Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Zombie is what I usually feel like at the end of the day. This is why night writing is a thing of the past for me. When I had a 9-5 job that I did my time at each day and then went home to dinner and happy play time, being productive at night was full of awesome. Then came kids and after school activities and customer support for my business and daily production that often forgets what the day in daily means.
Take last night for instance, my husband was trying to help with a job and told me a measurement three times and I still couldn't retain the knowledge for more than 3 seconds. Cue the drooling zombie sounds. Must write information down. Zombie doesn't understand pen. Zombie try pencil. Gah. Numbers are hard.
I also seem to be extra zombie at the end of this month. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Raise your brains, fellow zombies (okay, not your brains, some fresh ones from someone else). We've come a long way, like through a whole alphabet in a month. We've stumbled around blogs we've never been to before. We've found kindred souls and followed them. Now lets nom on those brains, kick back and relax. After all, tomorrow is May and that means its short story month. I'll need all the brain power I can get!
Braaaiiiiiins
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
A to Z Yawn
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Yawn: is what I find myself doing any time I find to sit in one place for more than five minutes. I used to be good at sleep. Loved sleep. Would rather sleep than be awake. And the dreams, oh they were so much fun. I'd ponder plots and characters in my half-sleep between dreams, coming up with all sorts of things to throw at them during my waking hours.
Now I wake up at 6am. I don't have to. I don't want to. But my brain has turned on and is pelting me with all the things I didn't finished yesterday and what I need to do that day. And this sudden, heart pounding moment of anxiety is usually right after dreaming that I'd been working on a job that I'd totally forgot about or that went all wrong and the customer needs it right away. It's utterly restful, I tell you. Not. There's too much going on in that mess of a brain to focus on plots or characters, which is really frustrating for someone who used to cherish the sleepy time we shared together.
Perhaps, in about twenty-some years, when I retire, sleep and I will kiss and makeup. I look forward to that day.
Yawn: is what I find myself doing any time I find to sit in one place for more than five minutes. I used to be good at sleep. Loved sleep. Would rather sleep than be awake. And the dreams, oh they were so much fun. I'd ponder plots and characters in my half-sleep between dreams, coming up with all sorts of things to throw at them during my waking hours.
Now I wake up at 6am. I don't have to. I don't want to. But my brain has turned on and is pelting me with all the things I didn't finished yesterday and what I need to do that day. And this sudden, heart pounding moment of anxiety is usually right after dreaming that I'd been working on a job that I'd totally forgot about or that went all wrong and the customer needs it right away. It's utterly restful, I tell you. Not. There's too much going on in that mess of a brain to focus on plots or characters, which is really frustrating for someone who used to cherish the sleepy time we shared together.
Perhaps, in about twenty-some years, when I retire, sleep and I will kiss and makeup. I look forward to that day.
Monday, April 28, 2014
A to Z X
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
X is a letter that I have to get pretty darn creative to use for today. So we're going roman. 10.
Due to spending the month with you, I've neglected spending time gathering prompts for A Story a Day In May. Today's challenge: gather 10 prompts.
A word, an opening line, a character name, whatever you've got. Help me out by leaving a comment.
X is a letter that I have to get pretty darn creative to use for today. So we're going roman. 10.
Due to spending the month with you, I've neglected spending time gathering prompts for A Story a Day In May. Today's challenge: gather 10 prompts.
A word, an opening line, a character name, whatever you've got. Help me out by leaving a comment.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
A to Z Writing
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Writing is what I'd usually rather be doing. While writing blog posts can be fun, it's writing stories that makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Whether is be a short or a novel, I enjoy sitting down and creating something new from nothing, pulling words together to create characters and worlds.
Usually those worlds are some place other than the one we currently inhabit, because really, I'm in that one and I need a vacation from it. Not to mention, it's so much more fun to create problems for someone else and help them solve them, creating order from the chaos than it is to pay taxes, nag kids and be overwhelmed with work (house, yard, and the kind that pays the bills).
Writing is what I'd usually rather be doing. While writing blog posts can be fun, it's writing stories that makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Whether is be a short or a novel, I enjoy sitting down and creating something new from nothing, pulling words together to create characters and worlds.
Usually those worlds are some place other than the one we currently inhabit, because really, I'm in that one and I need a vacation from it. Not to mention, it's so much more fun to create problems for someone else and help them solve them, creating order from the chaos than it is to pay taxes, nag kids and be overwhelmed with work (house, yard, and the kind that pays the bills).
