Stay tuned!......? (IWSG)

I was about to write "about a month ago" - but the truth is - I have lost most of my sense of time the past... however long.... Let's try again.

It has been my intention to start blogging more. I wrote a post once about why I struggled with this - the gist of which was that I didn't know what to write about. Then one day I sat pondering about what kind of posts I like to read and which one's I don't. For instance - everyone has been engaging in the A-Z Challenge, and I found that my absolute favorite blogger this time around was Lexa Cain. She posted about haunted places. It was awesome. I was totally engaged and excited to read about the different places. It had to have been quite and endeavor and I was impressed. However, even as I thought that I might have found something I'd enjoy writing about - basically, micro-history posts - I realized that in my current place in life, doing such posts frequently would become overwhelming for me. It would have to be a once a month thing. So I tucked that idea into my bag and kept thinking.

I recently stumbled upon a blog (briefly, and I can't remember the name of it) on which the writer was recording her journey out of debt. It was intriguing, and personal and I liked that. However, it felt a little too personal for my telling and I couldn't think of anything in my life that I wanted to share with the world that way. It got me thinking however, of the idea of learning from others experience. I have recently had a strong desire to change my schedule and start waking up early. I looked at the hours I spend doing things and decided that if I became that morning person that I longed to be, that I would be able to accomplish just a bit more each day. I decided I would begin a Morning Experiment. It was something that I could tie into writing and was feeling passionate about - so I tucked that idea into my bag and kept thinking.

You see, I felt that I could be pretty impersonal on the web. I have a lot of good reasons why... I mean... the only reason you really need is: It's the internet. But, my absolute favorite blog to read - which I never miss a post on - is that of Patrick Rothfuss. He has such a captivating voice, I like reading it even when the content is only so-so. He manages to share just enough of himself, without exposing his life to everyone. This finally convinced me that I need to talk about SOMETHING I was passionate about. I am passionate about writing - but, I don't have much to say about it. I'm passionate about my job, but that's not for me to share (as per HIPAA :). I'm passionate about the Wombat, but no one wants to read post after mushy post about someone else's lovey-kins. So I thought, and thought, and wondered if maybe I had a NeuroEmotional Complex (NEC) about it. Then I smiled, because that was something else that I was passionate about. You see, I'm not a practitioner - and I am not trained in the NeuroEmotional Technique, but after watching it done and having it done on me for years, I have learned how to do it, and the Wombat and I will use the technique on each other when we feel the need. Some of the biggest writing hurtles I have ever had were overcome because of this technique. So I decided that the personal piece would be an occasional Wed-NET-day post, in which I would share my experience clearing a trapped emotion and what happened because of it. 

So I began tucking this idea into the bag, but now the bag was kind of full. I looked in there at the shiny new ideas in there and I began to feel insecure. Who was I kidding? I can barely manage one post a month with IWSG!... but... I suppose I could do some NET about blogging... it may prove helpful and then I could write about that to get started... and if I got up earlier, I may have those few extra minutes to throw a post together... and daggnabbit I need to find sometime to do some research and enjoy learning, lest I become a complete workaholic. Maybe I can do it after.... so..... stay tuned.....?

Phase One: Complete! (IWSG)

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A little early - but I am excited. I officially finished the first draft of my book on Saturday. A little bit of a heady experience - it's been a long time since I've finished a book. I'm very excited to complete this stage of the process - very excited. 

I also feel intimidated. For while I enjoy re-writing and editing far more than first draft writing - it's still a monumental task, and I don't feel quite adequate for the job. I've taken so long to write this first draft that I have spent quite a long time, not picking apart, dissecting and improving my writing, and frankly I feel far from talented. My descriptive writing could make me weep if I thought about it too long. I feel like I need to do some writing technique warm ups. So here I reach out to the more practiced! What are your best resources for helping you with your technique? Favorite blogs or books? How do you get your writing properly dressed up? I'm a plain girl, with straight forward to-the-point tendencies - but I need to do some painting instead of bullet pointing. What are you thoughts?

The End is Nigh (IWSG)

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I think I can pretty safely say that my first draft is 85-90% written. Why then, can I not seem to finish it!?

I have iterated numerous times that I always "write forward." Well, Wombat stops me yesterday and says: "I have a suggestion - and hear me out before you immediately shoot me down... Maybe you should start doing some editing from the beginning, and then write the ending when you know that the book is flowing and building the way you want." 

I didn't shoot him down, because, quite frankly he had a point. That being said, I didn't immediately agree with him either, I decided to let it mull around in my brain. You see, I had a dilemma, and this dilemma went by the name of Pride. Pride, well, she finds it very important that I get on with the part where I have something to show for the past year or two of work. Especially since I have committed to having my book finished by the end of September. 

