More of the same today, once again both before work and during lunch. I'm now more than halfway through the book I'm reading.
I know these daily reports must be getting kind of boring, but this blog is part of the reason I've stuck to my morning writing routine. Knowing I'd have to "confess" missing my hour of writing before work just to sleep in helps get me out of bed each morning. Thanks!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Daily Check-in 6/3/08
More background research today, both before work and during lunch. This book I'm reading is inspiring some fun ideas for improving the events I've outlined for my WIP.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Daily Check-in 6/2/08
This morning's before-work activity on my WIP* focused on some necessary background research, and began with a trip to the Chicago Public Library over the weekend. I need to be more familiar with the scientific possibility of the topic of my WIP, so I don't end up looking like an idiot or (worse) an amateur.
And yes, I'm aware of the danger research can present for writers—which is to be an attractive distraction from the writing itself. I promise both you and myself not to let that happen.
BTW, Dad, the Lowe's gift card you gave us for Christmas has been put to good use: our gas-powered lawn mower was dying a slow and painful death, so we bought me a new toy yesterday—an electric lawn mower. Thanks!
* i.e., work in progress
And yes, I'm aware of the danger research can present for writers—which is to be an attractive distraction from the writing itself. I promise both you and myself not to let that happen.
BTW, Dad, the Lowe's gift card you gave us for Christmas has been put to good use: our gas-powered lawn mower was dying a slow and painful death, so we bought me a new toy yesterday—an electric lawn mower. Thanks!
* i.e., work in progress
Friday, May 30, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/29/08 and 5/30/08
5/29/08: I did write before work yesterday but didn't had have a chance to report it here until now. After work we saw the touring production of Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award® for Best Musical. We've had the original Broadway cast recording for years and were worried familiarity with the songs would diminish our enjoyment of the show itself.
Not at all. The book of the musical was very funny, too, and it was great seeing the musical numbers performed live. It made for a late night though, since we waited to eat dinner after the show, and I didn't get to bed until well after midnight.
5/30/08 : Because I was up later than usual I thought I'd have trouble getting up to write before work this morning. But I managed to drag myself out of bed by 6:15 AM and wrote for about an hour before work. Spent another half hour writing during lunch, too.
Not at all. The book of the musical was very funny, too, and it was great seeing the musical numbers performed live. It made for a late night though, since we waited to eat dinner after the show, and I didn't get to bed until well after midnight.
5/30/08 : Because I was up later than usual I thought I'd have trouble getting up to write before work this morning. But I managed to drag myself out of bed by 6:15 AM and wrote for about an hour before work. Spent another half hour writing during lunch, too.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/28/08 (or: Excuses, Excuses)
I knew 5/27/08 wasn't going to be a good for writing because it was our travel day home from Poplar Tree Bay. Instead, the day was spent getting ready to leave; driving first to Syracuse (to drop off Scott's sister, Kathy, at the Syracuse airport) and then to the Buffalo airport for our own flight; finally ending back at our house around 10:00 PM. There was time during which I should have been able to write—the almost four hours spent in the car; the hour or so in the airport before our flight; the almost 90 minutes of the flight itself—except I can neither read nor write in a moving car without getting motion sick, and I'm too self-conscious to write among so many people sitting so close in the airport and on the plane.
Even though we didn't get to bed until almost 1:00 AM, I set my alarm for 6:00 AM fully intending to get up and write before work today. But expecting to be creative and deal with vacation aftermath in the office on only five hours of sleep wasn't going to work, so when my alarm went off at 6:00 AM I reset it for 7:00 AM and went back to sleep.
Even though we didn't get to bed until almost 1:00 AM, I set my alarm for 6:00 AM fully intending to get up and write before work today. But expecting to be creative and deal with vacation aftermath in the office on only five hours of sleep wasn't going to work, so when my alarm went off at 6:00 AM I reset it for 7:00 AM and went back to sleep.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/26/08
Just spent some time doing research-type reading today. It is a
holiday after all.
holiday after all.
--
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Sunday, May 25, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/25/08
Put in a couple of hours today, some research as well as actual
writing. My face got a bit sunburned because I spent some of that time
outside.
writing. My face got a bit sunburned because I spent some of that time
outside.
--
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Saturday, May 24, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/24/08
We were stuck at the trailer today waiting for a new refrigerator and
stove to be delivered, which was perfect time for writing. I put in a
good three hours at least. Not bad for a vacation Saturday.
stove to be delivered, which was perfect time for writing. I put in a
good three hours at least. Not bad for a vacation Saturday.
--
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Daily Check-in 5/23/08 (A Day Late Again)
Yesterday I wrote before bed again. Worked on another version of that
"Hero's Journey" outline to try out my new hero character.
"Hero's Journey" outline to try out my new hero character.
--
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Friday, May 23, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/22/08 (A Day Late)
Greetings from Poplar Tree Bay!
Despite hours spent traveling by both plane and car, I'm proud to
report I still found time to write last night before going to bed. I
continued working on an outline I'd started the day before, in which I
was aligning the events in my story with something called "The Hero's
Journey" by Joseph Campbell (as adapted for writers and screenwriters
by Chris Vogler). It was an incredibly useful exercise... even though
it made me realize I'm using the wrong character as my hero! And it's
better to discover that now rather than later.
BTW, I'm posting this via email from my Blackberry (our only form of
Internet access right now). Call it blogging-to-go! I can't tag my
post with categories this way, but it's just cool I can post at all.
