Challenges of a writer

I wanted to have the third book in the Perri Stone series ready for release on April 30, 2013. But so many things are going on.

In my day job, my promotion to Supervisor, took (and takes) a lot of my mental capacity on a day to day basis. And I have to force myself (which is not conducive to good writing)  to take time for my creative time. On the other hand, I know that without my creative self being able to write, my mental state will break down considerably because I need to write (just like I need to breath).

I don't want to seem overly gushy or whatever, but I am taking time to write what I think is the best story I can write at the time I write it.

My fictional Kansas City is just that Fiction. My prison, Dexter County Correctional Facility, is just that, Fiction. I have taken the good and the bad from my ten years in Corrections to try and write entertaining stories. I get that everyone won't like what I write. I am okay with that. I am always trying to create the best story I can and if you have read any of my stories, you may or may not know that.

I have been writing for over thirty years. I am always trying to improve my craft. I used to write to feed my children. And actually I'm really sorry that I don't have all the Penthouse Letters I wrote all those years ago because they also helped to make me the writer I am today.

So, if you are a fan or supporter and are wondering what is taking me so long to complete book three, understand that I don't want to put out a rushed job. I want to put out, it bears repeating, "the best story I am capable of writing" at the time I write it.
Juin

Challenges

As a writer and one who is constantly learning and improving on her craft, I understand and understood some of the reactions I received to the second book (more of a novella) that I self-published. What I understand is that people wanted more, but the story that I was writing was complete to me. And that's the big thing, the story I wanted to tell was complete. But I understood that people wanted more. So when I upload the 3rd book which is a continuation of the ongoing current story, I'll upload it in a way that people that have already downloaded it can download the new version for free. I'm trying not to have to have too many links out that may confuse the issue. But my thoughts are that 2/3 as one. And then 3 solo for those that want to read it that way. Still unclear for me right now.

Aiming for April

This has been an exciting few months. I am also finished with the draft of "After Shock", the 3rd Perri Stone book.

Super excited. Will give to beta readers soon.

Juin

Working on Anthology pieces

I have been waylaid by 2 pieces for Anthologies being published by a couple of folks.

So one is an essay of 1000 words and the other one is 4000 words. So those have kept me occupied from my regularly scheduled writing.

Tight deadlines. Due date February 14 and March 31. So you see I have a lot to work with and towards.

Peace.

Mad at myself

This has been an incredible stress filled week at my day job. I took over supervision of a program that someone else was over seeing. And it made for no energy at night other than the sweet relief of sleep.

But I'm mad at myself because I can't allow that to interfere with my creative time which is my own. So now, I'm stressed on my word count for this week...sucks, sucks, sucks.

Okay, I'm over it. And I won't beat myself up and over do tomorrow to make up for the week. I am about 3600 words behind. Tomorrow I will focus (it's my day off) and write what I will and not fret about the lost words to paper because every night I have visualized the scenes I want to write. So I'm hoping the actual words to paper will be easy tomorrow.

:(

Peace

hope it went better for you all.

1285 words

I'm on a roll.

If I pace myself correctly, I'll have 30k words more or less by month end. That is completely on track with around 90k at the end of March.

I wish I could take a 2 week vacation to just sit and write but the reality of eating and having a nice warm apartment prevent that from happening yet.

And who am I fooling. Even when I do have the luxury of a two-week vacation, in Cancun no less, which was in December, I spent a lot of time (whispering - not writing) but I was researching.

Next month I will contact the person who completed my last book cover and let him know what this story is about to see what concepts he can come up with. I want something sharp, not blurred this time around.

And now I'm rambling.

Happy writing folks
Peace

983 words

I have to stop waiting until late at night to post my numbers. But when I write at night, when it's quiet, this is when the numbers will get put in.

So tonight's words came easy but I'm not totally pleased with what I wrote. But the beauty of first drafts are that we are allowed to suck. And hopefully have enough parts that are pleasing so that in the next draft, you don't totally throw everything away.

Which won't happen. But my mind is also on an anthology that I've been asked to submit to. 4000 to 6000 words due by February 14, 2013. Really tight deadline. But I need to decide what I want to write for it because I'm pleased to be asked.

Okay, tired now.

Happy writing.
Peace

2700 - combo from yesterday and today

Never made it to this computer yesterday. Wrote in the Netbook and just was in a tear so I didn't go online to update. Everything is moving forward like it should. I hope it is for you as well.

Since I'm aiming for a March 31th deadline for the 1st draft to be completed and then April 30th for publication on Kindle. That's, of course, provided that the editor and book designer finish up also.

I'm also doing kind of double duty.

