I have really grown to enjoy using twitter to keep up with the world of books; reading author success stories, new releases and exciting news from debut authors. I love it!
I find it quite daunting how quickly news can spread and events can change, and whilst twitter can sometimes be a little too hectic or instantaneous it's also highly addictive and a great source of new reads.
Happily new reads also includes blogs as well as books. I have a long list of blogs I follow and yesterday that number grew by one more all thanks to twitter :)
The blog in question is the wonderfully named Through The Gateway; From The Writer's Nest by Emma Adams and there I found interesting reviews, Ready.Set.Write more of which can be found here: Ready.Set.Write and Whats Up Wednesday posts.
R.S.W is something I'd not heard of so after a little more reading turns out it's a network of writers that can motivate and encourage each other through setting goals for their work!
Awesomesauce :) Think NaNoWriMo in the summer with a tighter group of blog links and people but also without the added stress of "winning". Sometimes any amount of writing makes it a win in my book.
I'd love to be able to participate in this *places thinking cap firmly on head* just got to dig out the wip from the back of beyond in my laptop and look over it with fresh eyes. Three weeks behind, but there's nothing like a challenge to get motivated!
The Whats Up Wednesday posts really caught my imagination. Having seen something similar on a work related blog I realised I loved reading smaller snippets of the journey that other people are on, how they tackle problems, what their goals are...I'd like to contribute to that, it might also help to keep me on track and moving forward with my goals, whether that's in writing or life in general. It acts like a mini online diary, which was the aim of this blog originally but looking back it seems more like a dumping ground of any emotional baggage I had at the time >.> Time to pull my socks up and really get creative again.
So yeah, go check it out, link above :) I'm always on the lookout for new blogs - twitter here I come!
Also, a little bit of good news to follow in my next post...coming right up!
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 June 2014
Monday, 24 March 2014
Letting off steam!
It is a truth universally known that as one part of your life starts to go right, another part goes catastrophically wrong - not entirely sure if I've made that up or paraphrased, possibly from Bridget Jones...nevertheless, it appears to be true. For me anyway.
I've pulled my head out of the sand for once and am re-assessing the work in progress, albeit from a safe distance of plotting in my head in spare moments. I've yet to open the document which is tucked away in my laptop. Truth it, I am still monumentally scared of it! Ridiculous, but there it is. I am scared of it being worse than I remember and then having the prospect of having to re-write it, or my worst nightmare to scrap it altogether. It's not something I want to face, and last year I wasn't strong enough emotionally to deal with it. Writing was and still is a hobby but it clashed with work, both the job I was doing and the search for the career prospect that could get me on the first step of the ladder. I felt guilty for writing at all in my spare time so it dwindled and stopped completely. Then the amazing thing happened and I got the full time job for which I am eternally grateful, but writing was pushed even farther away whilst I concentrated on getting things right in the office and focussing on what I had to do. Now thought I am finding that I would like to go back to my hobby, add to the story and maybe even finish it this year...I feel happy thinking about it, but I know how much hard work it will take. But I think I can cope now *insert insane grin here*
The catastrophic bit comes from the day job surprisingly enough! Perhaps I'm blowing it out of proportion and only time will tell really. Lack of communication is frustrating and I am starting to feel incompetent even when other people are making the mistakes...something to work through, but it means taking my eye off the writing again. It comes down to Making Time, setting it aside specifically to do what I enjoy, a bit of self discipline again. Just got to get off the carousel of worry for a while and having a day off in the week has helped enormously; I spent today just shopping with mum, making her laugh, spent a little too much on gadgets and toys that I've been after for some time and got a decent deal in hindsight...I enjoyed being able to forget about work for a day. Back to the grindstone tomorrow, but tomorrow is another day.
I forget sometimes how good it feels just to be able to write freely like this, I impulsively want to apologise for ranting but for once it feels good to let off some steam :-) thanks for listening!
