Since I've determined the worst part of writing something new is putting the first draft on paper, whether it's with a pen or a laptop (I've been using a combination of both on my third work in progress), I've decided to approach it with a guerrilla attitude. This is just about slogging through the mud of the first draft; crawling beneath the barbed wire fence of irrational, unreasonable reasons to justify procrastination and constructing sentences with a somewhat cohesive theme. So, I write at least one sentence per day. This commitment is supposed to ensure I write more than one sentence, but some days that's enough for me.
It's rather ridiculous how difficult this is.
When I read through what I've written so far, I like it. It shows some promise; a glimmer of originality and possibly enough style to entice readers other than myself and my mother. Shouldn't this be motivation enough to keep going? Apparently, it's only motivation to say "there, I've finished chapter three" without much of an idea how chapter four is going to appear.
The fun part, at this stage, is seeing the notebook grow. Each time I write a few more pages to insert, or type a few and print them out, my cup of satisfaction overflows a little.
Back to work now; must keep slogging.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Public Appearance: Yikes!
I will be speaking at the De Tour Library on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 6:30 pm.
My speech will include comments about the writing process as well as the book club that inspired my first book, Bookworms Anonymous. Both of my books will be available for sale and 20% of the gross sales will be donated to the DeTour Library.
I can't guarantee the quality of my presentation: I earned straight As in both high school and college speech classes, but those speeches were usually about things I didn't care about and were restricted to five minutes maximum. I once spoke to a peer group when I worked for a credit union for one hour about the future of the credit union for which I worked, and I have very hazy recollections of that presentation. I suspect I entered an alternate mental state and somehow muddled through.
So, please attend, with high hopes but low expectations, and we'll see what happens.
My speech will include comments about the writing process as well as the book club that inspired my first book, Bookworms Anonymous. Both of my books will be available for sale and 20% of the gross sales will be donated to the DeTour Library.
I can't guarantee the quality of my presentation: I earned straight As in both high school and college speech classes, but those speeches were usually about things I didn't care about and were restricted to five minutes maximum. I once spoke to a peer group when I worked for a credit union for one hour about the future of the credit union for which I worked, and I have very hazy recollections of that presentation. I suspect I entered an alternate mental state and somehow muddled through.
So, please attend, with high hopes but low expectations, and we'll see what happens.
Procrastination
OK, so are there any excuses to justify procrastinating on a project? A project that's been planned, promised and prepared, but not written? Just as I thought.
It's tough to carve out time right now--when I have time, I have no mental energy. When I'm feeling mentally ambitious and creative, I have no time. It's a travesty! When will my 3rd book, The Italian Perspective, get written? Do I expect it to write itself? What's the hold-up?
My job recently changed--I was previously able to perform my job easily whether I was hungover, crippled, vomiting, or in a coma. Now I have a challenging job (the result of a promotion) that requires both physical and mental presence and effort. It's draining.
So, I'm seeking mental energy and time, seemingly the two most sought-after resources in the Universe. I have so many ideas bursting forth, only being 'recorded' in my somewhat reliable conscious mind. Hmm. I carry a notebook but rarely bother opening it to jot anything down. My laptop is at hand every evening with its sometime-functional internet connection but by the time evening rolls around I'm fresh out of ambition/motivation/inspiration.
This isn't an excuse note; it's not a half-assed reason for not writing. It's merely a recognition of my obstacles and a determination to overcome them, such as they are. It's a pledge to learn my new job so I can perform it more efficiently, leaving me time to work on things near and dear.
Wish me well...
It's tough to carve out time right now--when I have time, I have no mental energy. When I'm feeling mentally ambitious and creative, I have no time. It's a travesty! When will my 3rd book, The Italian Perspective, get written? Do I expect it to write itself? What's the hold-up?
My job recently changed--I was previously able to perform my job easily whether I was hungover, crippled, vomiting, or in a coma. Now I have a challenging job (the result of a promotion) that requires both physical and mental presence and effort. It's draining.
