Monday, March 22, 2010

VCCA Report, Including Important Biscuitville Information!

Just a few quick notes because, as you can imagine, there’s a lot of chaos awaiting me now that I’ve returned from 10 days of artsy seclusion (bills to pay? Groceries to buy? Laundry!?).

Writing notes:
--When revising, a good rule of thumb is to think “cut.” When you’re unsure about a line or word, cut it first, before rewriting it. Do you need it? When you’re feeling stuck, cut something. Movement—and doing something, anything—will help you see what needs to be done.

--Drinking nice scotch aids any discussion of what to title a novel.

--Trusting yourself in the writing process is hard, but must be done on occasion.

Food notes:
--There’s a Biscuitville only 10ish minutes away from VCCA, on the road to Lynchburg, and it’s worth a visit. I recommend the sausage biscuit(s) and sweet iced tea. I liked the country ham, and do want to try fried bologna sometime, but sausage is a good, reliable anchor choice.

--And I had a fabulous meal in Lynchburg at the Bull Branch: deliciously creamy stuffed chicken breast with smoked gouda mashed potatoes!

--Someone in the kitchen at VCCA can make excellent fried chicken and potato salad.

--Eating too much fried chicken and potato salad is not recommended before a visit to Biscuitville.

Work-in-Progress

DC-area author Leslie Pietrzyk explores the creative process and all things literary.