Hi all!
Well the last one for a while anyway. As I am leaving Monday to go on vacation, I get to start putting everything together today. Yesterday, I made a list of everything I plan to take with me, so the actual packing shouldn't be too difficult, except that I am the messiest human on the planet-so people keep saying. So today I get to go digging through things and seeing what needs to be washed and all that. I think it is more work to get ready for a vacation than an actual job is.
I'm planning on bringing a notebook with me to write, as we won't be going out much. However, I am worried that not being able to write the first four days will screw me over as far as my story goes. I'm not going to use this as an excuse, though. I just tend to worry too much over somewhat dopey things. Not to say I am a dopey person, I'm not. Basically, I overstate any issue that comes up in my life.
I hear thunder in the distance, so I am signing off here. I'll see everyone when I get back. Until then, happy writing everyone.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
My Novel
Hi guys,
It looks like I have finally hit on a direction that works for me. Damn shame it had to happen right before I am scheduled to leave town. While I do plan on writing, I won't be able to bring the completed parts with me. Hopefully, I won't get thrown too far off the beaten path. If nothing else, the change of scenery is sure to inspire me. You know what they say about changing work habits periodically?
In other news, I have been reading more frequently. My goal is a minimum of twenty pages per day. However, I made a rule for myself. If I reach those twenty pages and I'm mid chapter, I have to keep going until that chapter ends. My thinking is by doing that I'll eventually automatically read passed my goal the majority of the time.
While reading, I keep a dictionary handy to look up any words I don't know. Sure I can usually pick up the meaning by the context it's used, but this forces me to see all the meanings of that word. Ergo, forcing me to use my brain before it totally evaporates.
I might add that I don't always enjoy either of these things. It doesn't matter, though. Monday through Friday I write whether I feel up to it or not-well unless I am sick with more than a cold. EVERYDAY I read. I do not allow myself any breaks on that whatsoever. Ever so slowly, I am becoming a more productive person thanks to this.
Anyway, I am off for now. I wrote this morning. It's noon. That means its time for lunch, chores, and reading.
It looks like I have finally hit on a direction that works for me. Damn shame it had to happen right before I am scheduled to leave town. While I do plan on writing, I won't be able to bring the completed parts with me. Hopefully, I won't get thrown too far off the beaten path. If nothing else, the change of scenery is sure to inspire me. You know what they say about changing work habits periodically?
In other news, I have been reading more frequently. My goal is a minimum of twenty pages per day. However, I made a rule for myself. If I reach those twenty pages and I'm mid chapter, I have to keep going until that chapter ends. My thinking is by doing that I'll eventually automatically read passed my goal the majority of the time.
While reading, I keep a dictionary handy to look up any words I don't know. Sure I can usually pick up the meaning by the context it's used, but this forces me to see all the meanings of that word. Ergo, forcing me to use my brain before it totally evaporates.
I might add that I don't always enjoy either of these things. It doesn't matter, though. Monday through Friday I write whether I feel up to it or not-well unless I am sick with more than a cold. EVERYDAY I read. I do not allow myself any breaks on that whatsoever. Ever so slowly, I am becoming a more productive person thanks to this.
Anyway, I am off for now. I wrote this morning. It's noon. That means its time for lunch, chores, and reading.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Creative writing
Hi all,
Before I begin writing, I wanted to comment on something. I have been reading various "How to" books concerning the various aspects of the writing field. The one I'm currently plotting through (no pun intended) is "The Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing." I like that series because it approaches serious topics with humor. Nevertheless, I am on chapter four currently. I've been reading it very slowly,as I am underlining various things that could be of use to me at a later date and filling in some blank spots.
In doing this, I have noticed I write better if I force myself to get started as early as humanly possible, and that I can't always work under the same conditions. For instance, sometimes writing to pin drop silence is more disruptive than any tv show, dvd/video, or music could ever be. Without background noise, I take more notice of the so-called white noise, such as my dogs.
There are times, though, I get so into what I'm doing that I hardly see what's going on around me. That is a rarity for me, though. No matter how into my plot I am, the phone is usually a major distraction. Perhaps that is because Mom used to work, which left me at home to deal with that. I know many writers that simply ignore the phone if it rings during a writing session. Unfortunately, I don't have that option.