I've pulled my head out of the sand for once and am re-assessing the work in progress, albeit from a safe distance of plotting in my head in spare moments. I've yet to open the document which is tucked away in my laptop. Truth it, I am still monumentally scared of it! Ridiculous, but there it is. I am scared of it being worse than I remember and then having the prospect of having to re-write it, or my worst nightmare to scrap it altogether. It's not something I want to face, and last year I wasn't strong enough emotionally to deal with it. Writing was and still is a hobby but it clashed with work, both the job I was doing and the search for the career prospect that could get me on the first step of the ladder. I felt guilty for writing at all in my spare time so it dwindled and stopped completely. Then the amazing thing happened and I got the full time job for which I am eternally grateful, but writing was pushed even farther away whilst I concentrated on getting things right in the office and focussing on what I had to do. Now thought I am finding that I would like to go back to my hobby, add to the story and maybe even finish it this year...I feel happy thinking about it, but I know how much hard work it will take. But I think I can cope now *insert insane grin here*
The catastrophic bit comes from the day job surprisingly enough! Perhaps I'm blowing it out of proportion and only time will tell really. Lack of communication is frustrating and I am starting to feel incompetent even when other people are making the mistakes...something to work through, but it means taking my eye off the writing again. It comes down to Making Time, setting it aside specifically to do what I enjoy, a bit of self discipline again. Just got to get off the carousel of worry for a while and having a day off in the week has helped enormously; I spent today just shopping with mum, making her laugh, spent a little too much on gadgets and toys that I've been after for some time and got a decent deal in hindsight...I enjoyed being able to forget about work for a day. Back to the grindstone tomorrow, but tomorrow is another day.
I forget sometimes how good it feels just to be able to write freely like this, I impulsively want to apologise for ranting but for once it feels good to let off some steam :-) thanks for listening!
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
New Year's Eve Thoughts
Well Christmas is over again for another 359 days and so far I have avoided the sales like the plague although my mum has fallen prey once again. There is something about the allure of huge red signs with giant white 'Sale' slogans that draws her like a moth, is it weakness? More habit and it's not one I want to get into, so I stay away from the marauding nut cases that prowl the shelves and rails, grabbing what they can regardless of size, shape or design! One of mum's favourite phrases is 'I've got to get it out of my system' and 'I'll treat myself' which turns into an excuse for a spending binge on things she bought on impulse...be warned, I'll admit to having also partaken in this guilty pleasure, although I'm curbing the urge to just spend spend spend! So I'm keeping an eye on two items in particular that I really would like but they are vastly out of my budget range - little hint they begin with the now immortal letter 'i'... I'll let you think about that for a second ;-)
Away from the spending lecture, and I'm feeling more and more as though I can carry on with the work in progress and I might even make it a New Year's Resolution and crack on with it in January before the day job gets busier and I need to focus on it. Of course I still have spare time, after work and the weekends but some how I lack motivation for those sensible times...my brain prefers to work in a darkened room in a silent house which in my little world means about 11 pm, pitch black, everyone else sound asleep and then suddenly an alarm goes off in my head and I'll lay awake for at least an hour. This usually involves mulling over the events of the day, the week, my family, my emotional stability and then if the muse is awake it will turn to the story still on the laptop but rather more dormant than I would like. So perhaps I should make more time and actually make a go of it. It's a cliché I know but I do dream of being published, either through the traditional route of finding an agent, publishing house, making a book deal (in my very deepest and darkest of dreams muhahahaha!) or via the now ever growing route of indie publishing both of which I am rather cautious about, having listened to many horror stories since I plugged into the wondrous world of writing way back in my early university days aka 2009 to be exact when the story that had been floating around in my sub-concious finally kicked in and forced it's way into my mind, demanding that I sit and write something down...I'm still proud of my nanowrimo efforts of 2012, plans for continuing the 2013 journey were stalled by the starting of the day job on, you got it, the very 1st of November! I was so nervous and wanted to focus on Getting Things Right, I decided to be sensible (there's that word again >.< ) and pushed the thoughts of nano out of my mind, whilst wistfully reading other's adventures on Facebook.
Obviously, I've come out of my shell hehe seeing as I'm writing this from the office computer, but I've done my filing, checked the emails and I'm all alone there's no one here beside me - ahem just a little Donkey moment there! - but you get the point.
I read an interesting article somewhere on the great wide web a few days ago, about inspiration being a mythical thing that really has little use in the writing world...I've heard other writers talk about the Craft and honing the skills of writing and mastering language before, but it struck me suddenly that it is the Craft I should be practising, not waiting around for the imaginary bolt of lightening that is inspiration, thrown with occasional accuracy by the elusive Muse. Practise I must, for like all things the tools grow rusty with lack of use, I must remember how to turn a phrase, make my characters come alive and dance to the tune of my choice - wish me luck as I wish you all the best of luck with your work in progress.
