Hi- still writing here and wanted to check in.
I’ve been trading emails with Matta for the last few days. I’d been sharing my thoughts about my writing and where my head is at. Matta’s been sharing similar glimpses of his comics and potential direction for them. During one of his emails, Matta sent a link to the website Letters of Note and, in particular, a letter from C.S. Lewis on the topic of writing itself. (Take a moment to check it out. Pretty interesting.)
I’ve been a fan of this website for awhile and had coincidentally also read that letter before the email exchange with Matta. It got me thinking about advice I’d read a few years ago from Robert Heinlein, one of my all-time favorite authors. Heinlein also wrote at length about the craft (and business) of writing. He articulated 5 rules for writing that seem pretty clear to me. They are:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
4. You must put the work on the market.
5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
(This website credits Heinlein’s 1947 essay “On the Writing of Speculative Fiction.”)
These rules are posted just over the top of my monitor 
and they truly provide direction for me. Sharing them got me thinking about Story Blue again. I started it in the middle of February and have more than 2400 words of story with another 600 or so words worth of notes for the story. Although a previous post discussed my thoughts on needing to develop the story’s main character more, apparently the story had enough time simmering in my unconscious mind to be ready for some more attention this morning. I woke up early and before 9 AM had added a few hundred more words (and a better visualization in my mind of the protagonist).
So in the spirit of Heinlein’s 4th rule, I posted the opening of Story Blue this morning. (Heinlein says to put the work on the market. I don’t know if I’m at a point to try to sell anything but I think posting on the blog is consistent with his direction.) Currently titled “The Third String”, it’s just a few hundred words but I think representative of the story. Please read, share, and comment. Thanks!
-T
TMPinSYR 