Monday, February 6, 2012

I'm Learning...

ROW 80 Goal Progress


Write 1,000 words on days I have no kids.  I've written about 2500 or so words in the past week!  I have to say, if it weren't for a mystery Tweep telling me to get my ass off of Twitter and write...well, my Zombie friend, let's just say thank you!  I am not only getting the hang of sitting down and letting the story flow, I am learning about my own process.  I learned that I can write one story line and research ideas and facts for the next.  I have also learned that I am more of a method writer--inserting myself into my characters when I write (see link later in post).  This makes it more difficult for me to write in small bursts because getting into and out of character is challenging.  Therefore, writing when I do not have the kids is even more important because then I am less likely to be interrupted.  Also, because of the way I write, having a second project going on is also important.  Sometimes, my characters get emotional and I can only write one or two scenes and then I need to quit.  If I have a second project...that I can research for or work out character sketches or some other planning or revising, then I can take a break from the writing but still be productive towards my goals.  Understanding that this is how I work has helped take so much pressure off.   


Attend Writer's Group on a regular basis.  This hasn't happened, but it hasn't happened for anyone in my group.  Meetings just haven't worked out.  I am meeting with the newly published author, Trish Stewart,  on Saturday at my hometown library for her book signing.  While there, the two of us are planning to discuss starting a writer's group there.  If that were to work, I would be so happy!  


Select/Revise/Submit entries on days I have the boys.  I have been working here, but mostly on researching for my next book idea.  I am waiting to hear about my first submission.  For some reason, I don't feel I can move forward until I know one way or another.  I know I will get past this feeling, but it will take a time or two before I jump into the publishing deep end.  Right now, I feel I am still developing as a writer and embracing the fact that I am finally allowing myself to be happy and do what it is I have always dreamed of.


Blog on Wednesdays.  At least it is once a week, right?  Oh, I did write a book review for the YA novel, AWAY by Teri Hall on Goodreads.  

Read one post on improving craft and develop my platform for an hour everyday.  This learning was fun this week.  I learned that I am a method writer from Derek Flynn at his blog, Rant, With Occasional Music   Then, I realized some harsh truths from my friend and fellow author, Shelli Johnson (Small as a Mustard Seed) as she blogged about numbers on her website, Shelli Johnson.  I have been using the numbers as both positive motivation and a distraction from the actual act of writing.  Now I am not competing against anyone but myself, but it is like some strategist game...if I unfollow this person and then follow this one, will I be able to get more followers?  I don't think there is anything wrong with this, except for the fact that I let it take away from my writing time.  I will be setting a timer for any Twitter or Facebook time during my work hours.  This way, I can't waste precious writing time.

8 comments:

  1. Lol! Thanks. I am adding to this post. Guess I hit publish on accident. Lol

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  2. Great post. I think having that timer for Twitter and Facebook is a great tip, think I may use that too!

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    1. Thanks Morgan. I definitely will be doing that. Let me know if you try it and how it works for you.

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  3. This was a pretty good post - I myself am a method writer, and you're right. If I get interrupted, it ruins the "groove" for me for at least 15 minutes. I have the same self-discipline problem with the internet, too. I really need to focus more on writing...after all, I have about 350k words to write by this November lol.

    As for Twitter, I can tell you that one thing you can do is just find an author that you really like, that writes books/blogs or whatever similar to yours, and follow a bunch of people that follow that author. About 1/4 of the people you follow on Twitter will follow you back. It's a good way to grow your following early on, and eventually people will start flowing in steadily on their own, as long as you're putting out content.

    You can try a few off-site programs, I use tweetcaddy.com, and those will allow you to pre-schedule tweets for marketing, unfollow people who don't follow you, and auto-followback those who follow you. Ugh...so many "follows" there. Anyways...

    Just make sure that you're actually getting on there at least once a day to tweet real stuff, thank people, RT your friends, etc, etc. The more you do for others, the more others do for you, you know?

    Use your Twitter following for good, like a superhero lol.

    Anyways, I ranted long enough, great post.

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    1. Thanks so much for the feedback and advice. Have you always known you were a method writer or did it take you a while to recognize this? I didn't realize this is what I was doing exactly and was being so hard on myself. I would try and write and couldn't focus because of things going on around me. I knew when I did focus and write, it was easy for my to be in the character's head. I didn't know that was a style of writing. Knowing this, changes everything for me. It changes my approach and my time management. It also changes my motivation. Learning this about myself is life changing.

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