The family has a collective bout of cold and sniffles, thought I had escaped but it was not to be so I snuffled and sneezed through the past few days and dared to hope I would be back to health by the celebrations this evening. Thinking an afternoon cat nap will help prepare me for a long night of fun and games spent with our lovely neighbours as it's their last Christmas and New Year in our road, they move in just a few weeks time :-( We will be sad to see them go, in the 10 years we have known them they have let us into their circle and made us so welcome...refreshing in a time when community spirit seems to be dying out and a friendly face, kindly voice and helping hand are almost non-existant! It's at times like these when I begin to wonder that making a lot of noise and voicing opinions about The State Of Our Once Great Nation isn't enough. To quote of my favourite authors - you fantasy guys will recognise it for sure! - 'Words are wind' - just a lot of hot air which is no use to anyone! Why not set about helping, make yourself useful? The more I think about it, the more I think we, the great and terrible Youth Of Today, should be helping our elders and betters. We might be the future but we're certainly not doing anything to help our own futures, so in looking forwards perhaps we need to look back at what has been and the people that built our country in the last century or so? Food for thought definitely. Food. Energy. Money. Key things in our lives but how many of us, young and old, actually take into account how much we take and use? Do we think about what we can give back, put into the community, locally, nationally, at home and abroad? We need to pull together before the country falls apart. As such volunteering at local food banks would be a good way to start, it's something I've looked into very briefly. It may give me some satisfaction in knowing I'm helping out people who have been neglicted by the powers that be, but it also unites communities. Volunteer in a charity shop, soup kitchen, animal rescue, raise money for a good cause, raise the profile of something that matters to YOU.
That's my two cents anyway *jumps down from the soap box* I don't want to be adding to the surplus hot air so perhaps my New Year's Resolution should be to stop procrastinating, take the time to volunteer and take a stand no matter how small for something that matters to me?
Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful (I love public firework displays far too much for complete peace and quiet ;-) ) New Year! See you in 2014 in what I hope is a prosperous, peaceful and successful year for all!
Away from the spending lecture, and I'm feeling more and more as though I can carry on with the work in progress and I might even make it a New Year's Resolution and crack on with it in January before the day job gets busier and I need to focus on it. Of course I still have spare time, after work and the weekends but some how I lack motivation for those sensible times...my brain prefers to work in a darkened room in a silent house which in my little world means about 11 pm, pitch black, everyone else sound asleep and then suddenly an alarm goes off in my head and I'll lay awake for at least an hour. This usually involves mulling over the events of the day, the week, my family, my emotional stability and then if the muse is awake it will turn to the story still on the laptop but rather more dormant than I would like. So perhaps I should make more time and actually make a go of it. It's a cliché I know but I do dream of being published, either through the traditional route of finding an agent, publishing house, making a book deal (in my very deepest and darkest of dreams muhahahaha!) or via the now ever growing route of indie publishing both of which I am rather cautious about, having listened to many horror stories since I plugged into the wondrous world of writing way back in my early university days aka 2009 to be exact when the story that had been floating around in my sub-concious finally kicked in and forced it's way into my mind, demanding that I sit and write something down...I'm still proud of my nanowrimo efforts of 2012, plans for continuing the 2013 journey were stalled by the starting of the day job on, you got it, the very 1st of November! I was so nervous and wanted to focus on Getting Things Right, I decided to be sensible (there's that word again >.< ) and pushed the thoughts of nano out of my mind, whilst wistfully reading other's adventures on Facebook.
Obviously, I've come out of my shell hehe seeing as I'm writing this from the office computer, but I've done my filing, checked the emails and I'm all alone there's no one here beside me - ahem just a little Donkey moment there! - but you get the point.
I read an interesting article somewhere on the great wide web a few days ago, about inspiration being a mythical thing that really has little use in the writing world...I've heard other writers talk about the Craft and honing the skills of writing and mastering language before, but it struck me suddenly that it is the Craft I should be practising, not waiting around for the imaginary bolt of lightening that is inspiration, thrown with occasional accuracy by the elusive Muse. Practise I must, for like all things the tools grow rusty with lack of use, I must remember how to turn a phrase, make my characters come alive and dance to the tune of my choice - wish me luck as I wish you all the best of luck with your work in progress.
