Fiinding Motivation.

For a new writer, I find it hard to stay motivated.  I run a small business and have a young family so my time is always stretched thin.  Writing usually takes a back seat to everyday life.  But if you have a story that you need to write...you have to find the time.

 

 



So when asked how I do it, my response is always the same.  I schedule time, like I would for a doctors appointment or a kids activity, and guard it.  It's my time and, outside of emergencies, I don't give it up.  I find the golden time for writing in my house is between 9 and 11 pm.  My kiddos are in bed, the dishes have been done and the house is quite.  I'll usually throw a load of laundry in and fire up the old lap top.

I also use wasted time to my best advantage.  I've been known to write while my son's at Tae Kwon Do.  I eat lunch at my lap top.  I have even been know to write at the kitchen counter while trying to cook (not recommended...it leads to crappy writing and burnt food).

Another great thing I've done is join a writers group.  Mine is online, but I have a small group of people who are following my work.  I feel obligated to produce something for them to read.  So I move forward.  Ira Glass from This American Life had the best advice.  "Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story."  So my main motivation is one chapter a week at the very least. 

So do I write 3,000 words in a setting.  NO.  I'm averaging about 900.  But I'm moving forward.  Until the publishing fairy drops off a big check and I can hire someone to do my job...I'm still punching the 9 to 5 clock.

April

So April has come along and I find myself with a lot of things on my plate.  I've signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo. 

Giving myself 30 days to finish 35000 words of my novel.  It didn't sound like a lot at the time, but then life has a way of throwing things in your path.  I've become bogged down with the thought of short stories.  My little circle of writers I'm developing have been discussing using short stories for character development.  I've got some back story shorts rattling around in my head.
I signed up for The Midwest Writers Workshop and have said I'd enter the writing competition, short story or poem.  Scribophile is having an April short story competition for a chance to have your first 50 pages reviewed by David Corbett. 
I really need to put my computer in Airplane mode and just start hammering away at my novel.  My goal is still to have a rough draft completed by the end of May.  Here hoping. :)

Well here's a little taste from chapter 1  Olivia Harmon explaining her job:

When I was elected deputy coroner last fall, I didn’t realize the deputy part meant I got all the 3am calls to suspicious deaths and accident scenes. Sycamore Spring still ran on the antiquated coroners system, meaning anyone could do the job. You just had to be elected, no medical background required. I really enjoyed the work, even though the lead coroner still handled the bulk of the cases.
I was excited when the news first reported some states were allowing witches to do a death reading in lieu of an autopsy. They were still hashing out which magical working could be used and so far empathy wasn't on the list. But I still jumped at the chance to use my gifts and ran for coroner in the next election.
I was able to certify death using magic but still had to send for a medical examiner from one of the bigger towns when homicide was suspected. I held out hope that the law would change.
If I was going to keep doing this job, it would have to change. I’ve started to run out of pathologists who would still work with me. Doctors really didn’t like it when you told them they were wrong. And when I called out Dr. Fitzgerald for missing a homicide, word got around fast.
I headed towards the accident. Red flares reflected off the rear window of the black Toyota that sat a fair ways off the road. It had left a long trail of upturned earth, before coming to rest by the edge of the woods. The compact car showed little damages besides the gaping hole in the windshield. Passers-by might think the occupants had pulled off to go for a stroll in the nearby stand of trees. However, the headlights of the vehicle, like a macabre spotlight, lit a solitary white sheet that told a darker story.

Clarity

So I ran into a stumbling point.  I knew where I wanted to go, I just couldn't get my characters to follow.  So I put aside my writing for a day.  watched some TV with the kids and left my lap top at work. 

 

I took this time to download and read some basic books on plot and constructions.  While I think it's possible to write a book without having a foundation in the "craft" of writing, I got a lot of great pointers.

The most important being to have an over arching plot to the story.  No not "catch the bad guy" or "get the girl".  A meaningful story arch.  So I thought about it and came up with mine.

Olivia (main character) is struggling with self image.  The over arching plot is her self acceptance.  This has nothing to do with the story line, kidnapping, but as the story moves on Olivia will grow and change as a character.

Unable to help myself I check my Scribofile page and saw I had another review.  A lovely woman left the following comment:

"I'd love to see her give Brad much more resistance as she seems like a woman who is not one to be pushed around. To be blatant, even mentioning how long its been for her and even making her come on to him might be nice"

And I had a light bulb moment.  I saw Olivia.  I knew exactly how she would react at the accident scene (I'm editing it to show her being the aggressor towards brad, not because she wants him but because she needs to rid herself of the dreadful feelings she's left with. And then she has a moment of guilt for coming on to him)

I was so pumped.   I immediately (well when I got to work, and had a spare moment) rewrote chapter 2, edited chapter three and added a new chapter that wasn't in my original outline. 

I have a clearer picture of were to go and how to get everyone moving along.

Took the Plung

So I found a wonderful writing forum.

http://www.scribophile.com

I joined a few groups, did some critiques, and posted my first chapter. 

http://www.scribophile.com/authors/gina-drayer/works/soul-witch-working-titile/29729/

 I've been fretting about it all night.  I think anyone who decides to writes thinks their writing is spectacular, I know I do.    But when it comes down to it all that matters is-- does someone else think that? 

We'll see.

I would highly recommend scribophile.  I really like the way the system works.  In order to post work for review you must review work yourself.  I think this system really helps make sure you are getting feedback on your work.  Work is categorized by genre.  It's really a nice system.  I opted to join paying the upgraded membership.  This allows for unlimited posting of work and messaging.  You still have to have points to post, but you aren't limited to the number of works you can post.  there are some other benefits.  People have been very constructive and responsive so far.  If you are looking for a writing group I can't recommend scribophile enough!!

 

Getting Real

So, I've put pencil to paper (or at least fingers to keyboard) and started writing.  I have a story.  I've done some research....I'm ready to go.

Now that I've committed, I had a vision of myself sitting down and pond out my story.  I can see now that's more of a fairy tale then a premonition.  Oh, I started that way.  First day in I put down 4,000 words and thought I'd have a story ready to edit in less then a month. 

I went in without any plan or direction.  Write.  That was it.  But then I started to edit, to do more research, pick over characters, change the introduction five times, I realized that I haven't progressed past 4,000 words.  Less then a week in I realize I was delusional and I started to second guess myself.

So I stopped, got some advice from some other writers and realized I needed a plan.

So, I present:

Gina's Writing Plan (insert trumpeting)

1. I will write 4 days a week.
     a. on writing days I will spend 15 min planning the items I will be writing before I start.
     b. During writing time, I will not:
                      i. edit
                      ii. research
                      iii. rewrite.
     c. I commit to 2000 words.
2. I will edit only after I have a first draft of a chapter and only after my 2000 words have been met.
3. I will block out time to research, this time will be outside my writing time.
4. I will post on my blog once per week.  Post to include word count for the week, progress in story and overall thoughts about writing.
5.   I will join an appropriate writer’s critique group (group must be active)
6.   I will find a writing buddy that will help me keep on task.


My goals:

*   Have first draft ready by August.
*   Have second draft ready for professional editing by November
*   First full beta read by January.

Again, I'm flying blind.  But I feel a little better having set down some guidelines.  I'm hopping this week will be more productive.

 

 

 

Gina