At The Trade

At left, an Olivetti in the public domain hosted on wikicommons.

Not many left. No, I don't use one.

I've been too light on the trade this fall. I do my best work when I do a lot of it. I suspect many of us are this way.

When we write a great deal, we tend toward the simpler straightforward prose of the story. We're less indulgent. Less clever.

I'm doing a ton of work in the coming weeks. Morning session, evening session. This is what it takes for me.

I've a string of short stories that have been scratching at me and so drafts of them will be scratched out by me. Murders, mostly. I'm working the trades.

One must have material.

So, if you have an old aunt you just cannot stand or maybe a spouse with a onerous pre-nup, think of me. I'm killing 'em off by the bushel.

Just like poison: cheaper by the pound.

Back to work. Try to do a little more. It helps.