This blog was originally for my trip to the U.K. this summer, but I'm considering documenting my last few months of working on my thesis. I'm cautious about this because I am very aware of how self-deprecating I can be, and I don't want an official account of my weaknesses as a professional out in cyberspace. However, as a writer I have to put aside social conventions and fear of not being accepted so that I don't censor my creative process. Despite this self-empowering attitude, I don't want to sabotage my livelihood-- I still wish to be employed. Hopefully I find a happy medium-- they always give nice, cheery palm readings.
The stories in my first collection are based mostly on real events. I find that keeping as close to the "real" story helps me in the initial stages of writing. I'm currently working on my "Gilberto" story. Gilberto's character is based on two men I know. One of these men has five daughters and this fact isn't important yet in the story, but I'm keeping it because it gives me a secure foundation. I don't feel as if I'm floundering for ideas for my story because I have a good basis in the real stories (many stories and situations I've witnessed are in one fictional story) and then I let my characters take me to their own version of events. I'm not at the revising stage yet for this story, so I may have a different perspective about the process I've chosen after I encounter rewrite challenges.