The family has a collective bout of cold and sniffles, thought I had escaped but it was not to be so I snuffled and sneezed through the past few days and dared to hope I would be back to health by the celebrations this evening. Thinking an afternoon cat nap will help prepare me for a long night of fun and games spent with our lovely neighbours as it's their last Christmas and New Year in our road, they move in just a few weeks time :-( We will be sad to see them go, in the 10 years we have known them they have let us into their circle and made us so welcome...refreshing in a time when community spirit seems to be dying out and a friendly face, kindly voice and helping hand are almost non-existant! It's at times like these when I begin to wonder that making a lot of noise and voicing opinions about The State Of Our Once Great Nation isn't enough. To quote of my favourite authors - you fantasy guys will recognise it for sure! - 'Words are wind' - just a lot of hot air which is no use to anyone! Why not set about helping, make yourself useful? The more I think about it, the more I think we, the great and terrible Youth Of Today, should be helping our elders and betters. We might be the future but we're certainly not doing anything to help our own futures, so in looking forwards perhaps we need to look back at what has been and the people that built our country in the last century or so? Food for thought definitely. Food. Energy. Money. Key things in our lives but how many of us, young and old, actually take into account how much we take and use? Do we think about what we can give back, put into the community, locally, nationally, at home and abroad? We need to pull together before the country falls apart. As such volunteering at local food banks would be a good way to start, it's something I've looked into very briefly. It may give me some satisfaction in knowing I'm helping out people who have been neglicted by the powers that be, but it also unites communities. Volunteer in a charity shop, soup kitchen, animal rescue, raise money for a good cause, raise the profile of something that matters to YOU.
That's my two cents anyway *jumps down from the soap box* I don't want to be adding to the surplus hot air so perhaps my New Year's Resolution should be to stop procrastinating, take the time to volunteer and take a stand no matter how small for something that matters to me?
Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful (I love public firework displays far too much for complete peace and quiet ;-) ) New Year! See you in 2014 in what I hope is a prosperous, peaceful and successful year for all!
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Prep & Pep Talk!
Second post in one day, I must be ill! Oh wait, I do have a cold and seem to be suffering from fits of the giggles at random times of day for little or no reason but I'm blaming the coffee.
Looking back at past tweets or things I've clicked as a favourite and I think this is probably one of the most important ones so far; it's simple and to the point and makes sense instantly, no long winded advice, just pure simple sense.
It's something I've never thought of before, to literally put one word in front of the other and sort it out tomorrow. It suddenly shifted the mental block out of the way and shoved me forwards to the point where I am really looking forward to NaNoWriMo instead of dreading it. Fear is holding me back again and the same niggling doubts - am I good enough? do I have any writing ability? will I be able to fix it all tomorrow or simply throw in the towel? And this little quote found on twitter reassured me that I've come this far, got 60K under my belt from last years 'win' and all I need to do is repeat the process, dig down deep and produce the goods! I've done it before so there is no reason why I can't do it again. Right? You'd think so, but I really need to kick the fear out of the park or it will hold me back permanently. Who cares if my writing isn't up to scratch...it's called editing for a reason!
So if you're aiming for nanowrimo this year, I wish you lots of luck and we can get through this together :-)
Now, where's the coffee?
Looking back at past tweets or things I've clicked as a favourite and I think this is probably one of the most important ones so far; it's simple and to the point and makes sense instantly, no long winded advice, just pure simple sense.
Neil Gaiman's writing advice"mostly it's a process of putting one word after the other.Fix it tomorrow." @neilhimself...
— KateMaruyama (@KateMaruyama) September 14, 2013
It's something I've never thought of before, to literally put one word in front of the other and sort it out tomorrow. It suddenly shifted the mental block out of the way and shoved me forwards to the point where I am really looking forward to NaNoWriMo instead of dreading it. Fear is holding me back again and the same niggling doubts - am I good enough? do I have any writing ability? will I be able to fix it all tomorrow or simply throw in the towel? And this little quote found on twitter reassured me that I've come this far, got 60K under my belt from last years 'win' and all I need to do is repeat the process, dig down deep and produce the goods! I've done it before so there is no reason why I can't do it again. Right? You'd think so, but I really need to kick the fear out of the park or it will hold me back permanently. Who cares if my writing isn't up to scratch...it's called editing for a reason!