So in the end I'm making a compromise. I'm going to speed write to the end and block describe anything that I feel stuck on. THEN, I will go back and start the editing. Sheesh... for being a writer and, y'know, enjoying writing... right now... I really don't... 

But since Lady Pride ain't interested in waiting, it's time to suck it up and get the job done so that I can get back to liking it again. 

Wish I had something better to talk about this blog around, but I'm on day 20 of a 21 day cleanse, and quite frankly, despite physically feeling fantastic, mentally - I'm pretty cranky. So, maybe next time I'll have some good news and excitement to spill

Hope everyone's summer has gone well!

"Rifftrax: Because Some Movies Have It Coming" and Goals

"Hey Bella! Come liven up our discussion with your bubbly personality!"

"Sorry, can't socialize, obsessed with crappy book series."

                            - Rifftrax, Twilight

It's really probably not funny at all if you haven't actually watched the Rifftrax (see link), but when I started formulating the idea for this post, it  brought that particular line to mind. I've been meaning to put together a post for awhile, but... well... I've been too busy writing my book (and of course, the whole working, errands, etc. which is boring to go into detail about).

I finally decided that with the rough draft over half way written, it deserved to be treated like a good roller coaster ride - heading down off the big curve. I knew that I could "easily" finish it before the end of the year, which was a "phantom goal" I had set, but when it came right down to it, that was just too unstructured and too much time to feel motivated about.

Now, when it comes to goal making, I have the perfect coach: Wombat. Because when it suits him, he can think like this:

So I sat down with him, and we talked about goal making and we came up with a couple reasonable expectations and end dates. He even made me a little graph to fill in and keep track of how I'm doing - so I can clearly see if I'm falling behind, and how much, or if I'm exceeding my expectations and how well. 

I now have two weekly goal possibilities: Ideal and Bare Minimum. Ideal would mean finishing my book by August 18th - which is a significant challenge for me at this point. Bare Minimum will get me to an end date of September 29th which is my Super Goal end date. Lastly, giving myself space for life's intervention (ie, our summer vacation, etc.), without being too lenient is the Bare Minimum End Date of October 15th. 

It sounds over complicated, but it graphs out very simply and helps me feel excited. The sooner the goal, the more motivated I feel, but the reasonable goals, keep me from feeling stressed when life gets in the way. So far, I'm on track... but then, it's only been a week. Gotta get back to work!

I/O for the Brain (IWSG)

Not only do I feel insecure about my writing today, but about my intellectual existence. Basically, my TV consumption has increased over the past few years, and my intellectual exercises have decreased to such a degree that I've gained POUNDS of dumb-fat (we won't even discuss what it's done to my level of fat-fat). Further, I can watch the extra weight slowly flattening my word count to nothing. not only did I poopoo on my NaNoWriMo goals, but I probably had the lowest word count for the month then I've had in a year. I'm just pulling that out of my rear - I didn't actually make any calculations. I'm trying not to beat myself up too much - most of the time all that does is cause a downward spiral to worse behavior... at least for me... <.<   >.>..... I can be stubborn like that :p
I am working to change my habits and behaviors, though. It's been a pretty hard few months for me personally. I actively avoided the blogosphere for awhile, because I was a might-bit antagonistic and moody and critical - I was in bad form, basically (though, I'd like to say thanks to Elise Fallson for thinking of me, and checking to see how I was doing - Elise your awesome). Thanks to some NET - I'm doing better and better. Part of my goal, is to limit the amount of time I'm watching TV - putting my foot down about what I really want to watch, and not go searching for entertainment beyond that. I've also begun making a list of things that I want and like to do - so I have answers when I think "there's nothing to do". My ultimate point is that I need to give my brain a jump. Turn it back on.
Part of this plan also includes the significant increase of reading. What? I'm a writer that doesn't read? I used to a read a lot when I was younger. Then life got me busy. Obviously I'm not as busy now- since I can spend as much time as I do watching TV (even when excluding when I multi-tasked). I'm in a new place now and one of my strongest focuses is to finish this book. I've not been reading, because I'm gotten picky and critical - but I think its time to hunker down and do some purposeful reading. Heck, even if I don't like a book, I can still learn "what not to do" and the truth is, most of the time, I'm so fickle that I won't even finish the first chapter. Too much TV has given me an extremely short attention span.
So, now, for the sake of my future as a writer, for my health as a person and personality - I'm going to fight for my brain's right to write, logic, express, and experience.

Anyone else find that a daily habit hurts their writing? Done anything to help it improve?