Archive for March, 2006
March 31, 2006
3:31 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
The things we do for our children. My son, who just turned 12, wanted to go to this concert. His favorite band was playing and it was right after his birthday, so could we go for his birthday present? Please please please?
I reluctantly agreed and bought the tickets. Three bands that I’m not particularly fond of - they all sound the same! I feel old saying that! - and guess what?
It’s tonight.
Sigh…I don’t really want to do this, but I’m telling myself it’ll be fun to watch my son have fun. It’ll be a great place to people watch (the freaks come out for concerts, don’t they), and it’s only one night of suffering. And my husband is staying home with the little ones, so he can have some nice bonding time with them. Ha ha.
The things we do for our children.
March 30, 2006
2:23 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
Do any of you start organizing and tossing stuff during this time of year? I do. Right after Christmas (when you have all that shiny new stuff and you want to get rid of the dull old stuff) and Spring time is when I get organizational fever.
Went to Costco yesterday and bought some cool drawer organizers. Cleaned out the TWO (that’s right, two!) junk drawers and put in these little organizer-thingys. It looks much better now. Bought new office stuff at Target for my desk (such pretty bright colors and subtle flower backgrounds!) to organize that sucker. What a wasteland it’s been pretty much since I’ve lived here, which is going on five years. A total dumping ground is more like it. Since it’s my year to get super serious (I sound like a teenager) about writing, I figured I needed to get super serious about keeping my desk in working order.
So now it looks great but here’s the funny thing. I’ve been writing solely on my ol’ laptop, which means I’m either writing with it literally in my lap in bed or at the dining room table, so I can keep track of munchkins during the day. And my Alphasmart is coming soon which means I can write outside if I want, (battery in ol’ laptop doesn’t work) while watching munchkins run around.
Why the clean desk with the pretty new stuff then? I don’t know, but it sure looks good!
PS ~ Julie, I still don’t have my Mod X’s and it’s been ONE MONTH since I ordered them! How about you? I’m crying right now, so sad that I don’t have them…
March 29, 2006
12:19 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I laugh in the meter’s face. I was on a roll last night, wrote nine pages. Mostly dialogue, but it just flowed out of me. I let my cp know of some plot changes and twists I came up with and she asked more thought-provoking questions (she loves to do that!) that gave me some ideas (so I love it when she does that!).
I feel good about this one. My biggest problem in the past has been not enought motivation. Not enough internal conflict. I can come up with external conflict no prob but it’s the internal stuff that gives me pause. I need to dig deeper, which I did with these characters. And after yesterday’s questions I’ve dug a little more.
Plus, there’s a great workshop going on at www.romancedivas.com about conflict. I’m not participating (it started Sun and I only started reading it late last night), but there’s a lot of useful info on it. I think I need to read Debra Dixon’s Goal, Motivation, Conflict. I’m in the middle of Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel, which I’m enjoying. I finally felt compelled to read the thing. Too many people talk about it.
How’s everyone’s writing going? Feeling good? Feeling stuck? Trust me, this roll I’m on will probably come to a halt here soon. Not being negative, just being realistic. Y’all know what I’m talking about.
March 28, 2006
4:05 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I knew I shouldn’t have put one of those little word count meter thingys on my blog page.
Now it just teases me and taunts me when it stands idle for a few days. Oops, more like almost a week.
It glares and asks in an all knowing tone, “When you gonna write something so I can advance the color a little bit, up the percentage some more?” And I just grumble at it, “Gimme a minute. Gotta do something else first.”
Not that I mind what I’ve been doing. I just finished reading/editing the 272 page ms my cp is sending in to Everlasting. What a good story. Great characters, unique way she put it together. Loved it. But because my weekend was shot to hell and I’ve spent the last couple of days reading, I haven’t got any writing in.
Hence the evil meter.
Guess I need to show that meter who wears the pants around here. Give it something to do.
Like advance.
March 27, 2006
1:07 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
| You Should Be a Romance Novelist |
 |
What Type of Writer Should You Be?
Ok, ok, I tweaked one question knowing the answer would come close to this and I was right! So I’m a cheater. Shame on me.
I got this from Donna’s blog. Take it - it’s fun!
March 27, 2006
12:52 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
It has been nothing but pure craziness at my house this weekend. My two little ones were nuts, my parents probably think I have no control of them (I swear they don’t act like this when it’s just us), and my husband looked like he wished he would’ve stayed away (he just came home after 2 weeks gone for work).
