I'm wary of technology sometimes. Although it means to "help" (and in many ways, it certainly does), I think it's succeeding in making me dumber, or at the very least, making me remember less. As a writer who wants to remember absolutely everything, down to the last gritty detail, this is highly disconcerting.
Cases in point:
* The other day someone asked me what I was reading. I couldn't remember. I remember I liked it, I could tell you the plot, but I couldn't tell you the title or the author. This is because when I turn on my Kindle, it brings me right back to the page I left off at last time I read. Convenient, yes--for everything BUT remembering what the hell it is I'm reading. Nowhere on the screen is the author's name or the book title; I'd actually have to click away from the book to see those things. I've been longing for real books lately, you know, paperbacks and hardbounds, the kind with dog-eared pages that smell like paper and love.
* I've been listening to an Interpol CD like crazy for the past week. Like, I've heard the whole thing at least ten times. I don't remember the title of the album or the names of any of the songs. Now, I realize I could just tap my iPod and the album and song name will appear, but it's so much easier to just let the whole album play as I work or write. It's not like having a physical CD, where I would scour the CD case and its insert, inspecting song titles, lyrics, artwork, etc. It feels more streamlined and cleaner, but it also feels like something's missing. Something like a dozen or so song titles from my brain, or perhaps something more. (Full disclosure: I still listen to CDs in the car, and you will eventually pry my Muse discs from my cold, dead hands.)
* I have an iPhone. The other day I upgraded to iOS 8. I didn't want to do this, but I knew some apps would cease to work for me if I didn't. The update took forever, gave me several errors, made me update my iTunes in the process, and then, when I finally got back into my phone, whatever iPhone imps were at work had messed with my brightness, my location settings, turned on predictive text, and more (a quick tour through Settings fixed all this, but still, it was annoying). But the worst part was that now, when I minimized and wanted to toggle between apps, it displayed my recent contacts, whom I could call at the touch of a button. I immediately realized that because I am a klutz and tend to fumble around with my phone, if I kept those contacts there, I would eventually end up dialing one of them at 5:30 AM, something I doubt any of them would appreciate. So I removed that functionality. Seriously, there's a list of recent calls (helpful), and a whole big contact list (long, but also helpful); why the bloody hell do I need yet another way to call people? Or accidentally call them at odd hours? Okay, so it might take me an extra five seconds to find the person I want to call in my Recents or my contact list, but seriously...who cares? In five seconds, I can write, oh, maybe 3-4 words. So it's not like it's saving me much meaningful time.
I get it--these are obviously first-world problems. I don't have to use Apple products or a Kindle; I'm choosing to. And overwhelmingly, I like the products. I just don't love how they seem to be conspiring to make me retain less information, making me feel like I'm flitting from thing to thing and not taking as much in as before.
And now I'm going to go listen to the latest Arctic Monkeys album (brilliant stuff), hold a book in my hands, and keep my reclusive writer-self away from the phone.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Lessons from an injured sparrow
I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm mildly obsessed with the birds that visit my balcony every day. Right now there are 5 feeders out there--one suet bell, three homemade feeders, and one window feeder that, I'm happy to report, the sparrows and chickadees have just figured out is for birds just their size. I love walking through the living room and seeing a bird having a snack right there.
But this post is about one particular bird. There's an injured sparrow who shows up pretty much every day. He (or she, I have no idea) generally comes when no or few other birds are around and eats from the suet bell. Because he has an injured leg, he scoots around on his belly, or half-hops with his good leg. He can fly just fine, but when he's not using his wings, it can get a little dicey. Last week he somehow flipped himself over on his back, dead-bug pose, and I was terrified he wouldn't be able to get back up on his own. But he did.
After he eats, he often hangs out for a while. Unlike other sparrows, who flit and squabble and chirp the whole time, this one is very calm. He doesn't chirp. He just hangs out, very chill. Sometimes on the edge of the balcony, sometimes in a corner he seems to have designated as his favorite, and once on the outside windowsill. I walked by and there he was, just sitting there, just breathing. I could tell he saw me peering out at him, but he stayed calm (and his presence calmed me).
