It's Not Going To Write Itself...

In the beginning of each year and past blog posts I've said I would buckle down {Cliche I know} and get down to serious business writing the several stories that are swimming in my head.  Well, I'm doing it this year also however, things are a little different this new year.  I think I have found something to keep me motivated throughout the year {I got my fingers crossed} and hopefully I'll get at the very least a first draft or more if I write everyday. {like I'm suppose to}

Writing Goals

I found this on Pinterest. I loved the break down of it and felt it was manageable to achieve my writing goals.  I've already started a writing schedule for myself.

I hope I'll have the motivation and the determined discipline throughout this whole year.

Doing/Not NaNo...

I've never done NaNo before.  I'm not going to start doing it this year...I'm not ready for that kind of pressure.  Maybe next year, I can start gathering the research for one of my pending stories in December.  By next November I can just concentrate on the writing part.That's all NaNo is...writing.

I may not be doing NaNo but I will be working on my "Work in progress" as much as possible this month.  I want to see how much I can truly get done in one month.

Here's to NaNo and everyone who is participating...good luck to you all.   

Now Hiring...

I need to figure out what Kacey will be doing for her occupation.  I think she's telling me that she is a classical musician.  Not sure what instrument she plays.I am seeing her playing a flute or some type of wind instrument I'm sure she'll clue me in when I need to know. 

First, I need to work on Francine's situation.

Websites for Writers...

I was thumbing through my Poets & Writers Magazine I saw this ad for a writing software. I went to their website My Story Writer and I was more interested in their link list for writers than their software.
Websites for Writers website has four pages full of website's for writers. Here are just a few that caught my eye.

1. Write to Done - Blog from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits fame: “That’s what Write To Done is about, at its core: the craft and the art of writing. But from that core we’ll be covering many topics: journalism, blog writing, freelance writing, fiction, non-fiction, getting a book deal, the business of writing, the habit of writing.
2. Autocrit - The AutoCrit Editing Wizard automatically analyzes your manuscript, checking it for a wide collection of writing errors and weaknesses. The Editing Wizard finds:
   
   • Overused Words & Phrases
   • Repeated Words & Phrases
   • Slow Pacing
   • Dull Sentence Structure
   • Cliche's & Redundancies
   • Incorrect Homonyms
   • Incorrect Readability Levels
   • Overused Dialogue Tags
3. Procrastinating Writers - Procrastinating Writers offers advice, motivation and inspiration to help creative writers overcome procrastination and complete the writing projects they've been putting off.
4. Word Hustler - WordHustler is the first and only website to take care of the whole process of submitting work to literary markets. Our free database features 4,000+ agents, publishers, contests, and publications. Our over 5,000 clients use WordHustler to send and track their physical submissions, which saves them time so they can do what they’re supposed to be doing: WRITING. Our goal is to make the submission process easier and more organized for writers AND the markets who receive their work. In fact, Bnet.com called us “The Match.com for the publishing industry.”

Whoever is a writer or wants to be a writer will find something at Websites for Writers.
Note: Description of websites were snagged from Websites for Writers

The Voices In My Head...I, I Mean Stories...

Meet Kacey...she's one of my main characters in one of my works in progress.  I started working on her story after Tessa stopped talking to me.

Kacey has a very interesting story to tell, I just hope I can tell it well.

There are several stories inside the challenge is getting them onto the page. Writing seems harder then it appears. The biggest problem I have is procrastination and discipline when it comes to writing. Right now, I have two works in progress and two more in my head waiting just waiting for me to get to work.  I keep telling myself,  "How can you be a writer when you don't write?" You can't!

During the summer my sister got me addicted to Pinterest for those of you who don't know, it's a virtual cork board and you pin web pictures to your virtual boards that you create.  Well, let just say, Pinterest has gotten my creative juices flowing.  I've found some great writing websites and blogs through pinning pictures, which I have add to my sidebar that anyone can check out.  These new sites are giving me inspiration to start taking  my writing and the busness of writing seriously.

I hope I can get myself into a serious writing routine and become the writer I know I can be!

Putting Tessa On The Shelf...

For now, I will be putting Tessa's story on the shelf.  I am not giving up on Tessa I'm just giving her along with myself a rest.  I will be working on another project I had started awhile back entitled "Time of Death."  For the foreseeable future I will be posting my progress to writing this story.

More details of this story are coming soon.  So stay tuned.

Excuses, Excuses And One Good Reason ...