So, I'm seeking mental energy and time, seemingly the two most sought-after resources in the Universe. I have so many ideas bursting forth, only being 'recorded' in my somewhat reliable conscious mind. Hmm. I carry a notebook but rarely bother opening it to jot anything down. My laptop is at hand every evening with its sometime-functional internet connection but by the time evening rolls around I'm fresh out of ambition/motivation/inspiration.
This isn't an excuse note; it's not a half-assed reason for not writing. It's merely a recognition of my obstacles and a determination to overcome them, such as they are. It's a pledge to learn my new job so I can perform it more efficiently, leaving me time to work on things near and dear.
Wish me well...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Frontier Vacation
I'm on vacation with my family right now, in the temperate rain forest of the Alaskan frontier. We're visiting my aunt and uncle and witnessing their day-to-day lives, learning about their plumbing and electrical systems (there are 2 and 3, respectively) and gaining a greater appreciation for indoor plumbing and hot showers (we have hot showers here, but they require more effort than the one we're used to). It's a fabulous vacation from society, and a great place to learn about supporting oneself via gardening, fishing and trapping (crabs) and relying less on stores and other people.
My aunt's place is comprised of several buildings: the Main Lodge where eating and sleeping takes place, the Powder Room, the Commissary where the refrigerator and some equipment is stored, the Workshop where my uncle does his woodworking and the Power Shed where the battery bank and freezer are situated. There's also a garden of generous proportion ready to provide enough vegetables to feed all of us, and enough to can and prepare for the coming winter.
Did I mention the meals? We've enjoyed gourmet meals for dinner every evening: marinated salmon cooked on the grill; halibut served with cream sauce; tossed salads, garden potatoes, brown rice, homemade biscuits and jam, French toast. The offerings here rival any self-respecting high-end restaurant and at least 75% of the ingredients for each meal originated on the property or in the sea out front.
Since we arrived three days ago my husband has fished twice and brought home enough fish to see them through a month of winter meals. What a fabulous, mentally restful and physically tiring retreat! I haven't been here in 29 years--hopefully I'll return before another 29 pass.
My aunt's place is comprised of several buildings: the Main Lodge where eating and sleeping takes place, the Powder Room, the Commissary where the refrigerator and some equipment is stored, the Workshop where my uncle does his woodworking and the Power Shed where the battery bank and freezer are situated. There's also a garden of generous proportion ready to provide enough vegetables to feed all of us, and enough to can and prepare for the coming winter.
Did I mention the meals? We've enjoyed gourmet meals for dinner every evening: marinated salmon cooked on the grill; halibut served with cream sauce; tossed salads, garden potatoes, brown rice, homemade biscuits and jam, French toast. The offerings here rival any self-respecting high-end restaurant and at least 75% of the ingredients for each meal originated on the property or in the sea out front.
Since we arrived three days ago my husband has fished twice and brought home enough fish to see them through a month of winter meals. What a fabulous, mentally restful and physically tiring retreat! I haven't been here in 29 years--hopefully I'll return before another 29 pass.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Mid-Year Resolutions
The challenge of maintaining a blog seems to be overwhelming--why else would I keep neglecting it for random stretches of time? A mid-year resolution might be prudent, might renew my dedication and commitment and provide motivation to continue posting blog entries. I hereby resolve to post something coherent, a minimum of one paragraph (don't want to get carried away and fail right out of the gate) at least once a week.
At the moment I'm mired in a new job and still covering the old one; the new one is a traditionally male job, and I'm the first female at my company, aged 70 years (the company, not me) to hold this position. There are many extra challenges for a woman holding a "man's" job, and there are many graces. It seems bizarre and amazing that I now have a job requiring a shower at the end of the day rather than the beginning, and a job that involves math, design, working with the public and working alone.