Every day I fear he won't be back, that his injury--or a cat or bird of prey taking advantage of his injury--will get the best of him somehow. And yet every day, there he is, usually coming by for more than one meal and, often, stays for a while afterward.
He's the sweetest little thing, and every day I blow him kisses and silently tell him, as if he could hear me or understand, that I'm glad he's there and doing as well as he can. Even when I see him struggling to move around, or when the bitchy woodpecker chases him and he has to scramble and fly off quickly, I'm glad. This little guy has tenacity, and I admire that. Drags his lame leg around behind him, but still has the moxie to fly eight stories up to eat.
I also feel sorry for him, having gotten a raw deal. All the other sparrows eat and chirp together; he does not. I can identify with what it's like to be a quiet loner. It's not always fun. I like to think when the sparrow sees me, he knows he's not alone, and it makes him feel a bit better. (He seems less skittish than the others and won't fly away if he sees me move, although this may just be because it's harder for him to get up and fly away, and he really picks his moments wisely.)
The sweet little thing reminds me of me--and of Emerson. Against all odds, he keeps coming back to do what he's supposed to do. Even when people expect him to fail, he doesn't. He does it with grace, and charms people along the way. He does it alone, without complaint, and somehow he makes it. Every day he comes back to eat or hang out, he makes me smile.
I'm rooting for the little guy. And I'm learning from him, too.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Note to self.
Dear self,
You have a book you're trying to finish within the month. You've been working on the last 10-15% of said book for agonizingly long, at a much worse pace than usual. It hasn't been easy. Perhaps you need a little pep talk.
It's okay to go to work without applying mascara. But it's not okay to go to work without having written 500+ words beforehand.
Every morning, ass in seat, fingers on keyboard. Write the chapter, even if it sucks. That's what revision is for. And I know you're scared to death with the thought of revision, because you're attempting to revise not one but two books in a row, but it's entirely necessary for getting published. Trust in your ability to revise well (look at the great work you do every day at your day job). Know that it will be slow, but you will make it good. And then don't stop until it's just right (and only you will know exactly when that is).
Write the chapter even if it seems out of place. You're going to shuffle shit around in revision, and it will fit somewhere.
Write even when you're tired. Perhaps especially when you're tired. Fewer "shoulds" get in the way then.
You know who Emerson is. Write her the way you want. Give the character and the story that edge that only you can do, even if you're afraid of putting it out there. Your story--and you--will be better for it.
It's okay to do things that make you happy, even if they're not writing-related. It's really important, in fact, to read books and watch TV shows. Even if you're not reading/watching them explicitly for writing-related purposes, chances are, you'll learn something.
It's okay to spend time in the evenings working on fun crafts. This helps keep the creativity flowing.
It's okay to watch the birds. That's a fun, relaxing activity. Just try not to pay attention to them in the morning before you've hit 500 words.
It's okay to spend time with friends and family. If you write each morning, then your nights and weekends are freed up more for this. It's also fine to not spend time with friends and family. Sometimes you're just not up for it--maybe one of your maladies is flaring up, or you're just mentally exhausted.
It's okay to spend time doing chores. They're not taking away from writing time--in fact, they may be enhancing it. Think about how many brainstorms you've had while doing dishes or cleaning the shower.
You have a book you're trying to finish within the month. You've been working on the last 10-15% of said book for agonizingly long, at a much worse pace than usual. It hasn't been easy. Perhaps you need a little pep talk.
It's okay to go to work without applying mascara. But it's not okay to go to work without having written 500+ words beforehand.
Every morning, ass in seat, fingers on keyboard. Write the chapter, even if it sucks. That's what revision is for. And I know you're scared to death with the thought of revision, because you're attempting to revise not one but two books in a row, but it's entirely necessary for getting published. Trust in your ability to revise well (look at the great work you do every day at your day job). Know that it will be slow, but you will make it good. And then don't stop until it's just right (and only you will know exactly when that is).
Write the chapter even if it seems out of place. You're going to shuffle shit around in revision, and it will fit somewhere.
Write even when you're tired. Perhaps especially when you're tired. Fewer "shoulds" get in the way then.
You know who Emerson is. Write her the way you want. Give the character and the story that edge that only you can do, even if you're afraid of putting it out there. Your story--and you--will be better for it.
