With the first calendar week of NaNo over, I thought I I’d give a brief update: I’ve written 10, 272 words so far. That’s more than I’ve written in a week in probably 5 years! I’m happy with my progress, and eager for more.
Category: motivation
Over-commitment?
So…I’ve decided to do NaNo next month for the first time since 2012.
Yes, I have a full-time job with long, crazy hours. Yes, I go to school, too. Yes, I have a 5k to train for in 2 weeks, a 10k in 5 weeks, and a half-marathon in February. Yes, I have 2 blogs to maintain and I write book reviews for My Trending Stories.
What’s your point?
I participated in—and won—NaNo 5 years in a row, from 2007-2011. I started NaNo in 2012, but depression hit me hard, and I abandoned it (along with practically everything else). I found that barely-started story (about 35 pages of it) last year and did not even remember writing it. (But I was pretty impressed!)
When I had mostly conquered my depression (May 2013), I wanted to get back to my normal life. Then I had a stroke on June 1st. I spent the next 6 months in a haze of exhaustion, recovery, and adaptation as I came to terms with my new normal after almost dying.
I didn’t write a thing for over a year.
Slowly, I’ve gotten back into writing, but I miss the adrenaline-fueled rush of NaNo, so I’m giving it a shot next week.
Guess which story I’m going to finish? Yep. The one I started during my last NaNo.
So…
…I’ve decided to do NaNoWriMo for the first time in 4 years! I did it–and “won”–5 years in a row, from 2007-2011. In 2012, I started it, but then my depression kicked in and I stopped writing.
Had the stroke in June 2013, and I’ve been struggling to get my writing groove back ever since.
I’m not going to write a new novel, though. Instead, I’m going to finish the novel I started in 2012, now called Siren Song. I finished the outline months ago. Now I’m going to put it to use.
I’m witchofbreithla over there, if you’re interested.
Yes, it’s probably insane to be working full-time, finishing up my Bachelor’s degree, and training for a 10k..and deciding I need to spend most of November writing.
Insanity is relevant.
Mid-Year Goal Update
At the beginning of the year, I set quite a few goals for myself (not resolutions). Eight goals in each of three separate categories, one being reading and one being writing. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how I’m doing on those goals, since we’re halfway through the year.
Reading goals:
| 1) Read GWTW. |
| 2) Read 1 book per month from TBR. |
| 3) Read all books on AWR list. |
| 4) Read one classic per month. |
| 5) Read one book of poetry. |
| 6) Read 2 books per month to review. |
| 7) Read one inspirational book per month. |
| 8) Read 75 books. |
I haven’t read any of Gone with the Wind since January, so I better get on that. I have read one book each month from my TBR pile. I successfully read all of the books on the reading list for my American Women Writers class. I have read a classic per month. I have not read any poetry. (Oops.) I’ve read and reviewed at least two books each month. I’ve read at least one inspirational book each month. And I’ve currently read 69 out of my goal of 75 books.
Writing goals:
Writing goals:
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I’m still working on the revision of Witches. Siren Song is outlined, but I stopped working on it, and started writing on The Fall again. No progress on Camelot. No progress on Casting Shadows. I’m still working on the copyediting classes. I’m still chipping away at the blog goals.
Verdict: I’m doing okay on my goals, but I need to get it together and get on all of them!
When?
When does not-writing become a thing of “because I don’t feel like it” instead of “because I have a thousand other things that have to be done”?
When does my brain stop making excuses and get itself together and get my body in front of the keyboard?
When is “tired” no longer a valid excuse for not getting things done (things besides writing)?
When will I learn that I can’t do everything I’d like to, not and give each thing the attention and focus it deserves?
When will real-life have-to’s stop interfering with my writing time? (Looking at you, last-minute work meeting on my day off.)
When will I finally beat my tendency for procrastination? (Which eventually becomes active self-sabotage.)
When will people finally understand that “I can’t, I have writing to do” does not mean “Sure, I’m not doing anything anyway”?
When will my brain finally give me an outline for The Fall, so the actual writing part feels less like wandering around with a blindfold on?
When will I finally overcome this stupid mental block/laziness and sit in my chair and actually WRITE?
When?