I'm also dreaming of writing my third book rather than working on it because all of my mental energy has been directed into my job. We leave Saturday morning for Alaska, spending the first week with my Aunt in the wilderness, and I'm planning to finish the book there, situated on her beach watching the tide come in and go out. My second book should hit the Amazon shelves within a day or two of this post.
Please stay tuned for my next post, in which I will reveal the new job and the progress of my writing project.
At the moment I'm mired in a new job and still covering the old one; the new one is a traditionally male job, and I'm the first female at my company, aged 70 years (the company, not me) to hold this position. There are many extra challenges for a woman holding a "man's" job, and there are many graces. It seems bizarre and amazing that I now have a job requiring a shower at the end of the day rather than the beginning, and a job that involves math, design, working with the public and working alone.
I'm also dreaming of writing my third book rather than working on it because all of my mental energy has been directed into my job. We leave Saturday morning for Alaska, spending the first week with my Aunt in the wilderness, and I'm planning to finish the book there, situated on her beach watching the tide come in and go out. My second book should hit the Amazon shelves within a day or two of this post.
Please stay tuned for my next post, in which I will reveal the new job and the progress of my writing project.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Saturday Book Signing
Stop by Saturday between noon and 3pm at Safe Harbor Books in Cedarville, MI.
I'll have several copies of my book available as well as some of my signature bookmarks, designed to go with the book but fun and useful even on their own.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Writing vs. Revising
I recently discovered, or maybe admitted is a better word, that I enjoy revising more than I enjoy the initial writing. If the entire act of writing, beginning with an idea and ending with a book or at least a booklength manuscript, can be distilled into basic steps, mine would be:
1. Brainstorm. This is great fun! I use a Levenger notebook with the Circa discs so I can easily rearrange my notes, and I write down the overall aim of the piece as well as the general order in which I will proceed, ending up with a fairly loose outline/bullet list for each chapter. Some pages contain notes in mind-map web formations, some contain unrelated phrases, some have tables or charts sketched as I consider, with each book, including graphs or charts but so far I haven't done so. (I'm thinking maybe I'll incorporate graphs and charts in book #3, which is wavering between steps one and three right now.)
2. Create a cover. More fun, and artistically stretching as I can barely jot my name in a legible manner. I usually manage to doodle something usable, then re-create it on Publisher. I might start writing the cover copy at this point, but I might wait until the book is more focused.
3. Write the first few chapters. The number of chapters written in this step depends on the overall length of the book, the logical places to take a break, my momentum, and my non-writing schedule (all the tasks I must do each day, such as work at my full-time job and keep track of my child and spend time with my husband and help run his business). When I get stuck, I go back to the notebook and re-read my brainstorm notes, adding to them as much as possible so I feel like I'm really working on something. I've read many books on this subject and most authors tell aspiring writers to write a minimum number of words per day (2000 is a common amount; the last book I read, Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See, suggests 1000 per day) but I've concluded this regimen doesn't work for me. However, I don't make a living from my writing! If I did, I'd probably have to strap myself in and crank out a few grand per day.
4. Revise the first few chapters. I can't help myself, I've got to revise as I go! I try to force myself to wait until I'm finished writing the entire first draft but my revision tendencies are clearly stronger than my inital writing tendencies so I give in and revise at whim. As I'm revising, I keep my brainstorm notebook close by and jot down all the new ideas for future chapters. This is how and when foreshadowing of future events can be inserted, creating a more even and natural flow in the final copy.
5. Write the next few chapters.
6. Revise the next few chapters. Revisit the cover, consider the cover copy and make sure everything promised on the cover is contained in the book and the most important things in the book are included on the back cover.
Keep repeating steps five and six until the work is done.
7. Re-read the brainstorm notebook. Check everything off as you go, or just draw a diagonal line through each page if the entire page is either a) already included in the book or b) unusable.