I'm working on two different books at once, the 3rd in a series and the 1st in a series. So it actually makes it easier for me to work because I can focus on two different story lines and if one isn't working for me, I move to the other project. But always with the intention to write daily and have about 80-90K finished by end of March on both books.

Peace

900 before bath time

I'm not a linear writer.

So as I go to my outline and I'm using Scrivener software, I can go to any part of the book I'm working on and write if that's the scene in my head at the time I sit down to write.

Like any writing tool, it's only as good as you allow it to be. And I have to thank Holly Lisle for mentioning it on one of her post because it's AWESOME.

I love the cork board feature. Seriously, I have every beat that I want on a note card - a few hundred - so even if you are stuck in the beginning or in the middle of your story, you get to move around in the story to your hearts content. And as a non-linear writer it offers you the best chance to use your creative juices the way you want without you feeling like you have to write a certain one based on what may work for someone else and not you.

This number might be revised after my bath.

Peace

700 words - not quite maximum

Every day whether you feel like it or not.

It's interesting because I actually thought I would write more tonight. But I guess the influence of the day is carrying over into my creative brain. I didn't quite hit the number I wanted for daily word counts but I am happy I did write something.

See, I could beat myself up. But what would be the point in that. I'll tell you. If I decided that the lessor number wasn't good enough, my "bad" editor/writer in me would jump all on the "see you can't do it" bandwagon. But I made that icky monster go silent because I just went right away and wrote.

To all my fellow writers out there, keep doing what you do.

Seriously, I might need to start getting up early, when the 'tween of night and day, when the dreams of characters are still fresh and alive in my mind, and write then. I'll let you know.

For now, late night writing.

Peace

904 - in 3 months 81000 words

One of the biggest challenges a writer faces besides Writer's Block is not thinking they have put enough words on paper to be worth anything. So rather than put too little, they put nothing and talk about all the writing they want to do. 

I decided that each day, I will WRITE. Who cares if it's 250 or 2500 words, the point is to get them on paper. Not just random musings but the pieces of the story you are trying to write. If you have your outline or are writing by the seat of your pants, it doesn't matter if you don't actually write something. Because the first draft is just that, a DRAFT. 

I am a research to death kind of person and can waste a lot of time doing all this extraneous "waste but not quite waste" stuff than actual writing. So my goal is to put this info on line to pace myself and to see if I can do it (barring not being lazy, I can) and to show you that you can too.

Happy writing.

Peace

PS. Maybe I'll put a running total on here - in a couple of weeks. 

Juin 

Weekend fakeout

Okay,
Saturday and Sunday were my fun days.

I didn't write. I am not going to lie.

I wanted to but truth be told, I was still getting over this flipping crude that's been going around. So I sucked it up (lots of cold tablets and tea and honey).

Tomorrow, no more excuses.

Peace

650 words - sue me I was sick

I wanted to write more, but the crude has me in its grips. So this was the best I could coherently think.
Peace writers

1165 words

I am still sick and flu - bed bound.

But I took the time to still write today. I hope by this weekend, my headache and ear ache and stomach ache will be in someone else's body. Not trying to jinx anyone else but my turn is over. Next.

My lesson then for the day is sick or well, put words on the page and you will have a finished product sooner than you think.

Oh yeah, I have a friend who was an editor in New York who will edit the next book. Not in the Perri Stone series but the one I am working on now. And yes, it sounds pretentious to say I have a "New York Editor" but if it's true and she has an eye on what works why not speak the truth.

Doesn't mean she will automatically like it. And besides, she is an ex-editor but the skills are still there. Happy writing and I hope no one is hacking (and I do mean coughing not the other kind) on the computer like I am...ugh.

Peace

8:31 pm

991 words.
Todays goal. I'm happy with what I produced. I am glad I did at least that many words because I have the crude. So I have taken my nighttime,cold tablets and drank a glass of wine. So I am off to bed.

My goal will be 2000 words a day.

So I have the outline. I have handwritten pages that need to be transcibed into the software writing tool that I use. And tomorrow is another day.

Peace.

New Year - Strategy

Strategy
I talk a lot about writing. I read a lot and watch a lot of television. But how much time do I actually spend writing - and writing the novels that I spend a lot of time researching for. Hmmm. Not going to answer that. Because the reality is that I talk more than I type.

I wasn't always like this. When my children were little and the money earned from writing was crucial, my ass was in my chair every night. Writing my columns. Writing poems. Writing any and everything I knew how to write to make sure my children had food in their mouths.

Now. I make a damn good salary. My children are grown and away from home with their own families and as much as I love writing, the drive to do it isn't as strong as the necessity used to be. But again, I still love writing. So, what to do.

I have decided that I will spend less time on television. Less time doing non-crucial time burners, like playing games on Facebook. And actually track my progress on my blog to see if what I say I'm doing, I'm actually doing.