Long days and warm nights made me not want to write.  During the summer I lost my motivation and discipline to my creative mind.  I was living my life. While my characters lives were suspended in air. Waiting, and waiting for me to get back so they again can inhabit the page. For months I wasn't  being fair to them or myself they have a story and I'm the one to tell it.

One day in late August, I went into my local Barnes & Noble and saw a sign.  It read "Writer's Workshop" I wasn't taking my writing serious. I needed something like this to help push me back into the world of words.  For the past three months, I have learned, grown creatively and...I'm here, ready to get back to work.

“Not” Working The Novel…

So, the title of this post says it all. This past week I haven’t been working the novel which kind of frustrates me.  Life, procrastination not sure which is getting in the way of my writing.  All I can say to myself is… “Don’t beat yourself up about it!  Keep moving forward!  Hopefully next week will be very productive!”

Let’s hope so…

March 14, 2011—

3:30 PM—

Wrote and edited the manuscript—

March 20, 2011—

5:52 PM—

Worked on the outline for “A Thirst for Love”— formatted it to fit on 5x8 index cards

March 22, 2011—

4:20 PM—

Worked on the outline — and wrote a little on the manuscript

March 31, 2011—

3:17 PM—

Added more description to the opening page to “A Thirst for Love”— need to work on the description a little more to chapter one

My Writing Time Sheet…

You can make this with a simple table and you can add or subtract whatever fits into your writing or how you work when you write.  I have a table that consists of… day and date, the time I start writing, the time I stop writing, than the total number of hours I wrote, and lastly notes I may want to write down.
  
Whatever you need to keep you writing!  I may change it up as my writing evolves.  Hope this idea helps in your writing journey like it has mine.

Finally, Moving Forward…

I’m finally moving Tessa forward.  I got the section that was giving me so much trouble to a point where I was able to advance Tessa’s story.

However, I’m not thrilled with the amount of time I’m spending writing.  I would like to spend more time writing but it seems everyday life is getting in my way!  What do I do about this problem?  Anyone out there have any ideas or suggestions I could use?  Let me know in comments.  I made a Writer’s Timesheet Template which is helping somewhat but not as much as I would like it to.  I will post what the Timesheet looks like soon.

One of my writing distractions is my cat.  Moe is very intelligent and if he’s not sleeping  he sits behind me in the kitchen either staring at me or meowing, sometimes doing both.  Like he’s doing right now!  Not to mention, pulling down my dish towel onto the floor and then proceeding to sit on it, then he starts his routine of staring and meowing.  He needs to be comfortable after all!  If I ignore him he gets louder!  He doesn’t take no for an answer he wants attention at that moment!  Just a minute ago, I had to stop writing this to give him attention so he would stop meowing and so I could finish this post!  

February 20, 2011—

5:36 PM—

Edited and wrote finally moving Tessa along—

 

February 22, 2011—

4:00 PM—

Edited a tiny bit —wrote a little over an hour on the manuscript

 

February 24, 2011—

3:54 PM—

Edited and wrote …

 

February 25, 2011—

4:10 PM—

Wrote the manuscript —moving forward slowly

 

February 26, 2011—

6:04 PM—

Read both chapters of the manuscript and continued writing chapter two.

 

March 10, 2011—

4:27 PM—

Wrote a good paragraph in the manuscript moving Tessa along and forward…

Out In No-Mans' Land…

On the days I don't work on my novel I feel  guilty for leaving Tessa in no-mans’ land.  Tessa has been in no-mans’ land for at least six weeks, although I have been working on the novel I haven’t moved her along.  I have her suck in a conversation with a four year old boy in Boston’s South Station.  She’s stuck there because I can’t seem to get the words right with this conversation.  I’ve been editing the same conversation for over a month and that is not helping Tessa move along.

Today I think I got the conversation the way it should flow, lets at least hope so…for Tessa’s sake.  I won’t know until I go back and read what I wrote the next time I sit to write.  Until then Tessa’s still in no-mans’ land.

Sorry Tessa I’m working on getting you out as soon as I can.

February 1, 2011—

4:00 PM—

Worked on my writing time sheet — also wrote

 

February 2, 2011—

4:18 PM—

Worked on the manuscript for “A Thirst for Love”— some editing and continuing the scene I’m on in chapter two— also, searched for descriptive words in Word Menu Software. ™

 

February 8, 2011—

5:09 PM—

I edited what I wrote on February 2—

 

February 13, 2011—

4:33 PM—

Edited page 7— of “A Thirst for Love” manuscript— for at least the fifth time— there is a lot going on, on that page and I’m trying to get the words right!

