Time, Writing, & Possibility

When I signed up for the writing workshop, I knew that I would be busy. After all I had iCal'd all the events that this May hosted: the climaxes of most of my volunteer activities; the end of school for a Preschooler, a 3rd grader, and a 5th grader with its various music programs and parties; an Irish Dance competition for our 3rd grader; and my husband's various business trips. I thought I could fit in a small writing workshop

Wrong. While I kept up with all the family activities up to now, not a single word was written over the weekend.

What did I learn? Two key things ...

1. Schedule my time wisely, taking on projects and activities that support the family and myself without much sleep sacrifice. (How many times do I "counsel" my husband about that? Gonna hear from him about that for a while. Ouch.)
2. Develop my own writing schedule with challenging goals that don't kill me. (10 pages a day is killer, what made me think I'd get 20 with everything going on?)

Barbara O'Neal, I love all her books, posted about respecting your natural rhythm. After my harried May, her post provided me food for thought. And with summer break coming up, I'll be figuring out how to balance house stuff, kids, and writing that doesn't leave me like a meltdown waiting to happen but leaves me and the family empowered. The complete opposite of this month.

Coincidentally, as if coincidences really happened, over the weekend I met up with an old friend that I'd taken a personal development course with a few years ago. We got to talking and she reminded me that "... but, it won't ..." closes doors, whereas " ... and I could ..." leaves possibility waiting to happen. (Thanks, Pam!) Like a rose bud, particularly one called Pink Promise.

So my plan going forward... 

1. Participate in the remaining three weeks of the writing workshop, writing what and when I can, gleaning tips and tricks to draft and revise fast. 
2. Remember this month as a learning experience to manage my time wisely.
3. Develop a summer schedule for writing and fun.
4. Make possibility happen.

Now, off to make snack happen for the little ones.

Happy Mother's Day!

Just a few blooms all the Moms. Enjoy your special day!

A Revision Aversion Toast

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I HATE the revision process.

As a "new" and unpublished writer, I'm still learning what works and what doesn't. With alpha and beta readers, I'm getting a handle on the what works on that aspect of the writing process, but revising and what works for me? Let's just say I'm as motivated to sit and revise as I am to scrub powder cleaner in toilets with my bare hands. With motivation that low, no wonder it's taken me over a year to not finish even one revision.

I can only complain so much. Right? Right. So, I'm finally doing something about it. Beside moan and grit my teeth when I sit down to revise.

I signed up for Fast Draft, Revision Hell, an online writing workshop with Candace Havens. Her short description of the class ... "Fast Draft uses tools and psychology so that you can write a first draft in only two weeks. A rough draft. Revision Hell teaches you how to take that draft and turn it into something golden in an equally fast way."

While drafting hasn't been an issue for me as I usually draft during NaNoWriMo, I'll be glad to pick up tips and tricks in that area. It's the Revision Hell side of things that I'm interested in. I'm under no illusions that I'll finish a revision in two weeks with family and summer right around the corner, but wouldn't that be heaven? However anything is better than my current rate.

In the workshop chat loop, introductions have begun; one author lives in Australia while most of us are scattered throughout the US, there are a few published authors as well. Work starts in earnest on 14 May, right near the culmination of our school year and some of my volunteer activities, so I'll be busy.

Until then, I will be developing a protagonist with a deep need, an antagonist that stands in her way, and hopefully, a way for the protagonsit to achieve what she needs. My planning worksheets are all printed and primed.

So, here's a toast, or a couple, to finally doing something to address my revision aversion. Let's hope this works!

A Few Words of Thanks

Last week I received a call from my dad. A surprise in of itself as we don't really talk much, and most of that on major holidays and visits. Even more surprising was the reason he called.

I'd sent him a revision draft of the story I'm working on, you know ... where computer specialist and financially broke Angie must take a contract to catch an identity thief that requires her to work with the love-of-her life that she left, tentatively titled "Broken Identity."

Before I get too far, you need to know that my Dad reads just about any sort of science fiction and fantasy you give him. (He actually introduced me to the fantasy genre long ago, to my mother's chagrin as I'd lie in bed and read and read.) The story I'd sent him has ZERO elements from those genres, unless you count the fact that people are in it.

Knowing that I'm a voracious reader with a writing habit, he'd inquire from time to time how my writing was going, give me suggestions for issues I was having, and ask when he could read one of my stories. When he got a Kindle Fire this past Christmas, I told him I'd send him something. So I sent him an mobi version of what I'd revised on "Broken Identity" to his Kindle Documents email. (BTW, Scrivener does a great job converting to mobi and ePub.)

So, back to his call...

He said he was mad at me. That he'd read what I'd sent him and he was disappointed when he got to the last page of the revision (maybe just eight scenes) and realized he didn't have the rest of the story, just when he was really getting into it, there wasn't anymore.

For a long time after his call, I couldn't stop smiling. That he would like my story, knowing it wasn't his ususal type of fiction, was just so ... thrilling. On so many levels.

A love of reading, and by extension my writing, are a few things that my Dad and I have in common. He's the only one of my family (besides my husband and children) that shows an interest in my writing, taking the time to ask about it and actually read it. And he doesn't tell me ideas are strange like others have, if anything he helps me see new ways of strange, suggesting other authors to read for even more ideas.

I know that creating something is not supposed to be all about the reactions of others, but anyone that creates something, be it photography, art, music, or writing, and puts not a small bit of their heart and soul into it, knows the joy that comes when someone says they enjoyed that art. When that someone encourages the craft and is a parent, that happiness warms the creator's heart. Or at least this creator's heart.

Now I have this gift in my writer's toolbox for those days when the words don't flow as easily, a memory of those few words of enjoyment and encouragement.

So, Dad, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. And Thanks for the call!

Photo: A Holiday Wish for You.