C'est la vie. Translates to Life is Bumpy.
Laziness isn't my problem. Life is. Not a problem of course, just the real reason I'm behind. I have mentioned before that I write when hubby is napping. I can only expect to have productive writing time versus "interrupted time and ending up crabby because I tried to write" time.
My motivation to write a book was all about him and his stories from police work. We, the family, have heard his stories over and over, to the point we can jump in and finish his sentences. (I'm also well practiced in diverting him when he launches into describing, during holiday dinners with extended family, a murder scene.) So my goal is to honor those memories by weaving them into a fictional story.
Last week: only 15 minutes of writing.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Show not Tell
Progress on goals: even though I have a major presentation tomorrow, I have worked the story on two out of three days.
Emphasis: I am trying not to go back and edit -- in fact, I've told myself I can't count the time if it's just editing. BUT I have realized that pieces of the story are more "tell" than "show." So that has been an emphasis for the last week both in new writing and in editing. Sorry I've forgotten the person whose blog mentioned tell/show, so I can't give proper credit. I know it's Writing 101, but for work I write factual, technical, non-emotional notes and reports. Visualize the new Julie: at home, reaching into her brain and switching the output port from "F" (factual) to "C" (creative)!
Emphasis: I am trying not to go back and edit -- in fact, I've told myself I can't count the time if it's just editing. BUT I have realized that pieces of the story are more "tell" than "show." So that has been an emphasis for the last week both in new writing and in editing. Sorry I've forgotten the person whose blog mentioned tell/show, so I can't give proper credit. I know it's Writing 101, but for work I write factual, technical, non-emotional notes and reports. Visualize the new Julie: at home, reaching into her brain and switching the output port from "F" (factual) to "C" (creative)!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
So fast
These check-ins are coming so fast. I've asked so little of myself, 10 minutes a day, and only made that the last two of four days! So instead of using my finite wisdom/energy on today's check-in, I'm off to write! And to plan for a one hour presentation I have to give on Thursday.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Late on check-in, but writing!
Yes, check-in was yesterday. And yes I wrote two of the three days between check-ins. It wasn't a huge outpouring of words, but I'm getting in the habit/rhythm/groove.
Daughter is cringing, "Mom said 'groove'!" Or is that laughter I hear from 60 miles south? From the woman who got me into this and is now two weeks behind for check-in? : P
I'm kidding about the push, because her higher priorities are wife, new mom, back to work half time, and keeping the house on the foundation.
ROW80 goes to December 22? That could either be a challenge or a good time for me. Hubby is scheduled for surgery December 16, so I can laptop type type type three days in the hospital, and the next two weeks at home. In between the times, of course, when I play the roles of on-call nurse, taxi to therapy, short order cook, and home therapist. Throw in Christmas? No problem.
My survival mantra is adapted from Nemo ("just keep fishing"): Just keep writing, just keep writing...
Daughter is cringing, "Mom said 'groove'!" Or is that laughter I hear from 60 miles south? From the woman who got me into this and is now two weeks behind for check-in? : P
I'm kidding about the push, because her higher priorities are wife, new mom, back to work half time, and keeping the house on the foundation.
ROW80 goes to December 22? That could either be a challenge or a good time for me. Hubby is scheduled for surgery December 16, so I can laptop type type type three days in the hospital, and the next two weeks at home. In between the times, of course, when I play the roles of on-call nurse, taxi to therapy, short order cook, and home therapist. Throw in Christmas? No problem.
My survival mantra is adapted from Nemo ("just keep fishing"): Just keep writing, just keep writing...
Sunday, October 23, 2011
No NaNo
I am not doing NaNo. It is, from what I understand, a sprint -- and I blew out my knee many years ago!
This ROW80 is perfect for me. My main goal is to fit writing into my daily life. No, NO, not fit it in. Welcome it, enjoy it, get a "high" from it!
Yes, I'm a plotter, and for ROW80 I challenged myself to just get the words out. Many words swim around, dart around, smash around inside my head that I never capture them. The plotter side of my brain has agreed to let those words come out in jumbles to whatever media is available: captured on scraps of paper or whispered into the phone-recorder app or punched into the computer. It's better for me to capture the big fish and then later entice the little fish back.
And if a certain big fish doesn't belong in this cioppino (fish stew), then into the freezer it goes for a different fish tale at a later date.
This ROW80 is perfect for me. My main goal is to fit writing into my daily life. No, NO, not fit it in. Welcome it, enjoy it, get a "high" from it!
Yes, I'm a plotter, and for ROW80 I challenged myself to just get the words out. Many words swim around, dart around, smash around inside my head that I never capture them. The plotter side of my brain has agreed to let those words come out in jumbles to whatever media is available: captured on scraps of paper or whispered into the phone-recorder app or punched into the computer. It's better for me to capture the big fish and then later entice the little fish back.
And if a certain big fish doesn't belong in this cioppino (fish stew), then into the freezer it goes for a different fish tale at a later date.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Catching up
I didn't realize how much catching up I had to do. I started my book in February 2007, then didn't touch it after about May. That's more than four years ago! The word count was over 13,000. I am having to read it to catch up to myself, re-learn the voices I created for each character.
I think the characters are my main concern. Do I have too many? I'm trying to introduce them with distinction and their own little story before I dump another body on the reader. Oh well, not something to worry about too much right now, just catch up and carry on!
Almost an hour tonight, but mostly reading instead of writing.
I think the characters are my main concern. Do I have too many? I'm trying to introduce them with distinction and their own little story before I dump another body on the reader. Oh well, not something to worry about too much right now, just catch up and carry on!
Almost an hour tonight, but mostly reading instead of writing.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Starting out
Quick and dirty: I'm into this two weeks after the challenge started. The challenge? Set my own measurable goals on what I can do in my writing adventure in 80 days -- okay, now 64 days.
Goal 1: write at least 10 minutes a day. One step in achieving the goal is to start the minute hubby takes an evening nap. Otherwise his interruptions will get me off track from having direct, devoted, diehard writing time.
Goal 2: check in twice a week as directed.
Goal 3: don't worry about "pretty." I have an outline, I need to do some detailed research in some areas, but I need to get back to putting meat on the bones and voices in the characters.
Goal 1: write at least 10 minutes a day. One step in achieving the goal is to start the minute hubby takes an evening nap. Otherwise his interruptions will get me off track from having direct, devoted, diehard writing time.
Goal 2: check in twice a week as directed.
Goal 3: don't worry about "pretty." I have an outline, I need to do some detailed research in some areas, but I need to get back to putting meat on the bones and voices in the characters.
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