Friday, April 25, 2014
A to Z Victims
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Victims of the knife: the series of posts that were the meat of this blog for a while until I got caught up in too many others things and had to let it lapse. I miss hanging out with all my discarded characters. Many of them found themselves back in my graces after we spent some time together and were repurposed back into other stories or novels. However, there are a few characters still out there, lingering around the edges of my room, hunkered down beneath crumbled papers of edits past, fashioning weapons from paperclips and discarded technology.
It's been so long since one of them has made the climb up my desk and perched next to my hand, spewing threats and then begging...and then threatening again. Really, it's the threats that tend to get my wheels turning so they are better off with those. Poor Ms. Wildstar is still looking for love and I'm sure the dust bunnies have managed to break free of the Barthromian's efforts at domestication. They're probably back up to ravenous status behind my desk.
One of these days, I'll get back to the drama of my discarded cast. None of them fit into Sahmara's story so they'll just have to wait for the next one for the chance at a new life on the page.
Victims of the knife: the series of posts that were the meat of this blog for a while until I got caught up in too many others things and had to let it lapse. I miss hanging out with all my discarded characters. Many of them found themselves back in my graces after we spent some time together and were repurposed back into other stories or novels. However, there are a few characters still out there, lingering around the edges of my room, hunkered down beneath crumbled papers of edits past, fashioning weapons from paperclips and discarded technology.
It's been so long since one of them has made the climb up my desk and perched next to my hand, spewing threats and then begging...and then threatening again. Really, it's the threats that tend to get my wheels turning so they are better off with those. Poor Ms. Wildstar is still looking for love and I'm sure the dust bunnies have managed to break free of the Barthromian's efforts at domestication. They're probably back up to ravenous status behind my desk.
One of these days, I'll get back to the drama of my discarded cast. None of them fit into Sahmara's story so they'll just have to wait for the next one for the chance at a new life on the page.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
A to Z Unaccountable
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Unaccountable for my time. There's a reason I don't work for someone else anymore. I don't like being held to a schedule, each minute accounted for, someone watching over my shoulder. Having to do something every day, or at the same time every day drives me nuts. I need the freedom do get it done as I see fit, which is almost always on time or early if I'm left to my own devices. Put rules on me and I'll drag my feet and procrastinate with the best of them. Having to write a blog post every day is not too confining and it's at least something I choose to do but it still grates at me each day that I need to get that done.
Unaccountable for my time. There's a reason I don't work for someone else anymore. I don't like being held to a schedule, each minute accounted for, someone watching over my shoulder. Having to do something every day, or at the same time every day drives me nuts. I need the freedom do get it done as I see fit, which is almost always on time or early if I'm left to my own devices. Put rules on me and I'll drag my feet and procrastinate with the best of them. Having to write a blog post every day is not too confining and it's at least something I choose to do but it still grates at me each day that I need to get that done.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
A to Z Twenty
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Twenty Master Plots and How to Build Them is the book I've been trying to read all March, and now into April. Not that it's hard to get through, I just haven't had much time to sit down and actually digest it. What I've gotten through so far is set out quite comprehensively with lots of examples from tv, movies and books that make the text easy to relate to. With each major plot type clearly explained along with beginning, middle and end goals to make them successful, it's really helped clarify where I'd like to go with a few of the novels and stories I currently have on my back burner. It's a really big burner.
Now I want to get through Sahmara's story so I can get back to Not Another Bard's Tale so I can play with my silly fantasy quest. Must. Control. The voices. Wait your turn! Then again, I really want to get through the book too. So many things do to, so little time.
Twenty Master Plots and How to Build Them is the book I've been trying to read all March, and now into April. Not that it's hard to get through, I just haven't had much time to sit down and actually digest it. What I've gotten through so far is set out quite comprehensively with lots of examples from tv, movies and books that make the text easy to relate to. With each major plot type clearly explained along with beginning, middle and end goals to make them successful, it's really helped clarify where I'd like to go with a few of the novels and stories I currently have on my back burner. It's a really big burner.
