Fiction

And definitely not historical novels. What I am trying to do as I read more fiction is to pay careful attention to the plot itself.

Among my several problems as a writer is I tend not to put in enough details of any kind, the stuff that makes a scene very interesting.

What I'm currently working on is an s-f novel involving temporal exchange students from ancient Rome. The basic idea is a good one (heck, most basic ideas are good) and I have most of my characters figured out, but where it should all end up is completely baffling to me. I have a number of plot threads that simply go out and out, and I somehow need to rein them in and bring everything to something that resembles a conclusion.

I'm hoping to be accepted into a novel writing workshop this coming summer that may help me a lot. Meanwhile, I think what I need most to do is keep on writing and writing and see where it takes me.

I will say, that some years ago I gave up writing because I decided that there are enough people out there writing the sort of books I like to read that the literary world will get along just fine without my contribution. But lately, I've had a strong motivation to get out the stories that are inside me.