From the Writer's Desk - Mid-October Check-In

Hard to believe that it's mid-October already. Two weeks until Halloween and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month - you can learn more about that here). This week is also GRL - GayRomLit, and while I wish I could be there, I know I'll get back there eventually and I have met some of the most amazing people there.

I plan on participating in NaNoWriMo, I hope to go to some of the write-ins, but I don't always make those, because there are days when it's hard to be around people or in confined/tight places. But, I enjoy writing with others. I miss the writers retreats I went on before I got super busy in the fall - R was in marching band in high school.

This past week, my goals were to spend 7 hours writing or on writing related tasks.

I spent 8 hours on writing related things - some writing, organizing, work on my website, and research. I spent 3 hours and 45 minutes writing. I spent another 10 hours on research and organization not related to writing. So, goal met, although, not nearly as much writing as I'd like to get done.

The second goal, was to tackle one declutter task a day. Sort of. I missed one day, but then I started a larger task and still haven't finished it. So, maybe not.

I finished "The Write Type" by Karen Peterson. It was pretty good. I learned some new things. Others were confirmed, and some of it didn't apply to me.

Goals this week are a lot like last week:

Spend 7 hours writing or on writing related tasks. - Aim for more writing than writing related tasks.

Tackle one declutter/purge task every day.

Blessings,
Simone. 

From the Writer's Desk - October Already!

I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that not only is October already - an

d the 2nd week at that - but my kid, R, turns 19 today. S/he was born two days late during Typhoon Zeb and has become an amazing young adult. Compassionate, kind, spirited, resilient, strong, considerate, courageous, and beautiful.

S/he also shares, which means s/he gave me  her/his two-day cold.  That combined with some sort of office ick, tried very very hard to turn into bronchitis. I'm over the coughing for the most part - love antibiotics - but my lungs haven't completely recovered. So, I'll head back to the doctor this week to see what's going on.

My friends Brynn and Dakota ran the Pumpkin run this year, and while talking to Brynn later I committed to walking the Color Run next summer. The surgeon who replaced my torn ACL, said no running. But walking is good. So is the elliptical. And maybe as I lose weight, I can start running. If not, that's okay. I'll walk. So, I'm walking the Color Run in the summer, and next fall, R and I plan on walking the VA's Suicide Awareness 5K.

In addition to my weekly goals, which don't really seem to vary a whole lot right now, I decided to set some monthly goals. I really really want to finish Behind the Masque this month - I've been wanting to finish it for most of the year.  In an ideal world, I could get it done in a week if I write 8 hours a day, or 2 weeks if I write  4 hours a day - which is probably more realistic of the two options. However, I do have a day job, so, hopefully by the end of the month.

As long as I make some progress on Marked, I'll be happy. I write that long hand at lunch and on my breaks at work. The notebook stays in my bag and goes everywhere with me, so I can either write or read depending on where I am and what I'm doing/waiting for.

Last year, a friend of mine did what she called a "New Year Purge" as Samhain marks the beginning of the Pagan New Year. This year my goal is to tackle every room in my house and declutter and purge everything that I don't need or doesn't have a valid reason for remaining. It does a couple of different things for me - cuts ties with my past, frees me from stuff, and will make moving easier when that happens. Which, could be sooner rather than later as the park has started to tear down the trailers on my street.  Rumor has it's either to bring new trailers in or because the airport wants the property - but there is a freight rail line between us and the  airport without any sort of natural hill or valley, so probably not. Either way, eventually I want to move. Into a real house.

I'm reading The Write Type by Karen Peterson and Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. The first is the second writing craft book Ms. Peterson has written, and I have found it insightful. The second is dark fantasy, and very interesting.  I'm hoping to finish both of these this month.

So, my weekly goals this week are to spend  7 hours writing or on writing related tasks and tackle one decluttering task everyday.

Accountability --

The week of September 18th -- I wrote 5 1/2 hours and spent 4 hours on research and 1 on character development.

The week of September 25th -- I wrote 1 1/2 hours and spent 7 hours researching.

The week of October 3rd -- I wrote for 1 hour. -- I got sick on the 29th.

I have today - Federal Holiday. My city renamed it Indigenous American day - I'm good with that.

Blessings,
Simone.

From The Writer's Desk - Last Week of July

2017 has flown by.  It's simply hard to believe it's the end of July. Within a matter of weeks, the leaves will change colors from the multitude of greens to gold, purple, red, and orange before they fall to the ground and the snow begins to fly.

I still don't have my glasses, which means writing and transcribing is slow going. I'm on day three of headache and R has been in pain and miserable for the last week. Hopefully, they are on the mend and will be back to their normal soon.

I finished Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey and IM by Rick Reed. I'm still reading Write by Karen Peterson and finding it very interesting.  I'm trying to decide between starting Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey, The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson, or Hell & High Water by Charlie Cochet. There is also the books that I added to my To Be Read Pile earlier this month (here) that are tempting.

For the rest of the week, I need to concentrate on finish transcribing my handwritten pages, so I can continue writing. I want to finish this book and get it ready to submit to my editor by the end of August. My goal is to write an hour a day. It may take me most of the day to get that one hour, but I'm committed to finishing this book.

Blessings,
Simone.

From the Writer's Desk - Mid-July is Here

Mid-July is officially here and this year is flying, which means one of my favorite stitching fabric stores - Picture This Plus will have their annual Christmas in July sale on their hand-dyed fabrics and fall feels like it's about 3 weeks away.

I've lost weight since I've started exercising regularly. I don't know how much since I still haven't bought a scale, but I know I've lost about a 1/2 inch overall in the last month. Which makes me over the moon happy, since I started exercising ONLY 10 minutes a day. I'm up to 30 minutes a day and plan on starting walking at night in addition to what I do in the morning. 

My new computer battery arrived and that seemed to do the job nicely. Which is good. Now, I need to transcribe what I wrote long hand and fill in the missing details. My new glasses aren't here yet so my time on the computer is still limited (as well as anything close up), but hopefully this week or next week. 

I put my 30 day writing challenge on hold and plan to re-start on August 1st. That should give me enough time to get used to the new glasses.

I did finish the book I was reading last night - Story Trumps Structure - excellent writing book. It illustrates the benefits of writing - pantser style. In other words - by the seat of your pants - without an outline. Really making it up as you go along. :)

I've started Write by Karen Peterson and I think I need to end July with a Mystery or two and will be starting with Rick R. Reed's IM. 

Writing wise, I plan on transcribing my long-hand pages and filling in the blanks, so I can continue writing. I won't finish Behind the Masque by the end of July, but I absolutely need to finish it by the end of August, preferably the middle of August, because I want to get Between Classes and Divided Loyalty finished also this year.