Now I want to get through Sahmara's story so I can get back to Not Another Bard's Tale so I can play with my silly fantasy quest. Must. Control. The voices. Wait your turn! Then again, I really want to get through the book too. So many things do to, so little time.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A to Z Sahmara
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Sahmara's novel is the one I'm currently working on. I did a post about her last year as well. It's funny that last year I was all proud of having the title set, but now that rewrites and edits have attacked, the title no longer works and I'm waiting for a new one to arrive. That's how it works for me. They arrive. I don't brain storm, though that sounds like a good plan. I like the idea of listing words that relate to the novel and playing with them until something meshes, but I've not yet had to get to that. Usually while I'm writing the synopsis or editing one of the later chapters - or end of the story in the case of a short - the title just pops into my head. Sometimes imaginary angels do a little number, other times its a facepalm wondering why the words didn't hit me sooner.
How does finding a title work for you?
Sahmara's novel is the one I'm currently working on. I did a post about her last year as well. It's funny that last year I was all proud of having the title set, but now that rewrites and edits have attacked, the title no longer works and I'm waiting for a new one to arrive. That's how it works for me. They arrive. I don't brain storm, though that sounds like a good plan. I like the idea of listing words that relate to the novel and playing with them until something meshes, but I've not yet had to get to that. Usually while I'm writing the synopsis or editing one of the later chapters - or end of the story in the case of a short - the title just pops into my head. Sometimes imaginary angels do a little number, other times its a facepalm wondering why the words didn't hit me sooner.
How does finding a title work for you?
Monday, April 21, 2014
A to Z Reading
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Reading. Every year I seem to go into reading mode in January and February and then March is a total loss for whatever reason (this year was because of work). April is either Camp NaNo and/or A to Z blogging (I don't recommend both. Did that last year and it was a lot to take on) and May is short stories. June is editing those short stories and July might allow me another spurt of reading before diving into critiques for the May stories that survive editing. The rest of the year is usually wrapped up in a novel project and I generally don't read while writing because things leech in. For a woman who loves reading, I don't ever seem to have enough time to read.
This April has allowed enough time for the whole Divergent series. I say 'allowed', but what I mean is I let my reading addiction to rule my every spare minute for five days while I squeezed in three books between working and running the kids around. Once that was done, I took a few days to breathe and then dove into critiquing a novel for a CP. Thankfully I'm not attempting Camp NaNo this April or I'd have no time for sleep.
Reading. Every year I seem to go into reading mode in January and February and then March is a total loss for whatever reason (this year was because of work). April is either Camp NaNo and/or A to Z blogging (I don't recommend both. Did that last year and it was a lot to take on) and May is short stories. June is editing those short stories and July might allow me another spurt of reading before diving into critiques for the May stories that survive editing. The rest of the year is usually wrapped up in a novel project and I generally don't read while writing because things leech in. For a woman who loves reading, I don't ever seem to have enough time to read.
This April has allowed enough time for the whole Divergent series. I say 'allowed', but what I mean is I let my reading addiction to rule my every spare minute for five days while I squeezed in three books between working and running the kids around. Once that was done, I took a few days to breathe and then dove into critiquing a novel for a CP. Thankfully I'm not attempting Camp NaNo this April or I'd have no time for sleep.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
A to Z Quiet
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Quiet is a sacred and wonderful thing. I try to use quiet time as effectively as possible because it is so precious. To write, I need either dead quiet or white noise at any volume. Anything else causes major distractions. They say people are like their dogs.
Squirrel!
Oh sorry, where was I? Ah yes. Kids interrupting me, dog needing attention, husband with random questions, people watching tv, playing Xbox, practicing guitars/bass/French horn, the phone, you have email! I do my used to do my best writing at my desk but the couch in the living room is a close second, and honestly, far more comfortable. But it's also in the middle of the main room in our house where I can at least be available and not shut away in my bedroom like a hermit.
Quiet is a sacred and wonderful thing. I try to use quiet time as effectively as possible because it is so precious. To write, I need either dead quiet or white noise at any volume. Anything else causes major distractions. They say people are like their dogs.
Squirrel!
Oh sorry, where was I? Ah yes. Kids interrupting me, dog needing attention, husband with random questions, people watching tv, playing Xbox, practicing guitars/bass/French horn, the phone, you have email! I do my used to do my best writing at my desk but the couch in the living room is a close second, and honestly, far more comfortable. But it's also in the middle of the main room in our house where I can at least be available and not shut away in my bedroom like a hermit.
