Forward Progress

Since my declaration of who I am I have been working diligently on my rewrite of my rewrite. Well, I started a little before that but, you know, I really have been setting some time to actually work on it instead of just writing when I have the time. I'll tell you what that really makes a difference. It helps keep the flow and I don't have to think quite as hard to figure out where I'm going. And when my brain is so tired after working all day it really is a great thing, not having to think much.

Setting aside this time has also allowed me to actually move forward in my story line. Instead of just doing a couple paragraphs here and there I've written two entire chapters. Considering I'm doing a complete overhaul I'm pretty impressed with what I'm doing. (Sometimes you need to toot your own horn.) Plus, I was able to salvage a part from the original that I really like that I didn't know where I would put it in this draft. Woot!

I finally joined a critique group as well. First meeting for me is a week from Saturday. Some other writerly people in my life are already members and enjoy the feedback they receive from other people. Surprisingly, I'm not all that nervous for what the others have to say. I think I have really turned a switch in my brain as just the thought of showing people my work would send me into a panic attack. If I ever publish people are going to read it best to start with someone I trust.

Until my meeting it's writing, writing, and more writing for me. Hopefully I'll be able to continue my forward progress and nothing but.

I Am A Writer

I spent the weekend at my first convention. I know, I know, I'm really behind the times. While it was mainly a sci-fi event there was a small writing track. I spent the majority of my time bouncing from one panel to another listening, gathering ideas, and taking in some advice. And somewhere along the line I realized something very important about the way they all talked about their lives. First and foremost they were authors. A couple of them had day jobs but that came secondary to their writing.

So many times we, in general, allow ourselves to be defined by the work that we do instead of our passion or dreams. For some people they are doing what they love but others, like me, not so much. If you had asked me prior to this weekend what I do I would have told you I'm an administrative assistant who likes to write, take pictures, and bake. I need to change my focus. My job does not define who I am. My job pays the bills until my writing affords me the luxury of staying home. And I'm hoping that comes sooner rather than later. I think a mental shift in my attitude towards my writing will help immensely.

There's so many times that I have been too tired to write or too irritated with work stuff that I bring home. My novel was something that I worked on when I got around to it or when I just needed a break from real life. I have let my not so great job rule a lot of aspects of my life and that needs to stop. And it stops now. I can't get to where I want to be if I'm not able to get on the right track. So from here on out I'm not longer an admin who likes to write. I am a writer who has moonlights (daylights?) as an admin.

Holy Beans It's Been a Long Time!

So many times I have been sitting around thinking about posting on here. Then, like normal, I see something shiny and away I go, never taking the time to follow through.

I find it funny that the line above was sitting in a draft from 1/29/13. At that point it had been six months since my last post and now I'm up to 10. If only I could tell you everything that has happened in the last almost year. However, I value your time and know that you probably don't want to know quite that much about me. So how about some highlights? I found out I don't have a genetic heart condition, Hubby Fantastic and I bought our first house, we spent a week in Ireland, adopted a new dog, and I got a new job. It's been a busy year for us!

And, in one of the most exciting happenings, I solved a nagging plot point in my WIP! It was a tough little nut to crack and it is central to the entire storyline. I just wrote around it forever (it's been almost 4 years since I started this baby) and was never able to end the story. I'm not kidding when I say this was an essential part. It was the motivation for the antagonist! A very central point to story writing, in my humble opinion. So thanks to some reading, a lot of television, and a random conversation with a friend and the idea smacked me in the face. I felt like it was something I shoud have known all along. It just made perfect sense.

Of course, it came to me about a half an hour before I had to be somewhere. I sat down at my computer and I typed as fast as my little fingers would go, just so I could get it all down before I left. Needless to say I was a little late to my date. Oh well, the things writers and friends of writers sacrifice right? I still get chills when I read what I wrote that day. It just all makes sense. I love it!

Sadly, said plot point requires the death of a character. A fairly important secondary charcter to be specific. And we all know what that means. Total re-write. That's what I'm doing. Slowly. And painfully. I have no idea how authors kill characters in series. I can't even write one out without immense guilt and sadness. Keeping her just doesn't make sense and would totally demolish my antagonists reason for antagonizing. With her alive there is no story.

So that's where I am in life and writing. Hopefully, I'll get my new office together soon so I can have back a dedicated space to write. Which means more words and more posts!