ROW80 #2: Mixing the known with the unknown

Got distracted last night, so it's very early now on Monday morning for that Weds check-in for A Round of Words in 80 Days. To report progress on my goals for January (very simplified while we are here in Mexico):

1. Write 2,500 words/week on Tapestry project. So far, 1,307 (3 days).
2. Write 2 poems a week. Wrote "Visiting Cafe de Frida."
3. Read x6 ROW80, IWSG, Weds WIPpet. So far, read 14.
4. Post snippet from current project weekly to Weds WIPpet. Posted Weds.

Our new home is very comfortable in that disconcerting way of being both familiar and new as we become acclimated to Mexican culture. I have several nooks for writing that work well late at night or early in the morning.

Last Thursday, I met with an expat writers' group that meets weekly at the Merida English Library, though I may not be able to attend every week (outside company). Here, we read our work aloud and then comment. No paper handouts! I don't have a printer here, which makes critiques a little more difficult, at least for me but we do listen attentively!

My biggest writing challenge this week has been exploring that balance between story and theme. Still not sure I have a theme that resonates for me in this story . . . which makes developing the plot a little difficult. So far, character studies and little scenes are the result. I know the inciting incident, the setting (sort of), and the protag (heroine), but not the antag or the protag's hero. Most likely, my story is a quest. The external quest is easy to plot out. I'm less sure of the internal quest.

Another highlight this week was a visit to the Cafe de Frida, a homage to Frida Kahlo. Imagine having lunch or coffee here:

Cafe de Frida, Merida

Have a good writing/reading week. Check out what ROW80 writers are up to in 2018, click on over to our FACEBOOK group or on our WEBSITE.