It's okay to do things that make you happy, even if they're not writing-related. It's really important, in fact, to read books and watch TV shows. Even if you're not reading/watching them explicitly for writing-related purposes, chances are, you'll learn something.
It's okay to spend time in the evenings working on fun crafts. This helps keep the creativity flowing.
It's okay to watch the birds. That's a fun, relaxing activity. Just try not to pay attention to them in the morning before you've hit 500 words.
It's okay to spend time with friends and family. If you write each morning, then your nights and weekends are freed up more for this. It's also fine to not spend time with friends and family. Sometimes you're just not up for it--maybe one of your maladies is flaring up, or you're just mentally exhausted.
It's okay to spend time doing chores. They're not taking away from writing time--in fact, they may be enhancing it. Think about how many brainstorms you've had while doing dishes or cleaning the shower.
It's okay to check out new music to see what inspires you and your characters. Arctic Monkeys and the Pretty Reckless have been immensely helpful in this regard. But stay away from music that gets you down--sorry Lana Del Rey, bit sadcore's a bad choice for this writer. And don't forget to indulge in your daily dose (or several) of Muse.
It's okay to get out and do fun things. Funny how experiencing life outside of reading and writing helps to enrich writing.
It's okay to write slowly. It's just not okay to not write at all. If you skip a morning of writing, there'd better be a damn good reason. Something had better be on fire. (On that note, you should also remember to back your book up every single week.)
You will have time after you're done this draft to read all those articles you've saved on revising, crafting your elevator pitch, etc. You will also have time then to read a few of those books on writing that have been on your to-do list for a while. There's a time for those things, and that time isn't now (but it's soon).
When you finish this draft, it's okay for it to be imperfect. Like, really imperfect. It's okay for it to suck. Nearly everyone's first draft sucks. You're in very good company. So just remember to calm down about it, focus, and revise.
But first, you write.
Just get it written. Finish the story. Kill the character, and make a few other characters miserable in the process.
And enjoy the bumpy, frenetic, and altogether thrilling ride.
It's okay to get out and do fun things. Funny how experiencing life outside of reading and writing helps to enrich writing.
It's okay to write slowly. It's just not okay to not write at all. If you skip a morning of writing, there'd better be a damn good reason. Something had better be on fire. (On that note, you should also remember to back your book up every single week.)
You will have time after you're done this draft to read all those articles you've saved on revising, crafting your elevator pitch, etc. You will also have time then to read a few of those books on writing that have been on your to-do list for a while. There's a time for those things, and that time isn't now (but it's soon).
When you finish this draft, it's okay for it to be imperfect. Like, really imperfect. It's okay for it to suck. Nearly everyone's first draft sucks. You're in very good company. So just remember to calm down about it, focus, and revise.
But first, you write.
Just get it written. Finish the story. Kill the character, and make a few other characters miserable in the process.
And enjoy the bumpy, frenetic, and altogether thrilling ride.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Constant progress and feathered friends
I'm in the home stretch of book two. Getting up early to write before work hasn't been easy, but I've literally forced myself to write "just 500 words" every day. So far every day, I've exceeded that amount. It hasn't always gone smoothly, but it has moved forward, and that's what's important. I'm at 99,000 words, and there's under 15,000 to go (very possibly under 10,000) 'til the draft is done.
Maybe I'm dragging my feet a little on finishing this WIP because I know that when I do, I'll have two books to revise. And that's just fucking scary. Double trouble! But I can handle it.
What else? Someone's been reading this blog. Someone I know, I mean. At first I was a little unnerved by this, but it took about 10 seconds for me to (wo)man up. I told myself, "If you do things right, in a couple years people who know you and perfect strangers will all be reading your blog and website. That's part of how you'll sell books, dummy." So bring on the page views, people. ;)
I stumbled upon this Reddit AMA and it's been making me feel a whole lot better about being someone who writes psychological thrillers that are particularly dark. I've always been terrified I won't be able to get an agent, publisher, etc., for these reasons, but hey, if Gillian Flynn did it...well, if I put out a good manuscript, hopefully I can do it, too. Looks like she had a little trouble getting there quickly, but she definitely got there. That's a good reminder that all it takes is one. One good agent who believes in you and sees your talent and your book's awesomeness.