So if you're aiming for nanowrimo this year, I wish you lots of luck and we can get through this together :-)
Now, where's the coffee?
Singing Cat ^.^
Okay so this might be a little mad but my mum and I cannot help but giggle if not break out into hysterics when a particularly lively piece of classical music is played on the car radio...we work together and Classic FM is usually on as we travel around!
Anyway, as you probably already know we have a lot of animals, cats, dogs and 2 very fat, very spoiled horses and they generally become the ballet dancers, musicians and artistes that we know they are in their own little world ;-) like I said...we're all mad here!
Yesterday was one such example. It had been a long day, we were both exhausted and in need of a laugh and needless to say Classic FM did it again accompanied by the image of our animals prancing around on stage. Before I post this, let me assure you we have a lot of respect for the music and the people involved in making it and it is in no way making fun of them, but making light of our pets and de-stressing, good harmless fun :-)
Verdi's La Traviata aka Drinking Song began to play and suddenly my Bengal stud cat Jack popped into my head and I was reminded of his early morning and late night ritual of bidding the world a good morning/evening...this is what he thinks he sounds like in his rendition and it fits him perfectly :-)
Verdi Drinking Song
To the world however, this is what he really sounds like!
Scuttle the Seagull
I still love him to bits, he is such a character!
Stay tuned for more singing and dancing cats/dogs/horses and maybe some writing news when I get around to it :-P
Anyway, as you probably already know we have a lot of animals, cats, dogs and 2 very fat, very spoiled horses and they generally become the ballet dancers, musicians and artistes that we know they are in their own little world ;-) like I said...we're all mad here!
Yesterday was one such example. It had been a long day, we were both exhausted and in need of a laugh and needless to say Classic FM did it again accompanied by the image of our animals prancing around on stage. Before I post this, let me assure you we have a lot of respect for the music and the people involved in making it and it is in no way making fun of them, but making light of our pets and de-stressing, good harmless fun :-)
Verdi's La Traviata aka Drinking Song began to play and suddenly my Bengal stud cat Jack popped into my head and I was reminded of his early morning and late night ritual of bidding the world a good morning/evening...this is what he thinks he sounds like in his rendition and it fits him perfectly :-)
Verdi Drinking Song
To the world however, this is what he really sounds like!
Scuttle the Seagull
I still love him to bits, he is such a character!
Stay tuned for more singing and dancing cats/dogs/horses and maybe some writing news when I get around to it :-P
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
She's just a girl...
Everybody...'Aaand she's on fyrrrrr!' haha not exactly hotter than your fantasies but I was on fire during my high intensity work out today! After 4 days of rest and recuperation it felt good just to eat what I felt like over a relaxing weekend with my boyfriend and his family, but I don't like to sit still for too long so I decided to go for the burn today and did I burn?! Ouch is the answer to that. I did half an hour of high intensity circuit training which incorporates strength, cardio and abs which always leaves me pretty red in the face but I really feel the benefits of it through the day. That was followed up by a link to an even more intense workout for 10 minutes which was mostly strength and cardio combined and I think I will be paying for it tomorrow but it's all in the name of fitness for life! My next challenge is to get my mum involved but she is being very stubborn about it, claiming that age has got the better of her and that the weight is "stuck"...it's mind set more than anything and it is a big factor in getting fit and being healthy. On the plus side she has taken more of an interest in the dietary side of things and has even suggested healthier options :) I'm getting there, I think!
*Edit*
I had to cut this post short yesterday so it is continued here!
In light of the passing of Baroness Thatcher I think it would only be fitting to spend a little time thinking about the role she played during a rather turbulent peace time in the UK. I am hardly qualified to comment on the Thatcher government policies as I was born a year after the government ended, yet I have heard a vast range of opinions on the Iron Lady and how one group said she turned this country around and one thinks she ran it into the ground and turned it into a commercialised money grabbing mess.
Well I am impartial and choose to remember her as a strong and brave woman in a time of strikes, power cuts, and the 3 day working week - I can imagine that aspect would be rather more popular these days! - in a political world that had been ruled by men since parliament was formed however many years ago and really belonged to the old boys club, it must have taken a lot of courage to stand up and bring about change in the face of stubborn opposition.
