I’m struck by a few things in this passage. The first, “art is a durational practice.” This is such an important concept to me here in 2024. Since I started Good Morning, Love in 2017, it’s been nonstop writing. I’ve written two manuscripts, I have a piece of another, and I’m currently drafting something new. But this current work in progress is the first time that I’m not feeling any pressure on the timing to get it done. I think a driving force with those other manuscripts was, will I be able to publish another book? Like how do I not miss this moment, which who’s to say hasn’t already passed, but I wanted to feel like I would be ready for the moment if it came. Like publishing wasn’t going to be waiting on me because I didn’t have finished material. I felt like I was trying to write my way to something, and now I understand that I’m simply writing, and whatever happens, happens. A story takes the time it takes to come together.

processAshley M. ColemanJune 23, 2024writing, drafting, writing processComment

the craft. writing the middle.

I know you may not suspect it, but I partake in watching the chaos that is Netflix’s Love is Blind. I don’t need your judgment, only your support. But hey, I’m a sucker for love stories no matter how contrived, and it’s passive watching meaning, I’m typically doing something else while I have it going in the background. However, there are a lot of elements of storytelling that this mind-numbing reality show takes into consideration.

the craftAshley M. ColemanFebruary 19, 2024writing, drafting, outlinesComment

the craft. knowing when you're done.

I’ve been working on a manuscript over the past year and some change that I recently sent over to my agent for her feedback. And even as my cursor hovered over the send button, I was having second thoughts. Maybe I needed to read it one last time. But then I had to remind myself, this is not the finished product. It’s a draft. If publishing my debut novel taught me anything, it’s that there will still be a lot more feedback coming down the pipeline. So it doesn’t have to be perfect, just done.

publishingAshley M. ColemanFebruary 13, 2023writing, drafting, writing careerComment

the craft. drafting.

Our First Ten Pages workshop has turned into a bit of an accountability group that’s now meeting monthly. It’s been a great time to revisit the idea of starting from scratch with a story. In those beginning stages, I was reminded about the idea of not treating the work preciously. Meaning, you don’t have to keep everything you start with just because it was the first idea that came into your head.

the craftAshley M. ColemanNovember 27, 2022drafting, fiction, nonfiction, writing adviceComment

the craft. getting meat on the bones.

Drafting is such an interesting place now that I’ve written a full-on novel. One of the best things about it is that I know more now. I’m taking everything my editor taught me the first go around and applying it to this new draft. I’m taking out unnecessary words, looking at pacing, making sure to ground the reader in time. One of the worst things about it is remembering not to compare the first draft of a new work to the final product of the first novel.

the craftAshley M. ColemanAugust 15, 2022writing, drafting, first draft, revisionComment