NaNoWriMo begins

Today marks the start of National Novel Writing Month wherein the participants write a 50,000 word novel by Nov. 30. I have signed up and will do it. I'm pretty excited. I have had a story bumping around in my head for a couple of years. It will be nice to let it out on paper.

Also, I have looked back at this past year and all of the blown-off deadlines and I think that I have finally found something to get me motivated to send my book out and realize my author potential. My husband, Tim, is going to collaborate on a book, that will most surely be published, with a co-worker. Talk about motivation! So while I am immersing myself in word counts while being in the writing zone, I am going to finish my sample chapter and send my book out. It would be terrible if my non-writing husband had a book published before me, a writer. To be fair, I have had several articles published, but I have always wanted to be a novel writer. What better time than now?

Fall and new goals

You know that I am not the type to run from a problem, but I am one to run from a goal. I, for the past two months, have not done any writing whatsoever, besides stuff for work. I missed my goal of having my two chapters to send out. It always seems that as soon as I have a breakthrough (see last post), it is like giving me permission to stop writing.

I shouldn't be too hard on myself. I have been feeling really scattered without knowing the reason why. I have been doing other stuff, but I get that feeling that there are not enough hours in a day to get everything done. What is that? I don't know. Anyway, enough with the old. Here is the new.

My new goal is to have my second chapter finished by the end of October (next month) to send out in November. Also in November, I am going to participate in the NaNoWriMo. I haven't given up on last year's NaNoWriMo book bug I have a good idea of what I am going to write about this year. I have to review the rules, but I think you can have an idea, it just can't be written down or started.

I also want to start writing in my journal again. My last post was 8/12/08. So much better than it being 8/12/07! See how I have become an optimist?

Tackling boredom and depression

I wanted to provide an update of my writing. I started on my second chapter after having a bit of a breakthrough regarding my inability to write. At the risk of revealing too much personal information, I realized exactly what my problem is. Everything comes back to this one thing. I came upon this as I was reading The Writer's Portable Therapist. My exact problem isn't covered in the book, but there are a couple of chapters that come close. I always was mystified about how to solve a behavioral problem. Is realizing it enough or do you have to completely change who you are, which is very difficult? I am not sure. I am trying to change who I am and it is a little difficult, especially when I have been living with myself for so long.

I suffer from a lot of boredom/depression and the last time I was complaining about it, my husband said I should throw myself into something and see what happens. I did tonight and I feel so much better! I finished another session in the therapy book, I updated both of my blogs, and I am torn between working on my query letter and my chapter. I think I will work on both to foster that feeling of accomplishment.

Cryptic messages

I left a somewhat cryptic post last night that I wanted to expand on today. I have been extremely distracted lately. Part of my routine in writing is to write in a journal every morning. I mentioned it as part of Dorothea Brande's process of becoming a writer. My journal entries were getting shorter and shorter with some days not seeing any post at all. This is unacceptable. To be a writer you have to write at least something every day.

Like I said, I have been distracted by world events, especially politics. It is appalling to me that people can be so selfish and cruel and to read about it every day is to really lose hope. I was talking to my husband and he said that I can't change the whole world, just my corner, and it is sound advice. On that note, I am imposing a news blackout until such time where I feel I can handle people and their ridiculousness.

In a couple of posts back, I was talking about editing the two chapters of my book to send them out. I originally said that I would be taking June and July and then I later revised that to just June. I did finish the first chapter in June, but have yet to tackle the next chapter, which I feel is my most challenging chapter in the book. In it, I have to traverse a long passage of time without glossing over what my character is going through. I don't want it to read like a diary entry, but I don't want to pore over every detail either. I have been avoiding working on it because maybe I don't know enough about the craft of writing to pull something like this off? See, this is progress to admit this. I think reading Plot will help.

I also have come up with an idea for another book, a chick lit book. The idea came to me during my nightly run and I fleshed out the whole plot during a week of activity. I am going to outline it and get moving on the writing. There is a process to writing fiction and it is about time that I figured out what it was.

And finally, my freelance career. I have a great idea for an article and today I am going to formulate my interview questions and send them out to my sources.

See? I have a plan. I just had to get back on track.

Mid-ish July update

I wanted to update everyone. I have been working on my article ideas and compiling sources. I have yet to write a query letter; it was my goal for the week. However, writing one will be my goal for next week.

Summer is here

Hey everyone! I wanted to pop in to give an update on my writing. I know that I said I would have my sample chapters ready by the end of June, and I have been working on them! But I only have one done. I am going to take the long 4th of July weekend and work on the other one. I always approach editing with trepidation, but it always works out!

In other news, I have been identifying markets to write for. I think I am going to try my hand at two travel articles and one personal essay. I love travel writing. Good travel writing, and the personal essay is good, too.

I have picked up a couple of really great writing books I wanted to share. The first is titled The Craft & Business of Writing, by Writers Digest. This book contains everything you ever wanted to know about writing fiction and nonfiction. It is fantastic and I highly recommend it.

I also bought a book on the essays of Michel de Montaigne, who is considered "the greatest essayist who ever lived." Why not learn from the master?

I have also begun reading, "How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead," by Ariel Gore, which is filled with great advice on how to be fearless in your writing.

So you can see I am pretty busy with reading and I am squeezing in some writing. I would like to up my writing quotient in July. I will keep you posted.

Checking in

I wanted to check in with an update of what I am doing. I have been working on my book this month. I recently had some positive feedback about my writing so I am pretty encouraged. In the interest of keeping myself motivated, I have been working my way through some writing books, such as One Year To A Writing Life by Susan M. Tiberghien (most excellent); Too Lazy To Work, Too Nervous To Steal by John Clausen (wonderful, practical advice on freelance writing); and The Writer's Portable Therapist by Rachel Ballon, Ph.D. If and when I sell my book I am flying out to Los Angeles where Ballon maintains a practice and shaking her hand. She has helped me write through some of my ridiculous fears and I am not even a third of the way through her book! I highly recommend all three.