--
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/21/08
Another really good hour of writing before work this morning. Once again, I want to skip work and just keep at it.
We're off to Poplar Tree Bay tomorrow morning for our first visit of the season. I plan on writing while we're there, and less than ideal vacation weather may mean there's time for it. No Internet access in the trailer though, so I don't know if I'll be able to keep you updated on the ol' blog here.
We're off to Poplar Tree Bay tomorrow morning for our first visit of the season. I plan on writing while we're there, and less than ideal vacation weather may mean there's time for it. No Internet access in the trailer though, so I don't know if I'll be able to keep you updated on the ol' blog here.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/20/08
I had a much better hour (or so) of writing this morning before work. Did a little research during lunch, too. Nothing much else to say today.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/19/08
Stupid Mondays.
Okay, I need to try harder to carve out some writing time on the weekends, because when I don't write on Saturday or Sunday I lose any momentum I've built up during the week... and that makes writing on a Monday morning about as easy as starting a car that's been sitting out in sub-zero weather for two days.* This morning, I spent 45 minutes basically spinning my wheels. Hopefully, I'll be able to put in some more productive writing time during lunch.
It sounds backwards, but getting up and writing for an hour in the morning before work is easier than making time to write on the weekend. During the work week, it's simply a matter of forcing myself to get up an hour earlier and then sitting down to write. As long as I've gone to bed at a decent hour the night before, half the battle is won. But on weekends we tend to stay up later and have more and varied things to accomplish. Plus there's usually two of involved in the scheduling of weekend activities, and that makes setting aside at least an hour on Saturday and Sunday a little more difficult. Not impossible though, of course. It's just another new writing routine to be implemented. I've succeeded (so far) in implementing my workday morning routine, so why not a weekend routine as well?
* I promise the similes in my "real" writing will be better than that one!
Okay, I need to try harder to carve out some writing time on the weekends, because when I don't write on Saturday or Sunday I lose any momentum I've built up during the week... and that makes writing on a Monday morning about as easy as starting a car that's been sitting out in sub-zero weather for two days.* This morning, I spent 45 minutes basically spinning my wheels. Hopefully, I'll be able to put in some more productive writing time during lunch.
It sounds backwards, but getting up and writing for an hour in the morning before work is easier than making time to write on the weekend. During the work week, it's simply a matter of forcing myself to get up an hour earlier and then sitting down to write. As long as I've gone to bed at a decent hour the night before, half the battle is won. But on weekends we tend to stay up later and have more and varied things to accomplish. Plus there's usually two of involved in the scheduling of weekend activities, and that makes setting aside at least an hour on Saturday and Sunday a little more difficult. Not impossible though, of course. It's just another new writing routine to be implemented. I've succeeded (so far) in implementing my workday morning routine, so why not a weekend routine as well?
* I promise the similes in my "real" writing will be better than that one!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/16/08
Sorry, I'm a day late reporting in! It was a crazy day at work, then last night was Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica—and I had to cook my own dinner because Scott is out of town. After all that I just kind forgot to post. So, anyway....
It was a good writing day (yesterday), with both an hour before work and another half-hour or so during lunch.
It was a good writing day (yesterday), with both an hour before work and another half-hour or so during lunch.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/15/08
Had a good hour of work on my current idea this morning, although at one point I found myself fixating on a plot detail that it's way too early to be worrying over. I may try to write a bit at lunch again today.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/14/08
A really great morning of writing, marred only the fact I had to stop to go to work. I considered calling in sick, just so I could keep writing, but I've got way too many things on my work plate this week to not be in the office every day.
UPDATE: I was able to squeeze in another half hour of writing during lunch today!
UPDATE: I was able to squeeze in another half hour of writing during lunch today!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/13/08
Not as late as yesterday, but still posting today's activity well after the fact.
Another hour of writing time before work today. Had a tough time avoiding the self-censorship trap this morning though... not sure why.
Another hour of writing time before work today. Had a tough time avoiding the self-censorship trap this morning though... not sure why.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/12/08
Sorry, but I forgot to update the blog earlier today. Squeezed in an hour's worth of writing time before a busy day at work.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/9/08
Woo woo! I succeeded in getting up at 6:00 AM all five mornings this work week--the first step in my new writing routine. A baby step, sure, but a step nonetheless... and in the right direction.
Worked on my idea for another hour this morning. Spent time organizing some of the week's thoughts into an extremely preliminary outline of story events. Don't know which events will end up in the actual story, or if the ones that do will be plot or flashback or back story. It all feels like a game right now and that's good. The object of the game at this stage in the process is to be creative while avoiding the self-censorship traps (i.e. I'm not allowed to decide an idea sucks before I write it down and explore its potential).
Worked on my idea for another hour this morning. Spent time organizing some of the week's thoughts into an extremely preliminary outline of story events. Don't know which events will end up in the actual story, or if the ones that do will be plot or flashback or back story. It all feels like a game right now and that's good. The object of the game at this stage in the process is to be creative while avoiding the self-censorship traps (i.e. I'm not allowed to decide an idea sucks before I write it down and explore its potential).
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Daily Check-in 5/8/08
Back to McDonald's this morning to eat breakfast and work on my current idea. Got in a little over an hour of writing time before I had to pack it up and go to my office. I like writing in the morning because it feels like my mind is more alert and I'm able to let the ideas flow more freely. But it's tough having to stop--sometimes in the middle of a good train of thought--to go earn a living. Of course, that won't be a problem during the four months of my sabbatical.
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