My Time Writing Down the Bones with Natalie Goldberg, Part 2, by Diane Bator

 

Book 2, Dead Man's Doll

Since starting the virtual Writing Down the Bones course with Natalie Goldberg, I find myself slowing down. Feeling the snow on my face as I did with my kids when they were young. Laughing when I find fluffy, white turkey feathers that have made their way from the costume hanging in the upper lobby at work on my desk a floor below.

I find myself taking 10 minutes to myself a couple times a day to write. My topics? The walk I took to the coffee shop one day in the wind and finding a clean, crisp twenty dollar bill that hadn't blown away yet on the sidewalk. The taste of the Americano I bought and how I loathed that taste for years even though I'd always loved the comforting scent. To write about the puffy flakes of snow falling or the icy pellets tapping on the glass to be let in.

I find that I'm focusing on details more lately where before I mostly focused on the dialogue in my books. Even while editing my latest work in progress, All That Shimmers, I've added more details than in any of my previous books.

So far, I've finished the first three out of four sections in the course. I've also read three of Natalie's writing books and was able to join in a Zoom call with my mentor herself! I swear I barely listened to the first few minutes, I was just in awe by the experience. She was gracious enough to answer questions from the group for the entire hour.

Which of her books have I read so far?

• Writing Down the Bones
• Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life
• Thunder & Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft

If you're looking for a little inspiration to improve your own writing, I'd highly recommend any of them. Just as they helped with my upcoming book, All That Shimmers, Glitter Bay Book 3 that comes out in May. Watch for the new cover next month!

You can find my work at https://bwlpublishing.ca/bator-diane/

Happy Reading. Happy Writing!

Diane

    

Book 1 Drop Dead Cowboy