A Writer’s Time Sheet…

I was trying to think of a way to get more productivity out of my writing.  The first thing I needed to know was how long I was writing/working on the novel.  I also needed to know how many days of the week I was actually working.  Below is a table that may help me keep my productivity up and my procrastinating down.  I was just thinking, maybe I should also add a slot for the total of hours a day I work.

I’ll see how this works for me and let you know.  Maybe it can work for you.

Day/Date:	Time Start:	Time Stop:	Notes:
Wednesday / Jan 12,11	12: 00 PM	4:30 PM	Wrote an outline for a scene in chapter 2

Procrastination Is A Bitch…

Why is it a bitch?  Procrastination is very easy to do!  If you don’t feel like doing anything you’re not being lazy you’re procrastinating about doing something.  If you are doing something other than what you’re suppose to be doing you’re procrastinating what needs to get done.  So yes, it’s very easy to do!  I did it everyday last week!  I did a lot last week…slept late, changed my cable plan, played Moh Jong and lost too many times to count.  That’s is just a few things I did, the one thing I should have been doing everyday I didn’t do, and that was write!

If you read below you’ll know why I was procrastinating. Hopefully I know where I’ll be going and won’t procrastinate getting myself there.

 

January 22, 2011—

5:47 PM—

Wrote a little today…may write later tonight. Mad at self for procrastinating for so long. In my own defense, I was having trouble seeing what was happening to her and couldn’t get it on the page. Now I can see what’s happening!

 

January 23, 2011—

5:05 PM—

I didn’t write last night. However, I wrote a scene in the manuscript today it seemed to flow I wish that could happen everyday. Actually, I’m in the middle of the scene but the part I wrote today seemed to flow well. I wasn’t looking at the page with a blank stare like I usually do!

 

January 25, 2011—

4:00 PM—

Edited what I wrote Sunday and wrote a little more today. I didn’t do as much as I planned to but at least I did something today!

Back To Work…

With the holidays over, and the issues I needed to address during the holidays have been taken care of I can get back to work.  Since it's winter in Massachusetts I have at least two months to work on my novel,  most likely three months because April isn't all that “Springy” as far as springtime weather is concerned.  Most of the time springtime doesn’t start until May in Massachusetts.  Tonight, we will have at least 12 inches  of snow maybe more dumped on us.  So I won't be going anywhere anytime soon so I won't have any excuses not to write.

As you can see, I have started writing in the last couple of days.  Hopefully I can get back into rhythm and not get any “life” distractions to derail my productively or progress to getting my novel written in 2011. 

By the way…Happy New Year everyone!

January 9, 2011—

4:15 PM—

Worked on mapping out a scene in chapter two for “A Thirst for Love”— skimmed through two of my writing reference books to get a better idea of how to get the scene on paper.

January 11, 2011—

3:30 PM—

Worked on chapter two on “A Thirst for Love”— editing some paragraphs and wrote some…

Better Late Than Never...

It's been a while since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I haven't written or worked on the novel.  However, I would have liked to work on it a little more than I did.  I had a few issues I had to deal with which prevented me from writing or working on it all together.  Hopefully in the new year, I can get back on track.  As you can see I have worked on it sporadically in the past two months.  As always, life seems to get in the way.

Hopefully I can get into Tessa's life more in the new year and less in mine.

 

November 19, 2010—

3:27 PM—

Started chapter two the other day but didn’t  write it in my notebook until today.

Today I worked on editing what I already wrote the other day and continued writing chapter two. I haven’t worked on Tessa’s character’s sketch because she’s letting the words flow today!

Thank you, Tessa!

 

November 18, 2010—

3: 30 P.M.—

Deepened the description to South station in the manuscript

November 29, 2010—

4: 15 P.M.—

Entered everyday terms of the 1920s for research for Tessa's story, from the book "Everyday Life from Prohibition through World War II."

December 1, 2010—

4: 44 P.M.—

Wrote some of the manuscript for "A Thirst for Love"—I am using Dragon dictate hoping that I can write faster with it. Time will tell I haven't used it in quite a while. So I'm still getting used to it.

December 22, 2010—

4:30 PM—

Worked on outlining the scenes for "A Thirst for Love"—I found an article in Writers Digest on different styles of outlines. There was one that I liked the most. It was called signpost outline so I worked on that.