I've been listening to some diverse music lately--a lot of The Pretty Reckless, old Distillers albums, Fitz & the Tantrums. Today I fell in love with G. Love and Special Sauce's new album, Sugar (I am, after all, a Philly girl). Some of it inspires me to write; some doesn't, but I love it all the same.
Writing can get a little lonely, so I've made some new friends. Feathered friends. I put a bird feeder (and occasionally, some bread) on the balcony, and the birds show up every day, chirping their hungry little hearts out. I see tons of different birds...and tons of bird fights, which I didn't anticipate. The sparrows squabble, the woodpeckers attack every other bird that approaches the feeder, and the blue jays scream at each other at 6 AM. I take entirely too many pictures and videos of them, and they seem to be growing used to me creeping toward the window, camera in hand. My favorites are the chickadees; they're tiny, adorable, feathery balls of cuteness.
Of course, the one problem with my new feathered friends is that they often show up when I'm writing in the morning, and it's really hard to pay attention to writing when bird cuteness and/or bird squabbles are happening right outside...
Maybe I'm dragging my feet a little on finishing this WIP because I know that when I do, I'll have two books to revise. And that's just fucking scary. Double trouble! But I can handle it.
What else? Someone's been reading this blog. Someone I know, I mean. At first I was a little unnerved by this, but it took about 10 seconds for me to (wo)man up. I told myself, "If you do things right, in a couple years people who know you and perfect strangers will all be reading your blog and website. That's part of how you'll sell books, dummy." So bring on the page views, people. ;)
I stumbled upon this Reddit AMA and it's been making me feel a whole lot better about being someone who writes psychological thrillers that are particularly dark. I've always been terrified I won't be able to get an agent, publisher, etc., for these reasons, but hey, if Gillian Flynn did it...well, if I put out a good manuscript, hopefully I can do it, too. Looks like she had a little trouble getting there quickly, but she definitely got there. That's a good reminder that all it takes is one. One good agent who believes in you and sees your talent and your book's awesomeness.
I've been listening to some diverse music lately--a lot of The Pretty Reckless, old Distillers albums, Fitz & the Tantrums. Today I fell in love with G. Love and Special Sauce's new album, Sugar (I am, after all, a Philly girl). Some of it inspires me to write; some doesn't, but I love it all the same.
Writing can get a little lonely, so I've made some new friends. Feathered friends. I put a bird feeder (and occasionally, some bread) on the balcony, and the birds show up every day, chirping their hungry little hearts out. I see tons of different birds...and tons of bird fights, which I didn't anticipate. The sparrows squabble, the woodpeckers attack every other bird that approaches the feeder, and the blue jays scream at each other at 6 AM. I take entirely too many pictures and videos of them, and they seem to be growing used to me creeping toward the window, camera in hand. My favorites are the chickadees; they're tiny, adorable, feathery balls of cuteness.
Of course, the one problem with my new feathered friends is that they often show up when I'm writing in the morning, and it's really hard to pay attention to writing when bird cuteness and/or bird squabbles are happening right outside...
Monday, May 26, 2014
Shaking it up.
I've been sick for most of the past week*. I was lazing around in bed a lot, sniffling and sneezing and coughing...and thinking. Thinking that now's a good time to shake stuff up.
I'd felt like I was in a writing rut even before I got sick. And certainly I wasn't writing at all while sick--it was tough enough for me to get up, drag my ass to work, come home and microwave a can of soup, and go to bed early, hoping I wouldn't wake myself up coughing again. That was hard enough; I wasn't gonna add writing to the mix.
But now I feel ready. I feel mostly better--say, 85% better--and I'm ready to get started again.
I straightened up my writing space. I can't write unless everything is neat. I'm already a bit of a neat freak, but it really comes out when I need to write. If there are dirty dishes in the kitchen, I can't focus. So right now, the dishwasher's running, and I'm working at a neat, clean desk, free of clutter and full of writing toys (Dexter figurine, fun pens, some of my favorite polished stones).
