It's a New Year!!!

So we're ten days into 2011!

And I haven't updated in almost a month and a half...

But that's ok, because things are finally getting back to normal around here (except for the ten inches of snow outside...because that's not really normal for around here...but I'm not complaining because it's snow), and I finally feel as if I have time to breathe.

Working retail during Christmas is tough, not to mention everything else you have to do during the Christmas season, and this year, it just seemed as if I didn't have time for it all.  I barely had time to sleep with all the hours I was putting in at work.  It's finally over though, and I'm settling back into my normal routine of finding ways (some new, some tried and true) to procrastinate from working on my manuscript.

I actually did quite well before work became so hectic--not with keeping up with the blog, but with writing--and then a few days ago, I sat down and read over what I had written...and I scrapped most of it (to save everyone some tears, I won't tell you exactly how much I scrapped...), so in doing that, it set me back...waaaaay back.  But it was better to do it now, then to keep building on that particular plot twist and then have to throw out even more later on.  So, this is progress.

So for tonight, I've decided (after posting this, of course) that I'm not going to procrastinate (this is partly due to my cable being out thanks to the snow), and I'm going to get some much needed writing done.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Megg

Technical Difficulties

I feel the need to apologize for my lack of posts lately.  But I also need to say that it hasn't been my fault...for the most part anyway.  The internet at my home had decided that it just didn't want to work anymore.  Sometimes I could get one--maybe two--sites to load, but anything more and it just wouldn't cooperate.

Now, this should have been a good thing...no internet means less procrastinating.  It's awfully hard to get distracted by Facebook and YouTube and everything else if the pages won't load...but I will admit that I've been lazy and haven't been working as I should have.  

But that is about to change.  As soon as this posts, I am closing every window except for Word and am going to spend the next few hours doing nothing but writing (that's my intention anyway).  So at some point tomorrow, I will post my progress (since my internet is back...after having our service checked and buying a new router) and let you know how many words I was able to shell out.

Megg

Thought for the Day

"Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time...the wait is simply too long."  Leonard Bernstein

Just like in my last Thought for the Day, this one again touches on Inspiration.  Mainly because I'm still using the excuse that I'm not writing because I'm waiting for inspiration to hit...but there comes a time where you have to realize, that it is okay to write even if you don't feel inspired...at least you're writing and getting something down on paper (or in Word).

Writing is writing, even if it's not inspired writing.

Megg

Thought for the Day

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration.  Inspiration seldom generates action."  Frank Tibolt

I've regularly gotten into the habit of saying, "Well, I'm just waiting for inspiration to strike.  And when it does, I know I'll write up a storm" or something to that effect.  But rarely is it ever that easy.  Very rarely can I go about my daily life and then at the most opportunistic moment, expect inspiration to strike, and then sit down and write away.

There are other times though, when I know that I have to write...even if I can only get a few words typed up on the computer or written down in my notebook.  And it's times like those when I normally end up writing full scenes and chapters.  Getting in the mindset and willing yourself to write, can create the inspiration that you're so desperately trying to create out of nothing.  It's much easier for inspiration to strike when you're in the midst of your work.

At least, that's what I'm telling myself now as I sit down to work on this scene...

More inspiration quotes to come...I know I'm not the only needing motivation to write.

Megg

Thought for the Day

"I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of writing.  The first, of course, is ransom notes..."  Philip Dusenberry

This just made me chuckle.

Now, it's time to work on the novel...I'll let you know how it goes (or I'll be searching for future thoughts of the day quotes...because I'm dedicated...which is totally different then procrastinating...I promise).

Megg

Goal not yet achieved...

So I haven't quite made it to the 3000 word goal I had set.  I have, however, written an outstanding 521 words! Please try to contain your excitement, I know I'm having a hard time of it myself.

Truthfully, I chalk up my lack of achieving this goal to be the weather and the season.  Yes, I love fall, but in reality, it just spells disaster for both my allergies and my asthma.  And that does not make a happy combination.   So, for this one time only, I can blame something other than my laziness and my excellent ability to procrastinate (don't worry though, I'm pretty good at coming up with excuses too, so you'll probably never actually see me blame not getting anything done based on either one of those reasons).

So, it's been two days and I'm 17% of the way towards my goal (that I was hoping to achieve in one night).  But since I'm feeling ill, I am giving myself this whole week to get back to work.  And starting next week I will definitely be on top of the game (until i think of another reason why I'm not writing).

Megg

Goal: 3000 words

So I've been home for over five hours now...and feel like I have gotten absolutely nothing accomplished (and when it comes to my writing...well...that's because I haven't).  I mean, sure, I've done chores, such as laundry, cleaning and straightening the house, fixing dinner (and then eating said dinner), but my plans to come home from lunch and spend the rest of the day working on my book?  FAIL.

So, I am dedicating the rest of the night to writing (after this post, of course).  It finally seems like everything is coming together in terms of figuring out my outline, the conflicts I want my characters to face, and the plot itself.  So why after everything starts making sense and piecing together, can I not just sit down and work?

My goal for tonight is 3000 words (an awful lot, considering that a couple weeks ago, I set a goal of 1000 words a day for myself...but since I haven't been really sticking to that, I am forcing myself to make up for it.) And truly, 3000 words isn't too bad...I could be making myself write 5000 words...but let's not get carried away.  Surely, I would get distracted on Facebook or Twitter and never get near that much done (Let's hope the same thing doesn't happen anyway with the 3000 word goal).  

I guess I have rambled long enough, and I should really get to work, but for the sake of feeling like I have to accomplish this now, I will report in on tonight's writing and the word count.

Megg