot this past month is why it has taken me so long. If I’m to write and make promises about my writing in the future it seems I need to know what I am capable of and why I couldn’t write the first draft of this story in that time frame.

Additionally, much of my efforts have gone into actually finishing the story, and I should be done in a couple of weeks. I’ve already decided on at least one darling I shall have to kill during the edits, but that is what edits are all about. Chopping that which doesn’t work no matter how much you love it.

Anyway, I’m getting off track. In summary, I wrote more in the last month than I have any other 30 day period this year, and I have been focusing on my own process in order to make myself more efficient as a writer.

It seems to me that a “pre-published” writer should be focusing on these two things.

I’ll get more specific soon.