Friday, April 18, 2014
A to Z People
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
People that I live with seem to think I should actually spend time with them. I know, right?
They want me to buy groceries and cook food for them, nag them about homework, practicing instruments, brushing their teeth, cleaning their rooms and doing their laundry. They love when I nag them. I mean, they must or they'd just do those things so I wouldn't have the opportunity to nag.
My husband wants me sit on the same couch without a laptop and focus on the same tv show or movie now and then. He might even want me to go with him and hang out with friends away from home.
Even the hairy little four-legged person who lives here wants my constant attention (squirrel!) and to work his hairs down (outside!) in between every (squirrel!!!!) key (OMG can't you see the squirrel?) on (you stupid human, I must chase it! Let me out!) my keyboard. (It's invading my yard! The excitement killing me! Please. Let. Me. Out.) I swear that's his secret mission in life.
We have a lot of squirrels in the yard. All. Day. Long.
People that I live with seem to think I should actually spend time with them. I know, right?
They want me to buy groceries and cook food for them, nag them about homework, practicing instruments, brushing their teeth, cleaning their rooms and doing their laundry. They love when I nag them. I mean, they must or they'd just do those things so I wouldn't have the opportunity to nag.
My husband wants me sit on the same couch without a laptop and focus on the same tv show or movie now and then. He might even want me to go with him and hang out with friends away from home.
Even the hairy little four-legged person who lives here wants my constant attention (squirrel!) and to work his hairs down (outside!) in between every (squirrel!!!!) key (OMG can't you see the squirrel?) on (you stupid human, I must chase it! Let me out!) my keyboard. (It's invading my yard! The excitement killing me! Please. Let. Me. Out.) I swear that's his secret mission in life.
We have a lot of squirrels in the yard. All. Day. Long.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
A to Z Outside
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Outside is where I like to be in the spring. My many flowerbeds cry out for attention. The garden begs to be planted. The raspberry plants need to be thinned and the strawberries weeded. The dog wants to run around. The miles of mole tracks need to be stomped down and the mouse runs have to be filled. Thatch needs to be raked out of the grass and mountains of sticks need to be picked up before the first mowing can take place. Mulch must be spread so weeding doesn't take over my summer. Oh, so much to do and here I sit with my laptop, looking out the window, getting exhausted just thinking of all the things I need to do.
Outside is where I like to be in the spring. My many flowerbeds cry out for attention. The garden begs to be planted. The raspberry plants need to be thinned and the strawberries weeded. The dog wants to run around. The miles of mole tracks need to be stomped down and the mouse runs have to be filled. Thatch needs to be raked out of the grass and mountains of sticks need to be picked up before the first mowing can take place. Mulch must be spread so weeding doesn't take over my summer. Oh, so much to do and here I sit with my laptop, looking out the window, getting exhausted just thinking of all the things I need to do.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
A to Z Nose
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Nose is dripping. Allergy season is just beginning. I seem to be allergic to spring summer and fall. Which sucks because I'm not a fan of winter...other than its the one season that I can breath freely.
I love to work outside in my yard, the flowers, the garden, playing with the dog. However, that means I have puffy eyes and a constantly running nose and a stuffy head. Somedays, when the pollen is really high, I can hardly breathe at all and I have to rely on my inhaler. Those days are so much fun. And yes, I take allergy medication. The nice ads on tv with all the allergy suffers gleefully playing in their yards after taking their one pill a day each day of their allergy season lie. That stuff does nothing for me. Unfortunately the stuff that does work, knocks me out for about an hour after taking it, but after a nice nap, I can breathe for eight hours without a box of tissues nearby.
Time to stock up on the allergy meds!
Nose is dripping. Allergy season is just beginning. I seem to be allergic to spring summer and fall. Which sucks because I'm not a fan of winter...other than its the one season that I can breath freely.
I love to work outside in my yard, the flowers, the garden, playing with the dog. However, that means I have puffy eyes and a constantly running nose and a stuffy head. Somedays, when the pollen is really high, I can hardly breathe at all and I have to rely on my inhaler. Those days are so much fun. And yes, I take allergy medication. The nice ads on tv with all the allergy suffers gleefully playing in their yards after taking their one pill a day each day of their allergy season lie. That stuff does nothing for me. Unfortunately the stuff that does work, knocks me out for about an hour after taking it, but after a nice nap, I can breathe for eight hours without a box of tissues nearby.