The Muse Returns
I finished up the outline for Siren Song in January, and then promptly didn’t write a word until… late February. My “goal” (which I frequently find myself ignoring) is two 500-word sessions a week. I can remember writing 10,000+ words a day for NaNo years ago, so 500 words twice a week should be ridiculously easy. Should be.
As it turns out, actually making myself sit down and write is almost impossible. But this morning, I made that my first priority, and wrote 1,000 words.
Not setting any records with that, but I’m thrilled with it.
I also started outlining my final project for my capstone class, which is a short story based on the mythos of Camelot. I’m actually looking forward to writing it, and using it as backstory for when I start writing the Camelot project sometime in the future (because my Muse gave me a fantastic idea with that months ago).
How is the Muse performing for you?
Weekly Update: the End is in Sight
This week has been plenty busy. Craziness at work (which should soon be resolving itself in a very positive way.). Trying to get everything for the first week of classes done, as well as the reading done for the second week (Just about have that complete.). And perhaps I should pack sometime today, since I’m leaving for Atlanta tomorrow. Perhaps…
However, HTRYN Lesson One is going well. Sort of. It’s a bit depressing, but I should finish the first pass through Witches today. I’m seeing a lot of the same issues. Being aware of them is the first step to fixing them, right? (Here’s hoping.) I’m seeing a lot of telling-not-showing, and there’s more distance from my characters than I’d like. I do have an idea about fixing one issue that’s been bothering me somewhat for a long time, however.
I’m also less than five scenes from finishing the outline of Siren Song! I’m really happy about that, even if it’s not the greatest outline ever. I’m hoping there will be less wandering about with an actual outline to work from. (Knowing my tendency to get distracted, I’m almost positive that will be true.)
I’m off to finish things up so I can enjoy my sort-of-mini-vacation!
New Year, this Time with Some Actual Goals
Happy New Year!
I used to make very complicated, intricately planned-out lists of resolutions every year. A few years ago, I stopped that, but this year I decided to give it another go. I ended up with three separate lists (Life, Writing, and Reading), each with eight goals.
Here are my Writing goals for the year:
1) Finish Witches HTRYN.
2) Finish 1st draft of Siren Song.
3) Finish 1st draft of The Fall.
4) Start Camelot
5) Revise Casting Shadows.
6) Finish copyediting classes and make X dollars at it per month.
7) Have 500 followers on this blog. (I can dream, right?)
8) Have 200 followers on my personal blog (It’s a goal.)
Here are my Reading goals:
1) Read Gone with the Wind (for at least the 25th time. I normally read it every year, but it’s been a few years.).
2) Read 1 book per month from my TBR shelf.
3) Read all books on the reading list for my American Women Writers class (8 total).
4) Read one classic per month.
5) Read one book of poetry.
6) Read 2 books per month to review.
7) Read one inspirational book per month.
8) Read 75 books total.
Writing Inspiration: Permission To Not Write
How is not writing inspiration to actually get words on the page? Well….
I set weekly writing goals, as a way to keep motivated. But, let’s be honest, work, school, and frequently sleep come before writing. This results in me feeling guilty and leads to resentment. Which makes me less likely to actually want to write, if things do not go according to plan or even remotely according to plan).
If I’m feeling guilty because I didn’t get my words in on Monday or Wednesday, then I feel like I have to make up those words today, and I just don’t have time for that many words. So I resent the prospect and end up not writing today, either.
However, if I give myself permission to not write whenever it’s necessary, without the idea of having to make those words up, then that instantly makes my brain less stressed. Which means I actually feel like writing.
Does this make sense, or am I just making excuses?
Mischief Managed
The Muse is being mischievous.
I haven’t gotten much writing done this week (if any), between working six days and wrestling with trying to decide whether or not to start drafting another story. I’m still pretty torn. The Muse wants something new to play with, but she still likes Siren Song, too.
Decisions, decisions.
So…I think I’m going to get Siren Song outlined as I continue writing bits of it (I have an outline for the next couple of thousand words anyway). I’m also going to work on brainstorming, then outlining The Fall and the Camelot story. Then…I’ll start drafting at least one of those ideas, albeit in smaller chunks than Siren Song. This will keep the Muse entertained and engaged. I’ll also continue to do my POV-edit on Witches, then do an in-depth edit when I finish that.
There.
Mischief managed.
Tomorrow Is Another Day 