It’s September, which means school and my coaching job have started back up again. This is my third year coaching a fall sport, and there is something exciting about being on campus for the start of the year. I know it can be a stressful time for many people, especially teachers, but for me, it’s invigorating. Writing is solitary work, so being part of a vibrant community is a nice change of pace.
The other significant development that took place earlier this month was that I submitted my application for the Under The Volcano writing retreat. It is a two-week residency in Tepoztlán, Mexico, in January 2025. I won’t know if I’ve been accepted for a few more weeks, but hopefully, I will have some news to share in my next update.
Also, in September, I began working with productivity coach Sue Campbell. Now that I’ve decided to incorporate historical fiction and magical realism into my manuscript, I’m attempting to make some of those changes before the UTV writing retreat. I’m working with Sue as part of a program called Goal Getter School, which is helping me stay on track as I rewrite the first half of my book.
In the last piece of writing news, I recently devised a new opening for my book. While structurally, it isn’t much different from what I had, the new opening feels bolder because it puts magical realism front and center. It’s still a work in progress, but I look forward to sharing it with early readers when it’s ready.
If you would like to be an early reader, you can sign up here.
This month, I finished Like Water For Chocolate, another book in my Magical Realism series. For whatever reason, it took me a while to get into the story, perhaps because the plot is fairly straightforward. Despite the slow start, I ended up really enjoying the book because, like my manuscript, it wrestles with themes of finding our own way in life and letting go of the expectations that parents can place on us.
I will continue to work on my rewrite during the upcoming month. I also plan to apply to a few other writing-related programs that I hope will support my endeavor to get my book published.
That’s it for now. I hope your fall is off to a good start.
Sincerely,
Nelson/Roberto
Throughout most of January, I participated in the Under the Volcano writing residency in Tepoztlán, Mexico, which was an unforgettable experience that I will reflect on for some time. The remarkable people I met there inspired me to continue developing my craft.
This past month has been a good one. I was able to get some writing done and have finished seven chapters of my magical realism rewrite. I also started working on one of the new historical fiction scenes, and have been preparing for my writer’s retreat in Mexico.
This month’s update will be shorter, as most of November was occupied by my fall coaching job. Despite the hectic end of the season, I was able to get some writing done and prepare for my trip to Tepotzlán, Mexico.