Time to stock up on the allergy meds!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
A to Z May
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
May: when I participate in A Story A Day in May. This requires a good deal of planning...or not. I've done it both ways. Neither was totally successful, but I did get some good stories out of both years and have gone one to sell them. A few of them are right over here ----->
I should be spending April gathering ideas for May. Obviously, I'm not. So this is going to be a wing it year. Given that most of my shorts grow from a couple lines of description, a single character or one line of a plot idea, I can probably make this happen as much as I could with planning in this, the year of Jean the Zombie.
If you've tried NaNoWriMo and enjoyed it, give this a try. It's a fun month long challenge without the commitment to one single novel that may or may not pan out after thirty days. And if a novel in a month is too much to take on, how about tackling one story a day? You set the length. Make it 100 words if that suits you. And if the story just isn't working out? Jot some notes about where you'd intended it to go in case you decide to revisit it down the road and try a new one the next day.
Stop by in May and see how my progress going and share your own if you leap into the challenge with me.
May: when I participate in A Story A Day in May. This requires a good deal of planning...or not. I've done it both ways. Neither was totally successful, but I did get some good stories out of both years and have gone one to sell them. A few of them are right over here ----->
I should be spending April gathering ideas for May. Obviously, I'm not. So this is going to be a wing it year. Given that most of my shorts grow from a couple lines of description, a single character or one line of a plot idea, I can probably make this happen as much as I could with planning in this, the year of Jean the Zombie.
If you've tried NaNoWriMo and enjoyed it, give this a try. It's a fun month long challenge without the commitment to one single novel that may or may not pan out after thirty days. And if a novel in a month is too much to take on, how about tackling one story a day? You set the length. Make it 100 words if that suits you. And if the story just isn't working out? Jot some notes about where you'd intended it to go in case you decide to revisit it down the road and try a new one the next day.
Stop by in May and see how my progress going and share your own if you leap into the challenge with me.
Monday, April 14, 2014
A to Z Labor
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Labor is what I do most of day/evening. Not really a labor of love (that would be writing), and not giving birth (done that twice and, while I dearly love them, they are the source of countless interruptions), but working. But I have way too many words to use for W so we're going with this today.
I'm self employed, which seems like it should be an awesome thing, and sometimes it is. For the most part though, I never leave work. There's a big difference between clocking out at 5pm and having the rest of night to yourself and looking at the clock at 5pm, knowing you still have so much to do so maybe you'll get a few more things done while you make dinner and then answer some emails while the kids to homework, and check orders one more time before bed so you know what's in store for the next morning.
Business is good, but can also be overwhelming when customers know where you live and decide to stop over without warning on the weekend, the evening, or early morning hours to go over projects. Please don't do this. Self employed people who work at home actually would like to be at home without working just like you do. At least call first.
My favorite (heavy sarcasm) was a customer who came over to go over a job on a Saturday afternoon, interrupting me mid-rototilling my garden. Also a big favorite: interrupting exercise time - I love answering the door in sweaty workout clothes.
This could be a very long and ranting post, but we'll stop here.
Labor is what I do most of day/evening. Not really a labor of love (that would be writing), and not giving birth (done that twice and, while I dearly love them, they are the source of countless interruptions), but working. But I have way too many words to use for W so we're going with this today.
I'm self employed, which seems like it should be an awesome thing, and sometimes it is. For the most part though, I never leave work. There's a big difference between clocking out at 5pm and having the rest of night to yourself and looking at the clock at 5pm, knowing you still have so much to do so maybe you'll get a few more things done while you make dinner and then answer some emails while the kids to homework, and check orders one more time before bed so you know what's in store for the next morning.
Business is good, but can also be overwhelming when customers know where you live and decide to stop over without warning on the weekend, the evening, or early morning hours to go over projects. Please don't do this. Self employed people who work at home actually would like to be at home without working just like you do. At least call first.
My favorite (heavy sarcasm) was a customer who came over to go over a job on a Saturday afternoon, interrupting me mid-rototilling my garden. Also a big favorite: interrupting exercise time - I love answering the door in sweaty workout clothes.