I have been babbling for quite a while now. I'm not even sure i said anything of substance. Thus, it is time to wrap up this rambling monologue and return to the writing salt minds.
Before I begin writing, I wanted to comment on something. I have been reading various "How to" books concerning the various aspects of the writing field. The one I'm currently plotting through (no pun intended) is "The Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing." I like that series because it approaches serious topics with humor. Nevertheless, I am on chapter four currently. I've been reading it very slowly,as I am underlining various things that could be of use to me at a later date and filling in some blank spots.
In doing this, I have noticed I write better if I force myself to get started as early as humanly possible, and that I can't always work under the same conditions. For instance, sometimes writing to pin drop silence is more disruptive than any tv show, dvd/video, or music could ever be. Without background noise, I take more notice of the so-called white noise, such as my dogs.
There are times, though, I get so into what I'm doing that I hardly see what's going on around me. That is a rarity for me, though. No matter how into my plot I am, the phone is usually a major distraction. Perhaps that is because Mom used to work, which left me at home to deal with that. I know many writers that simply ignore the phone if it rings during a writing session. Unfortunately, I don't have that option.
I have been babbling for quite a while now. I'm not even sure i said anything of substance. Thus, it is time to wrap up this rambling monologue and return to the writing salt minds.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Making Time to Write
Hi all,
I am willing to bet there isn't a writer out there that hasn't come up with excuses to avoid working-myself included. For years, I did not write a single thing. I claimed to have writers block. In the beginning, it probably was. I was under stress at the time, as my family was enduring a medical crisis. Instead of doing something to rectify it after the medical issue came to an end, I made one excuse after another. Still, I called it writers block, but what I was really doing was being lazy. How did I find this out? I started writing fanfiction. I did that on a more regular basis than I did my "real" writing. Finally, family and friends demanded I stop that and get back to business.
I did for a while. Then, I just became lazy again. In fact, I even quit reading this time around. As a result, I was becoming dumber by the second.(okay that is stretching the truth a bit) It wasn't until people put a gun to my head that I did start doing these things.
Now that the weather is warmer, there are a great number of reasons why I "can't" write on any given day. For instance, at least one day a week, I go to a local swimming pool with my Mom. My handwriting is not the greatest in the word, so I can't writ there. So, I have taken to setting an alarm so I can write before I leave the house.
When I go to the pool, I bring a book. If I am not in the water I am reading. Not to say I don't read at other times, but especially then. I tried top read a little bit every day, although sometime I do get genuanly busy, especially on the weekends.
I am going on vacation soon. I am even planning to take a pad and paper with me to write at my grandmothers house. Basically, I am forcing myself to get my butt in gear. This time, I am staying on schedule, even if someone has to super glue me to the chair, chain me to the desk, and stand over me until I do!
I am willing to bet there isn't a writer out there that hasn't come up with excuses to avoid working-myself included. For years, I did not write a single thing. I claimed to have writers block. In the beginning, it probably was. I was under stress at the time, as my family was enduring a medical crisis. Instead of doing something to rectify it after the medical issue came to an end, I made one excuse after another. Still, I called it writers block, but what I was really doing was being lazy. How did I find this out? I started writing fanfiction. I did that on a more regular basis than I did my "real" writing. Finally, family and friends demanded I stop that and get back to business.
I did for a while. Then, I just became lazy again. In fact, I even quit reading this time around. As a result, I was becoming dumber by the second.(okay that is stretching the truth a bit) It wasn't until people put a gun to my head that I did start doing these things.
Now that the weather is warmer, there are a great number of reasons why I "can't" write on any given day. For instance, at least one day a week, I go to a local swimming pool with my Mom. My handwriting is not the greatest in the word, so I can't writ there. So, I have taken to setting an alarm so I can write before I leave the house.
When I go to the pool, I bring a book. If I am not in the water I am reading. Not to say I don't read at other times, but especially then. I tried top read a little bit every day, although sometime I do get genuanly busy, especially on the weekends.
I am going on vacation soon. I am even planning to take a pad and paper with me to write at my grandmothers house. Basically, I am forcing myself to get my butt in gear. This time, I am staying on schedule, even if someone has to super glue me to the chair, chain me to the desk, and stand over me until I do!
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