I decided that even though my story/characters are always on my brain, I need to actually do more with them (besides the obvious, which is write about them). So I created a weekly calendar and wrote in some assignments--like working on the series/character bible, reading books about various aspects of writing, doing some cop/crime-related research, etc. And then I hung that calendar right by my desk, where I could see it, instead of letting it lurk under a pile of crap on my desk (now that the desk is crap-free, it had to hang somewhere, right?).
I downloaded some new reading material for my Kindle. The new Jeffery Deaver book (I'm always impressed by his work), and an older Clive Barker book (his stuff, I've found, helps me embrace my "writing weird"). And, while I love Muse, I realize that sometimes they're a security blanket for me, so I downloaded some new-to-me music that piqued my interest. (I'm still going to listen to Muse just as much, of course, but I'm going to make an effort to listen to other stuff too, and see what that does to my writing.) Fitz and the Tantrums, Cage the Elephant, Spoon, and the Pretty Reckless (don't judge--I got a few Emerson sparks when I heard their stuff, which makes it totally worth buying). I want to see what infusing my brain with new music does to me, writing-wise.
I also realized I've been having a lot of really interesting thoughts lately and keep telling myself "oh, you'll remember that; write it down later" and then, of course, I don't remember squat. So I got a couple small Moleskine notebooks that I anticipate filling with all those fleeting thoughts that I have to catch before they go poof and disappear forever. Some of those thoughts are Emerson-related; some aren't. Regardless, I need to catch 'em, and this is the best way--I still haven't gotten into taking notes digitally, and handwriting them seems to get them out better somehow.
Tomorrow I'm ready to get up early and get back into my routine of writing before work. Tomorrow's when I start attacking all of this with a more focused approach, allowing myself to have a more creative life overall.
I can't wait to get started again.
* As for what I was doing before I got sick? I was meeting pitchers from my very favorite baseball team...
I'd felt like I was in a writing rut even before I got sick. And certainly I wasn't writing at all while sick--it was tough enough for me to get up, drag my ass to work, come home and microwave a can of soup, and go to bed early, hoping I wouldn't wake myself up coughing again. That was hard enough; I wasn't gonna add writing to the mix.
But now I feel ready. I feel mostly better--say, 85% better--and I'm ready to get started again.
I straightened up my writing space. I can't write unless everything is neat. I'm already a bit of a neat freak, but it really comes out when I need to write. If there are dirty dishes in the kitchen, I can't focus. So right now, the dishwasher's running, and I'm working at a neat, clean desk, free of clutter and full of writing toys (Dexter figurine, fun pens, some of my favorite polished stones).
I decided that even though my story/characters are always on my brain, I need to actually do more with them (besides the obvious, which is write about them). So I created a weekly calendar and wrote in some assignments--like working on the series/character bible, reading books about various aspects of writing, doing some cop/crime-related research, etc. And then I hung that calendar right by my desk, where I could see it, instead of letting it lurk under a pile of crap on my desk (now that the desk is crap-free, it had to hang somewhere, right?).
I downloaded some new reading material for my Kindle. The new Jeffery Deaver book (I'm always impressed by his work), and an older Clive Barker book (his stuff, I've found, helps me embrace my "writing weird"). And, while I love Muse, I realize that sometimes they're a security blanket for me, so I downloaded some new-to-me music that piqued my interest. (I'm still going to listen to Muse just as much, of course, but I'm going to make an effort to listen to other stuff too, and see what that does to my writing.) Fitz and the Tantrums, Cage the Elephant, Spoon, and the Pretty Reckless (don't judge--I got a few Emerson sparks when I heard their stuff, which makes it totally worth buying). I want to see what infusing my brain with new music does to me, writing-wise.
I also realized I've been having a lot of really interesting thoughts lately and keep telling myself "oh, you'll remember that; write it down later" and then, of course, I don't remember squat. So I got a couple small Moleskine notebooks that I anticipate filling with all those fleeting thoughts that I have to catch before they go poof and disappear forever. Some of those thoughts are Emerson-related; some aren't. Regardless, I need to catch 'em, and this is the best way--I still haven't gotten into taking notes digitally, and handwriting them seems to get them out better somehow.
Tomorrow I'm ready to get up early and get back into my routine of writing before work. Tomorrow's when I start attacking all of this with a more focused approach, allowing myself to have a more creative life overall.