It's 6:50 am - and I am off to work soon. This evening, when I finish today's writing, I will repost. And my goal is to repost daily for the next year, to see how I am progressing. Technically, it's a New Year's resolution but since I was sick yesterday and spent the majority of the day in the bed and didn't read or write, my year starts a day later. If you are a writer and want to post your progress with me, let's enjoy the journey towards publication together.

Peace

Series

I am working hard on getting the third in the Perri Stone series ready.

But I am also excited to start working on "Coven of Tree Witches" a series about witches, duh, tinged in minor reality about what we think we know about witches and my made up reality. But that's the excitement of creating something between what is expected and what is unknown.

Thanks you again to every one who is reading and enjoying what I want to write. I am struggling between writing stories about people who I don't see and as always creating a story worth telling. Keep strong in the creative struggle to all my fellow writers and even when others throw stones, remind yourself, you created something from nothing but your imagination and no one can duplicate your mind.

Outlining with Scrivener

I have always written as a sit-of-the-pants writer. This time around, for book 3, in the Perri Stone series, I have decided to outline. Why? Because I need a way to keep track of people, places and things. Really. I noticed that I called the facility where Perri works "Dexter Correctional Facility" in book 1 and "Dexter County Correctional Facility" in book 2, not a major slight and one the can be explained in book 3 but I don't want to have to explain simple tracking like that.

And with book 3 clocking at between 200 - 250 pages, I can't afford errors.

Perri and Cassidy are not done. With "Creep" as a bonus short at the end of book 2, people wondered if Cassidy was out of the picture. No, she isn't. And "Creep" is set ten-years in the future. Plus it was a short story I wrote around the time I wrote "Inside Out" but included it with "Quiet Riot". And there are people introduced in "After Shock" (tentative title) that I need to track.

My house has note cards, 8x11 slips of paper, legal pads all over the place because I want something to write on when I need it. And my purse overflows with paper nuggets. That's why I thought I needed to outline and find software that supposedly makes the transition easier. So I am trying Scrivener so that my note cards can all be in one place. My plot points and eureka moments can not be lost (in my cluttered mind) but placed in a single location (okay, netbook and desktop in the cloud) and I can handle the real task at hand. Writing. And it was recommended by another writer who has over 30 books written. So hell yeah, if I can get organized in a big way, I'm all for it.

Now, if only I could find software that makes me focus on one story at a time without trying to distract me with "ooh, here's a good idea".

Not writing is writing (kind of)

You know those times when the story is percolating. And even though you aren't putting words on the page because they are still floating in the ether of your brain, it still counts. Of course, you eventually need to put those words somewhere but in the in-between stage of brainstorming (internally) and regurgitating (externally) if you are holding true to your character, nothing is wasted.

I'm sure I've said this before but all those friends who don't see you writing daily, who then want to question whether "you are a real writer" well to them, I say suck it. They don't write, they don't have the tenacity or guts to do what you are doing, so they can suck it. So while you may panic because you haven't or aren't producing as much as Joe Blow will have you thinking, remember that you are working on your writing while you are processing.

And hell, the first draft is just that anyway, so once you run through your second or third or twentieth draft, your story will be all the better for it. So mull. Walk through the park and be like the person talking to themselves without a blue tooth, we won't mind, we'll know you are talking to your characters and will be writing their story soon.

By the way, if you see me, talking to myself in the park, I'm not alone either. Peace.

Writing is my Independence Day

While people are grilling and waiting for fireworks, I'll be sitting in a prison cell. I won't get to smell the hot dogs, bar-b-que ribs, potato salad, pork and beans, chicken. I won't get annoyed when the drunken uncle or aunt who has sipped too much wine or drank one to many beers starts reminiscing about the good old days from twenty years ago. I wish I could be there in my lawn chair watching the kids run through the sprinklers because it's 90 degrees in the shade. I wish I could snuggle up behind my woman and tell her how much I appreciate the hard work she put in, getting the in-laws to visit, setting a wonderful table, letting me kick back and play a slamming game of bid whist or spades...

...unfortunately.

My spades partner will be sitting across from me holding on to his cigarette bids like they were chips from a casino. My "cocktail" will be surreptitiously sipped out my coffee cup between guards roaming eyes. My  beanie weenies will have to suffice as I imagine them tasting like smoked dogs off the grill, dripping with mustard and ketchup. My snuggle will happen later in my cell, as I can only visualize my dream lover, who is plastered on a cinder block wall, taped to stay in place.

My Independence Day was taken long ago. Well, I did my crime, I am now doing my time.
If you get a moment, come visit me.
Thompson
Inside Out