This could be a very long and ranting post, but we'll stop here.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
A to Z Knight
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Knight, well one of them, is in another novel I want to get back to. I talked about Bruce last year. His novel is in line right behind the one I'm working on right now. It's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to get a rough draft completed and then to the point where I'm ready to show it to a few people. When they sit for years on my hard drive they just haunt me, crying out for attention like my dog who doesn't appreciate the peaceful zone out of my writing time. Once I get Not Another Bard's tale up and moving, then I think I'll be able to settle down enough to devote time to a few of the novel/story ideas that tried to be birthed but life had other plans. I don't even have those projects listed on the writing page of my blog because they're not far enough along. Poor things. One of these days, I'll get back to my hairy, bumbling knight.
Knight, well one of them, is in another novel I want to get back to. I talked about Bruce last year. His novel is in line right behind the one I'm working on right now. It's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to get a rough draft completed and then to the point where I'm ready to show it to a few people. When they sit for years on my hard drive they just haunt me, crying out for attention like my dog who doesn't appreciate the peaceful zone out of my writing time. Once I get Not Another Bard's tale up and moving, then I think I'll be able to settle down enough to devote time to a few of the novel/story ideas that tried to be birthed but life had other plans. I don't even have those projects listed on the writing page of my blog because they're not far enough along. Poor things. One of these days, I'll get back to my hairy, bumbling knight.
Friday, April 11, 2014
A to Z Jerk
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Jerk is what I feel like for not being able to devote the time I should to visiting and responding to comments from all you wonderful people who take the time to stop by. I shall do the best I can with the time I have and that's all I can do. Well, I could just not participate at all, but then the voices would be angry and we don't want that. They'll stop cooperating when I need them for writing and when they do that, I become an unpleasant person and when I do that, my family and friends don't like me very much. I prefer that at least my family likes me so we'll let the voices have their fun this April so they'll cooperate in May when it's short story month. More on that on M day.
Jerk is what I feel like for not being able to devote the time I should to visiting and responding to comments from all you wonderful people who take the time to stop by. I shall do the best I can with the time I have and that's all I can do. Well, I could just not participate at all, but then the voices would be angry and we don't want that. They'll stop cooperating when I need them for writing and when they do that, I become an unpleasant person and when I do that, my family and friends don't like me very much. I prefer that at least my family likes me so we'll let the voices have their fun this April so they'll cooperate in May when it's short story month. More on that on M day.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
A to Z Increase
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Increase. While it could be said that the point of this challenge is to get you motivated to blog more regularly, it's also about increasing the number of followers you have. That's wonderful and I'm all for it, but that requires visiting many blogs a day to read their posts and comment and eventually, if you really like the blog, follow it.
I met some fun bloggers last year and enjoyed their posts during the challenge and after, but I don't have much time this year for seeking out new blogs to visit on the very long list (more on that in tomorrow's post). I do thank you for taking the time to stop by, knowing full well how valuable that time is. I'm also glad to see some returning visitors from last year. It's been great reconnecting with you again!
Increase. While it could be said that the point of this challenge is to get you motivated to blog more regularly, it's also about increasing the number of followers you have. That's wonderful and I'm all for it, but that requires visiting many blogs a day to read their posts and comment and eventually, if you really like the blog, follow it.
I met some fun bloggers last year and enjoyed their posts during the challenge and after, but I don't have much time this year for seeking out new blogs to visit on the very long list (more on that in tomorrow's post). I do thank you for taking the time to stop by, knowing full well how valuable that time is. I'm also glad to see some returning visitors from last year. It's been great reconnecting with you again!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
A to Z Hurried
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Hurried. Yes, these posts are meant to generally be short since we're also spending time visiting our fellow bloggers and no one wants to read through a four screen-long post, but it's hard finding enough meat to fill a post without it coming off as total fluff when you just don't have time. It hardly seems fair to those who put in the time to write a meaningful post, musing on the letter of the day in their chosen theme.
Last year I spent a good amount of time pouring over my entire body of work to find characters with names beginning with the letter for each day. This year, something that ambitious is not possible. Heck, I'm lucky if I find time to have lunch most days. Speaking of which, I need to get back to work and the hundred other things I need to do yet today.
Hurried. Yes, these posts are meant to generally be short since we're also spending time visiting our fellow bloggers and no one wants to read through a four screen-long post, but it's hard finding enough meat to fill a post without it coming off as total fluff when you just don't have time. It hardly seems fair to those who put in the time to write a meaningful post, musing on the letter of the day in their chosen theme.