I can't wait to get started again.
* As for what I was doing before I got sick? I was meeting pitchers from my very favorite baseball team...
I was so stoked to meet one of my favorite pitchers of all-time, AJ Burnett. He was super-nice, and I was just a wee bit starstruck!
Me and Phillies reliever Jeff Manship. He's played for both my favorite teams, the Phillies and the Twins, and I was beyond excited to meet him!
Monday, January 27, 2014
33.
Today's my 33rd birthday. Wanting a quiet and less stressful birthday, I wisely took the day off from work. My car's in the shop, so I can't go anywhere for a while, which bodes well for writing. But before writing, a bit of reflection.
I didn't really make any New Year's resolutions, except a general resolution to kick ass. But for my 33rd year, I'm tempted to set a few goals, such as:
Writing fearlessly. This is by far the most important one. Too often I hold myself back in my writing, and I shouldn't. My weird is what makes me interesting. It's also what makes my characters and plot interesting. I can't accept writing timidly, tiptoeing around or glossing over things. Although I hide it well, I'm pretty raw and edgy, and it needs to come through more in my writing. How will I know I'm writing more fearlessly? Because it just feels different. A good kind of different.
Self-control. Getting up at 5:30 AM to write has been really tough when it's 2 degrees outside, and the room where my desk is is freezing-ass cold. But it's a necessary evil. Thank goodness, winter won't last forever, so this is something that will get easier (and when it does, I want to maximize my time even more). I'm getting up and writing, but sometimes I'm slogging through it. I need to be better at getting the amount of sleep I need, limiting distractions, eating healthfully, and feeling okay with saying "no." I must not only treat writing as a huge priority, but treat my well-being as a huge priority, too.
Making peace. Something I'm constantly working on is trying to worry less about shit I can't control. This is the type of stuff that often distracts me when I'm trying to write. I also need to be okay with the things I've given up to write. For me, writing is extremely solitary, and I need a lot of quiet and order to focus. Because of this, I don't tend to do much socially, and there are friends I love dearly that I hardly ever talk to. The bottom line is, there are only 24 hours in a day. There are certain things I must do, like go to work, write, get a healthy amount of sleep and food, and spend time with the small handful of people who matter most to me. Because these musts eat up many hours of the day, I don't often have the time for friends and family that I used to have. It doesn't mean I like anyone any less, or want to talk or hang out with them any less, but it does mean that sometimes friendships are affected because of my inability to be as present as others need and want me to be. It's unfortunate, and I don't like it either. But I feel dead when I don't or can't write. My life is at its best--its most vibrant and lively--when I'm writing, and I need to keep it up no matter what. I have to do what's right for me. And if that's reaching out to people when I can and when I have time--instead of forcing myself to do this with a regularity that throws off my writing--then I have to learn to be okay with it.
Welcome to the year where I stop holding myself back. Let's see what I can really do.
I didn't really make any New Year's resolutions, except a general resolution to kick ass. But for my 33rd year, I'm tempted to set a few goals, such as:
Writing fearlessly. This is by far the most important one. Too often I hold myself back in my writing, and I shouldn't. My weird is what makes me interesting. It's also what makes my characters and plot interesting. I can't accept writing timidly, tiptoeing around or glossing over things. Although I hide it well, I'm pretty raw and edgy, and it needs to come through more in my writing. How will I know I'm writing more fearlessly? Because it just feels different. A good kind of different.
Self-control. Getting up at 5:30 AM to write has been really tough when it's 2 degrees outside, and the room where my desk is is freezing-ass cold. But it's a necessary evil. Thank goodness, winter won't last forever, so this is something that will get easier (and when it does, I want to maximize my time even more). I'm getting up and writing, but sometimes I'm slogging through it. I need to be better at getting the amount of sleep I need, limiting distractions, eating healthfully, and feeling okay with saying "no." I must not only treat writing as a huge priority, but treat my well-being as a huge priority, too.