How my generation can bemoan this woman is beyond me, they were not affected by the policies or life and therefore should perhaps consider what they mean and whose opinions they are broadcasting before wishing her to hell in a handbasket - my facebook newsfeed has been inundated with such comments and I think it is more than disrespectful.
Then there are those old boys who claim that Thatcher was to blame for everything that could and did go wrong with this country and that we are her legacy of unemployment, lack of manufacturing and production.
It's so easy to blame one person for all of our current problems, especially since she is no longer present to hear these complaints and protests. Have some decency and respect; Margaret Thatcher acted as she deemed fit and I don't believe it is right to attack a person when the policies were enforced by a government, a group of people making the best of what they had to work with and taking on a country in turmoil from previous PMs and their own cabinets.
That said, I hope she has found peace and may she be remembered as a controversial but essentially brave and strong person...not to mention the first woman to be elected Prime Minister. Girl Power!
Rant over, I promise ;-)
Back to today, and I am ready for another workout having just demolished half an easter egg with coffee, yum! I may well put pen to paper this afternoon and get some more ideas down or type up vast pages of scenes that are looking rather forlorn on my desk. Time to stop neglecting it me thinks.
I found an interesting and fun article yesterday about language and how meanings can be changed over time, little bit off topic but it's in keeping with the writing theme...
http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/boozing-with-old-codger-by-karen.html
*Edit*
I had to cut this post short yesterday so it is continued here!
In light of the passing of Baroness Thatcher I think it would only be fitting to spend a little time thinking about the role she played during a rather turbulent peace time in the UK. I am hardly qualified to comment on the Thatcher government policies as I was born a year after the government ended, yet I have heard a vast range of opinions on the Iron Lady and how one group said she turned this country around and one thinks she ran it into the ground and turned it into a commercialised money grabbing mess.
Well I am impartial and choose to remember her as a strong and brave woman in a time of strikes, power cuts, and the 3 day working week - I can imagine that aspect would be rather more popular these days! - in a political world that had been ruled by men since parliament was formed however many years ago and really belonged to the old boys club, it must have taken a lot of courage to stand up and bring about change in the face of stubborn opposition.
How my generation can bemoan this woman is beyond me, they were not affected by the policies or life and therefore should perhaps consider what they mean and whose opinions they are broadcasting before wishing her to hell in a handbasket - my facebook newsfeed has been inundated with such comments and I think it is more than disrespectful.
Then there are those old boys who claim that Thatcher was to blame for everything that could and did go wrong with this country and that we are her legacy of unemployment, lack of manufacturing and production.
It's so easy to blame one person for all of our current problems, especially since she is no longer present to hear these complaints and protests. Have some decency and respect; Margaret Thatcher acted as she deemed fit and I don't believe it is right to attack a person when the policies were enforced by a government, a group of people making the best of what they had to work with and taking on a country in turmoil from previous PMs and their own cabinets.
That said, I hope she has found peace and may she be remembered as a controversial but essentially brave and strong person...not to mention the first woman to be elected Prime Minister. Girl Power!
Rant over, I promise ;-)
Back to today, and I am ready for another workout having just demolished half an easter egg with coffee, yum! I may well put pen to paper this afternoon and get some more ideas down or type up vast pages of scenes that are looking rather forlorn on my desk. Time to stop neglecting it me thinks.
I found an interesting and fun article yesterday about language and how meanings can be changed over time, little bit off topic but it's in keeping with the writing theme...
http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/boozing-with-old-codger-by-karen.html
Monday, 25 March 2013
Distractions
Having a struggle on my hands today to get words down, or rather the right words!
Did an intense double session of circuit workout today and I think I needed it after being a bit sluggish for the past few days followed by a brisk walk for a bit of shopping...verrry cold but it cleared the cobwebs out!
It seemed to do the trick and got me thinking about the plot of my work in progress and I even came up with a new scene! Whether or not I can work it in to fit the story is another matter but I've written up a fair amount this evening. I also managed to reconstruct some of the plot outline, shakes the story up a little bit which will do it good I think :-)
That is when the problems seem to crop up. I get some decent ideas, get excited about them but when it comes to expanding and actually writing it down I come unstuck. Distractions, whether it be the tv or the internet or general household noise can play havoc on the muse! Hence why I prefer writing during the evening from about 10 til 1 when everyone is asleep, including the 9(!) dogs, which is great for writing but not for getting up early for work >.< Still, I must press on or it will never be finished.