Last year I spent a good amount of time pouring over my entire body of work to find characters with names beginning with the letter for each day. This year, something that ambitious is not possible. Heck, I'm lucky if I find time to have lunch most days. Speaking of which, I need to get back to work and the hundred other things I need to do yet today.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
A to Z Goobledygook
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me
Gobbledygook is what usually comes from my fingertips when I force myself to write. No one wants to read that, let alone a full month of it. The general consensus seems to be that, as a writer, one should sit down for an allotted time each day and write whether you feel like it or not. That's not for me. I tried it for two of my many years of NaNoWriMo, and while there are a few good scenes in those novels , I came away with two projects that I was really disappointed in. Should I have taken those two years off? Probably. Or at least allowed myself to write short stories instead of attempting to take on full novels while being overloaded with life and unable to concentrate on writing during what should be my peaceful, merrily-mind-wandering, writing time. So force it? Not for me.
Gobbledygook is what usually comes from my fingertips when I force myself to write. No one wants to read that, let alone a full month of it. The general consensus seems to be that, as a writer, one should sit down for an allotted time each day and write whether you feel like it or not. That's not for me. I tried it for two of my many years of NaNoWriMo, and while there are a few good scenes in those novels , I came away with two projects that I was really disappointed in. Should I have taken those two years off? Probably. Or at least allowed myself to write short stories instead of attempting to take on full novels while being overloaded with life and unable to concentrate on writing during what should be my peaceful, merrily-mind-wandering, writing time. So force it? Not for me.
Monday, April 7, 2014
A to Z Fail
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Fail. I don't need another thing in life to be disappointed about. I'm already six months behind where I wanted to be on building our house, then there's the teen son's grades and the fact that my novels still haven't found a home (but I'm not ready to dive into self publishing quite yet).
I hate starting something when I know there's a good chance I won't finish. Such as the counted cross stitch project I started oh so many years ago with great gusto and then had to put away for while to work on other things, then only hauled out once a year to work on during the Superbowl - because that's what I do during the Superbowl while I wait for commercials. As you might gather, I'm not a sports person. At the pace of one day per year, you might also gather that this particular project isn't progressing with any semblance of a satisfying speed. Hey, give me another forty years and it just might be finished.
Fail. I don't need another thing in life to be disappointed about. I'm already six months behind where I wanted to be on building our house, then there's the teen son's grades and the fact that my novels still haven't found a home (but I'm not ready to dive into self publishing quite yet).
I hate starting something when I know there's a good chance I won't finish. Such as the counted cross stitch project I started oh so many years ago with great gusto and then had to put away for while to work on other things, then only hauled out once a year to work on during the Superbowl - because that's what I do during the Superbowl while I wait for commercials. As you might gather, I'm not a sports person. At the pace of one day per year, you might also gather that this particular project isn't progressing with any semblance of a satisfying speed. Hey, give me another forty years and it just might be finished.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
A to Z Exhausted
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me
Exhausted as I am each night, how will I find the energy to add yet another thing to my day? I used to be a night person. I wrote at night, stayed up to play games and to read. Now, unless there's a damn good book in my hand, I'm wiped out by eleven if not before. Somewhere around forty, I became a morning writer. Not a morning person. Goodness, don't even think about asking my grumpy lump of a body to work before 9am, but I'll be happily writing at 7am. Maybe it's because I can zone out and I don't have to deal with real people that early. I need my writing time, it makes me a more pleasant person during the rest of the day.
Exhausted as I am each night, how will I find the energy to add yet another thing to my day? I used to be a night person. I wrote at night, stayed up to play games and to read. Now, unless there's a damn good book in my hand, I'm wiped out by eleven if not before. Somewhere around forty, I became a morning writer. Not a morning person. Goodness, don't even think about asking my grumpy lump of a body to work before 9am, but I'll be happily writing at 7am. Maybe it's because I can zone out and I don't have to deal with real people that early. I need my writing time, it makes me a more pleasant person during the rest of the day.
Friday, April 4, 2014
A to Z Determined
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Determined to finish the novel I'm working on. With so many other things needing my attention, doing a blog challenge just isn't my top priority. I really liked the blog I visited last year that used suggested words to write a month long story (sorry, I don't remember which one of you that was, but the idea was brilliant). That was an awesome idea and one I really wanted to try this year, however, I don't have the time to devote to that so we're stuck with my excuse theme instead. Next year, I'm determined to try the story thing though. Really.