8. Revise the entire book! Yes, revision isn't over! It's possible to revise until your eyes fall out, but it's not necessary. I generally revise (as in, re-read with a highlighter, post-it notes and a pen in hand) two or three times immediately after finishing writing the book, then I have someone else read it over and give me some feedback. I have four people who usually read my work before it goes anywhere else, and while they're doing that, I'm relaxing with the brainstorm notebook, in case any other little ideas spring forth. I'll frequently have about 27 new things to add to the book by the time I get it back from my readers.
9.Take a break. Take as long a break as possible, at least two weeks, up to several months. Let the book get dark and dusty.
10. Revise one last time. Read it with fresh eyes and incorporate the pertinent feedback and any other brainstorming notes generated during the respite. Enjoy the satisfaction of a finished job. Pat yourself on the back. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Read a book, written by someone else, and notice that yours is just as good (maybe better).
1. Brainstorm. This is great fun! I use a Levenger notebook with the Circa discs so I can easily rearrange my notes, and I write down the overall aim of the piece as well as the general order in which I will proceed, ending up with a fairly loose outline/bullet list for each chapter. Some pages contain notes in mind-map web formations, some contain unrelated phrases, some have tables or charts sketched as I consider, with each book, including graphs or charts but so far I haven't done so. (I'm thinking maybe I'll incorporate graphs and charts in book #3, which is wavering between steps one and three right now.)
2. Create a cover. More fun, and artistically stretching as I can barely jot my name in a legible manner. I usually manage to doodle something usable, then re-create it on Publisher. I might start writing the cover copy at this point, but I might wait until the book is more focused.
3. Write the first few chapters. The number of chapters written in this step depends on the overall length of the book, the logical places to take a break, my momentum, and my non-writing schedule (all the tasks I must do each day, such as work at my full-time job and keep track of my child and spend time with my husband and help run his business). When I get stuck, I go back to the notebook and re-read my brainstorm notes, adding to them as much as possible so I feel like I'm really working on something. I've read many books on this subject and most authors tell aspiring writers to write a minimum number of words per day (2000 is a common amount; the last book I read, Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See, suggests 1000 per day) but I've concluded this regimen doesn't work for me. However, I don't make a living from my writing! If I did, I'd probably have to strap myself in and crank out a few grand per day.
4. Revise the first few chapters. I can't help myself, I've got to revise as I go! I try to force myself to wait until I'm finished writing the entire first draft but my revision tendencies are clearly stronger than my inital writing tendencies so I give in and revise at whim. As I'm revising, I keep my brainstorm notebook close by and jot down all the new ideas for future chapters. This is how and when foreshadowing of future events can be inserted, creating a more even and natural flow in the final copy.
5. Write the next few chapters.
6. Revise the next few chapters. Revisit the cover, consider the cover copy and make sure everything promised on the cover is contained in the book and the most important things in the book are included on the back cover.
Keep repeating steps five and six until the work is done.
7. Re-read the brainstorm notebook. Check everything off as you go, or just draw a diagonal line through each page if the entire page is either a) already included in the book or b) unusable.
8. Revise the entire book! Yes, revision isn't over! It's possible to revise until your eyes fall out, but it's not necessary. I generally revise (as in, re-read with a highlighter, post-it notes and a pen in hand) two or three times immediately after finishing writing the book, then I have someone else read it over and give me some feedback. I have four people who usually read my work before it goes anywhere else, and while they're doing that, I'm relaxing with the brainstorm notebook, in case any other little ideas spring forth. I'll frequently have about 27 new things to add to the book by the time I get it back from my readers.
9.Take a break. Take as long a break as possible, at least two weeks, up to several months. Let the book get dark and dusty.
10. Revise one last time. Read it with fresh eyes and incorporate the pertinent feedback and any other brainstorming notes generated during the respite. Enjoy the satisfaction of a finished job. Pat yourself on the back. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Read a book, written by someone else, and notice that yours is just as good (maybe better).
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