Making peace. Something I'm constantly working on is trying to worry less about shit I can't control. This is the type of stuff that often distracts me when I'm trying to write. I also need to be okay with the things I've given up to write. For me, writing is extremely solitary, and I need a lot of quiet and order to focus. Because of this, I don't tend to do much socially, and there are friends I love dearly that I hardly ever talk to. The bottom line is, there are only 24 hours in a day. There are certain things I must do, like go to work, write, get a healthy amount of sleep and food, and spend time with the small handful of people who matter most to me. Because these musts eat up many hours of the day, I don't often have the time for friends and family that I used to have. It doesn't mean I like anyone any less, or want to talk or hang out with them any less, but it does mean that sometimes friendships are affected because of my inability to be as present as others need and want me to be. It's unfortunate, and I don't like it either. But I feel dead when I don't or can't write. My life is at its best--its most vibrant and lively--when I'm writing, and I need to keep it up no matter what. I have to do what's right for me. And if that's reaching out to people when I can and when I have time--instead of forcing myself to do this with a regularity that throws off my writing--then I have to learn to be okay with it.
Welcome to the year where I stop holding myself back. Let's see what I can really do.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Quick update.
Had a day off today to write and recharge. In addition to writing, I also did some reading, played with a few new beauty tools (hot rollers, blue temporary hair streaks, oh my!), made delicious gluten-free cookies, and decided to do a little blogging 'cause I haven't been here in a while.
I'm currently writing the second book in the Flame series and revising the first draft of the first book in the series. The revising is more challenging for me than the writing is, but both are going a little slower than I'd like. I'm getting back into my "get my ass up at 5:30 AM and do writing/revising before work" routine, but since it's really freakin' cold at that time of the morning, getting out of bed then has also been rather difficult. But I'm pushing through...
I've been a bit quiet and melancholy lately. I think I miss my friends. My fault, not theirs--between working a challenging day job and making writing and revising my other top priority, I've found myself with very little spare time, and I end up sleeping, preparing GF/DF food, and reading (writing books as well as novels in my genre) during any spare moments I get. I constantly feel like I'm being a shitty friend, and I hope that eventually I'll have the time and energy to return phone calls, emails, etc. Fellow writers, if you have any tips for balancing friends and a social life with writing, I'm all ears!
A look into my world these days...
* I've been reading this writer's blog posts a lot--I'm always inspired by her words.
* This book impressed the hell out of me--a fun, twisted read from a fellow Philly-area writer. I read it in one day--couldn't put it down!
* I'm still reeling from the most recent episode of Person of Interest. (Warning: Link contains spoilers!) Were you surprised by it, too?
* I've been cheering this guy on in Project Runway All Stars. He's always been one of my favorite PR designers, and next week I hope to see him win a damn challenge already!
* I needed a writing confidence boost in a big way, so I created this board on Pinterest. I hope it helps you, too!
That's all for now...it's back to writing Book 2 for me!
I'm currently writing the second book in the Flame series and revising the first draft of the first book in the series. The revising is more challenging for me than the writing is, but both are going a little slower than I'd like. I'm getting back into my "get my ass up at 5:30 AM and do writing/revising before work" routine, but since it's really freakin' cold at that time of the morning, getting out of bed then has also been rather difficult. But I'm pushing through...
I've been a bit quiet and melancholy lately. I think I miss my friends. My fault, not theirs--between working a challenging day job and making writing and revising my other top priority, I've found myself with very little spare time, and I end up sleeping, preparing GF/DF food, and reading (writing books as well as novels in my genre) during any spare moments I get. I constantly feel like I'm being a shitty friend, and I hope that eventually I'll have the time and energy to return phone calls, emails, etc. Fellow writers, if you have any tips for balancing friends and a social life with writing, I'm all ears!
A look into my world these days...
* I've been reading this writer's blog posts a lot--I'm always inspired by her words.
* This book impressed the hell out of me--a fun, twisted read from a fellow Philly-area writer. I read it in one day--couldn't put it down!
* I'm still reeling from the most recent episode of Person of Interest. (Warning: Link contains spoilers!) Were you surprised by it, too?
* I've been cheering this guy on in Project Runway All Stars. He's always been one of my favorite PR designers, and next week I hope to see him win a damn challenge already!
* I needed a writing confidence boost in a big way, so I created this board on Pinterest. I hope it helps you, too!
That's all for now...it's back to writing Book 2 for me!
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