Chapter One…Done?

Wow, I’m actually writing and starting to get a routine down! Granted I’m not writing everyday yet.  However, since I changed the focus of this blog I have written more then I have in years.  I actually have chapter one done.  A month ago I had the name for my main character and old notes now I have a whole chapter, that says a lot.

Putting my thoughts and progress on the blog is helping me tremendously to move forward. I’m trying to keep my self critic in a “time out”  seems to be working, so far.

November 1, 2010—

2:20 PM—

Still working on “A Thirst for Love” manuscript — I’m hoping to work on it a little more sometime later in the day.

Not doing NaNo but will try to write something everyday in the month of November.

 

November 5, 2010—

3:48 PM—

Finished chapter one of “A Thirst of Love”— I’m sure I will be editing it over and over again but right now I’m satisfied —until tomorrow!

November 8, 2010—

3:06 PM—

Edited chapter one. Will work on the relationship between Tessa and her mother and work on Tessa’s character Sketch. Try to get chapter two started.

Working It Out…

I was able to put some words together into some sentences and write a little.  Tessa {my main character} is showing me her story.  However, she is showing me in bits and pieces which is why I seem to be moving in slow motion and can’t write a whole scene in a single writing session.  I’m lucky if I get three or four sentences together that is why I’ve been working on formatting the manuscript and research.

That’s okay Tessa take your time, I got all the time in the world.

October 29, 2010—

5:07 PM—

Worked on formatting the manuscript for “A Thirst for Love”—wrote some too, I think I’m finally finding my words!

 

October 30, 2010—

5:33 PM—

Worked for approximately two hours writing “A Thirst for Love”— slowly moving along—starting page four and word count at 738 —yea

Slow Progress…

I’m not happy with the progress of my writing.  I sit in front of my computer and it is just not flowing out of me (which it should be flowing out of me) and that is frustrating me.  I’m having a problem getting my words on the page.  I know what is going to happen in the story for at least three chapters but expressing what is happening seems to be very difficult to convey on the page for me.  

“They” (published authors) say don’t worry about editing or punctuation just write what comes to mind.  I have trouble “just writing” it’s very hard for me to do.  I have to punctuate and capitalize my sentences it doesn’t feel right if I don’t.  I even have to capitalize and punctuate when I text or IM my friends.  It’s the critic in me that won’t allow me to “just write”.  I need to teach myself to let go of Ms. Perfect because she does not exist no matter how much I want her to or think she does.

Tomorrow’s another day. 

 

October 28, 2010—

3:17 PM—

Formatted, edited and wrote a little (very little) on “A Thirst for Love”—

Writing Goals…

I know I should have more entries in my writing journal than just two since I changed the topic of this blog.  It takes time to form a habit and that’s what I’m trying to do.  Hopefully I will be posting the progress of my novel at least once a week or maybe once a day if I can get myself on a daily schedule.  Stay tuned.

 October 20, 2010—

3:42 PM—

Wrote some of chapter one of “A Thirst for Love” — since I know where the story is going for the first three chapters I thought writing it out should help with getting to know my main character better.

October 23, 2010—

6:21 PM—

Wrote some and did a little research online for “A Thirst for Love” — Worked for about three hours.

Change Is Good…

I think this blog needs a face lift.  It’s old and tired and I need to change things up.  So this blog is no longer about current events, sports, multi media or meaningless shit found on the internet. This blog will be my journey trying to put pen to paper. My thoughts, ideas, things I may find helpful and the notes to the stories I have in my head. This blog will be my writing journal of sorts. By doing this, I may get into a rhythm with my writing habits which may turn into writing an actual novel.

On the days I write, I will write something like this on the blog:

March 25, 2010—

6:03 PM—

Finished entering old notes for—“A Thirst for Love” Entered the “Big Willy” scene I noticed it needs a lot of editing. I will work on that soon. Tomorrow I will work on Tessa’s Character Sketch, Wardrobe, and Back story.

I may post about some of my many writing referencing books that I may be using or reading. I may want some opinions on what I’m writing.  Hopefully someone will have an opinion and will give it to me honestly.

A friend of mine has read some of what I have written, she seems to think I’m good.  For me, the jury is still out looking for proof because there is no consistency to my writing habits.  Nor am I organized sufficiently to be putting a three to four hundred page novel together.  I’m hoping changing this blog will help me get to where I want to be…a career as a published author.