End.Of.The.Year is my goal to get at least the first draft done...bit more discipline required me thinks!
P.s a lovely surprise this morning - Jeanie has a one-eyed bandit, her little girl has one eye open! They are two weeks old on Wednesday, still doing really well and growing every day...more piccies tomorrow hopefully :-)
Did an intense double session of circuit workout today and I think I needed it after being a bit sluggish for the past few days followed by a brisk walk for a bit of shopping...verrry cold but it cleared the cobwebs out!
It seemed to do the trick and got me thinking about the plot of my work in progress and I even came up with a new scene! Whether or not I can work it in to fit the story is another matter but I've written up a fair amount this evening. I also managed to reconstruct some of the plot outline, shakes the story up a little bit which will do it good I think :-)
That is when the problems seem to crop up. I get some decent ideas, get excited about them but when it comes to expanding and actually writing it down I come unstuck. Distractions, whether it be the tv or the internet or general household noise can play havoc on the muse! Hence why I prefer writing during the evening from about 10 til 1 when everyone is asleep, including the 9(!) dogs, which is great for writing but not for getting up early for work >.< Still, I must press on or it will never be finished.
End.Of.The.Year is my goal to get at least the first draft done...bit more discipline required me thinks!
P.s a lovely surprise this morning - Jeanie has a one-eyed bandit, her little girl has one eye open! They are two weeks old on Wednesday, still doing really well and growing every day...more piccies tomorrow hopefully :-)
Saturday, 23 March 2013
Closing the door
It's snowing. Need I say more? When the clouds converge and the flakes descend this country tends to spiral into melt down so I highly recommend staying within, turning the heating on and closing the door - whether that be on the world or in my case the family - get some peace and quiet and just think.
However, this can be mistaken for procrastination which appears to have befallen me today, oops! I've been pretty good with my writing these past few days, scribbling words whilst travelling to work, much to the annoyance of my poor mum *insert ebil laugh here* but I do plan to get some words down today. Listening to Classic tends to help, particularly the more melancholy pieces or soundtracks which I adore!
Onwards into the fray and I promise some more very cute kitten pictures at some point, they are growing so fast ^.^
However, this can be mistaken for procrastination which appears to have befallen me today, oops! I've been pretty good with my writing these past few days, scribbling words whilst travelling to work, much to the annoyance of my poor mum *insert ebil laugh here* but I do plan to get some words down today. Listening to Classic tends to help, particularly the more melancholy pieces or soundtracks which I adore!
Onwards into the fray and I promise some more very cute kitten pictures at some point, they are growing so fast ^.^
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
First things first...
So I thought it was about time I kept track of my writing habits by blogging them, with the vain hope that it might be an incentive for me to keep writing if I think that someone out there may be, possibly/hopefully, reading this. I have stopped and started with a work in progress for a while now, despite having taken part in NaNoWriMo last November with success - I got the 50k words first time around to my great surprise - and now I aim to finish it and get it polished up. After that, well who knows? I'm not looking too far ahead just yet, it will be an achievement in itself to get it finished!
But there are a few other things I will post about, including herding my many Bengal cats, as well as some fundraising I plan to get underway very soon with an upcoming Race For Life event which my mum is soooo going to do with me :-) well that's the plan at least! It will be the first time running or rather walking it for both of us so our fitness or training programme will be tracked here as well, time will tell if there is much to say on the topic of training hehe
And ending on a very sweet note, my Bengal girl Jeanie had two kittens on 13/03/2013 and they are a week old today :-) Growing very quickly, going to be big kitties! More on them soon but here is a pic of mummy and babies just a few hours old :-)
But for now, onwards and forwards with the adventure that is writing, wondering where it's going to take me...
But there are a few other things I will post about, including herding my many Bengal cats, as well as some fundraising I plan to get underway very soon with an upcoming Race For Life event which my mum is soooo going to do with me :-) well that's the plan at least! It will be the first time running or rather walking it for both of us so our fitness or training programme will be tracked here as well, time will tell if there is much to say on the topic of training hehe
And ending on a very sweet note, my Bengal girl Jeanie had two kittens on 13/03/2013 and they are a week old today :-) Growing very quickly, going to be big kitties! More on them soon but here is a pic of mummy and babies just a few hours old :-)
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