Besides the fact I still need to edit my cp’s ms for Everlasting (she was a winner in the contest!), and I haven’t written a single word since Wednesday night.
On a bright note I know my oldest had a great birthday, my dad is coming back in a week to start working on outside projects (whoo hoo!) and my Alphasmart should be here soon. Hopefully. Please. And by the way, where are my Mod X books I ordered? Nearly a month ago? I’m dying here - I want to read them!! Of course, once I start reading, then I won’t write, so hmmm…need to finish the critique first and foremost. Oh! And I’ve barely been on the internet, which proves…I can live without it! So take that, Internet!
I think I’ve lost my mind.
March 24, 2006
12:52 am • Filed under: Uncategorized
Well, I was on a roll last night and wrote quite a bit, which was cool. Needed to get that boost cos my weekend is shot. Husband comes home tomorrow, parents arrive today to stay for the weekend, oldest son’s birthday is Sunday. Lots going on. So there probably won’t be much writing going on. And the weather is sooo nice. Makes me want to go out and play!
Which is probably what I’ll end up doing this weekend, as long as the warm weather holds. Yea!
March 22, 2006
2:34 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
Fancied up my blog page this morning. Added some links (I hope the bloggers don’t mind - I’d love to have a link on someone else’s page!), added one of those meters to inspire or depress me, came up w/ a goofy working title. What fun. Soon I think I’ll get a website. I keep reading how both published and aspiring authors need one. As long as it doesn’t cost too much and is easy to maintain, eventually I’m in.
So I wrote four pages last night. Not bad. Forgot to do the timer thing. Duh! Think I’m going to do that tonight. But now I’m extra excited ‘cos I bought something last night. . .
I bought an Alphasmart!! Whoo-hoo! Husband was feeling generous and said go for it, and I got the basic model for $139 (w/ shipping & everything closer to $170). I’m so excited. My post from yesterday kept bothering me. I DO waste too much time on the internet. With an Alphasmart, I can take it anywhere, and no internet access. Just plug it in to my computer and transfer over my work. I’m sure this will help cut back my internet time, and hopefully up my writing time.
So does anybody else have an Alphasmart? Do you love it, like it, hate it??? Let me know.
March 21, 2006
5:30 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I waste way too much time on the internet. It’s bad, like an addiction. Like, when I could be writing, I’m fiddlin’ around surfin’ the ‘net. Sometimes I try to chalk it up to research. Yeah, right…checking out the new spring stuff at Old Navy is research. Reading other writers’ blogs is research (well, kinda!). Checking my email all the time is research.
I need to face facts that most of my time spent on the internet is a waste of my time. I’m just fooling around when I should be doing something. Like writing. I don’t count my time here blogging - it only takes a few minutes and I feel a little glimmer of satisfaction when I’m done. It’s not like many people are reading my blog, but that’s ok. It’s a way for me to drone on about life.
Ok, I really do have some research to do, and then I’m going to *hopefully* get a little bit of writing in this afternoon. We’ll see - awake and active children can put a damper on that sometimes. And if I don’t get much writing done, then tonight I’m going to try the timer trick I read about on Julie Cohen’s blog and see if that helps.
By the way, potty training has been a great success. She’s had a few minor accidents, but for the most part, she’s trained! Let’s just hope she can keep it up. Wish us luck.
March 20, 2006
5:41 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
First I must say how proud I am of my daughter. Yesterday was tough - but she wore (multiple pairs of) underwear all day. When I put her diaper on to wear for sleeping, she literally danced around the living room singing “I love my diaper.” Oh boy.
But today is a brand new day, and she’s done wonderful. One accident in the morning, and that’s it. Successful going in the potty all day (so far). Including a “number two” incident she took upon herself to take care of. I know accidents are bound to happen, but I’m thrilled. And my husband will be thrilled too. This potty training boot camp is tough stuff but the rewards are numerous, let me tell you.
On to the writing life. I’ve decided to implement a self-imposed deadline. I would like to have it finished by April 30th. That’s approximately six weeks, and I know I can do it. Once I come up with a title for the damn thing, I’ll post one of those counting meters I see all over everyone’s blogs. Maybe it’ll inspire me.
Am I the only one who sucks at titles? I’m terrible! Not creative with it whatsoever. Maybe I need to ask the critique partner. . .