Determined to finish the novel I'm working on. With so many other things needing my attention, doing a blog challenge just isn't my top priority. I really liked the blog I visited last year that used suggested words to write a month long story (sorry, I don't remember which one of you that was, but the idea was brilliant). That was an awesome idea and one I really wanted to try this year, however, I don't have the time to devote to that so we're stuck with my excuse theme instead. Next year, I'm determined to try the story thing though. Really.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
A to Z Crazy
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me
Crazy. What I'd be to take yet another thing on right now.
We are just beginning to build a house. Not physically ourselves. Well, not most of it. However, we are self contracting so it's still a lot of calling, organizing and decision making on our part. And we've not broken ground yet, which means the crazy has barely begun. Add to that two kids with afterschool activities, a heavy work schedule and that novel I'm trying to pull together...well, I seems I am crazy (as if this needed to be further proven).
Crazy. What I'd be to take yet another thing on right now.
We are just beginning to build a house. Not physically ourselves. Well, not most of it. However, we are self contracting so it's still a lot of calling, organizing and decision making on our part. And we've not broken ground yet, which means the crazy has barely begun. Add to that two kids with afterschool activities, a heavy work schedule and that novel I'm trying to pull together...well, I seems I am crazy (as if this needed to be further proven).
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
A to Z Busy
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me
Busy. Yes, that's a broad excuse but it's an accurate one. I'm busy submitting my two completed novels and four short stories that are currently looking for a home. Keeping up with where everything is submitted and following up with overdue responses and resubmissions is an exercise in organization. I don't need another reason to have a freak out moment like this one.
While we're on the freak out topic, please comment, it assures me that my email is actually working, and as a bonus, just for a second, I freak out a little, thinking that it's an agent or editor getting back to me. Also, I really do enjoy reading your comments.
Busy. Yes, that's a broad excuse but it's an accurate one. I'm busy submitting my two completed novels and four short stories that are currently looking for a home. Keeping up with where everything is submitted and following up with overdue responses and resubmissions is an exercise in organization. I don't need another reason to have a freak out moment like this one.
While we're on the freak out topic, please comment, it assures me that my email is actually working, and as a bonus, just for a second, I freak out a little, thinking that it's an agent or editor getting back to me. Also, I really do enjoy reading your comments.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
A to Z Ambition
Welcome to the 2014 A to Z Challenge. My theme for this year is why I shouldn't be participating. Thank you to David for writing the post that got the voices in my head working against me.
Ambition. I hadn't given this challenge any thought since wrapping it up last year until David mentioned it on his blog, which I randomly had a few minutes to read one day. I haven't had much time for keeping up with my favorite blogs lately either.
While the A to Z challenge was fun last year, my current stock of ambition is wrapped up in editing my very first NaNoWriMo novel from 2006. It's a mess and needs a lot of help, but I love the story and I think I might be worth the effort. It's requiring a lot of effort due to the fact that since 2006 it's been resurrected twice for a couple weeks to have more words thrown at it. No really, thrown at it. They don't match in tone or style. And both have twists and subplots that hadn't been set up in the original 50,000 words. This was back before I figured out that I should keep record of the characters involved or a chapter by chapter synopsis in remote effort to keep myself organized. After rewriting a good portion of the story, I finally have a finished draft and am in the midst of a second pass to fill in details and weave in the subplots that were added later.
Ambition. I hadn't given this challenge any thought since wrapping it up last year until David mentioned it on his blog, which I randomly had a few minutes to read one day. I haven't had much time for keeping up with my favorite blogs lately either.
While the A to Z challenge was fun last year, my current stock of ambition is wrapped up in editing my very first NaNoWriMo novel from 2006. It's a mess and needs a lot of help, but I love the story and I think I might be worth the effort. It's requiring a lot of effort due to the fact that since 2006 it's been resurrected twice for a couple weeks to have more words thrown at it. No really, thrown at it. They don't match in tone or style. And both have twists and subplots that hadn't been set up in the original 50,000 words. This was back before I figured out that I should keep record of the characters involved or a chapter by chapter synopsis in remote effort to keep myself organized. After rewriting a good portion of the story, I finally have a finished draft and am in the midst of a second pass to fill in details and weave in the subplots that were added later.
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