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I’m going to be short because it’s already 3:22 tomorrow and I have to get to work.

So I’m not going to delve into detail about the how long it took me to pack up all the Christmas decorations, or put the pantry back together when one of the shelves fell down after I added more groceries to it. Nor will I talk about how I remembered I had to record my radio show while I was walking the dog around 9;45 tonight. And I certainly won’t complain about the “revamped” website I always use for research not working as well…

Nope. Won’t do that.

Instead… Today was one of those days. I finished researching for my radio show around 2:45am and took a nice hot shower. I really wanted to go to bed–especially since I hadn’t sat down all day.

But I made my new year’s resolution about writing every day this year, and I’m going to do it.

I also have a handy little iPhone with a Microsoft Word app on it. So I went out to the living room and started typing in the dark. I solved a major problem with the first scene as well!

But now I’m falling asleep mid-sentence so it’s time to call it a night.

Two lessons learned today:
1) the iPhone app is awesome!
2) all writers need servants….

All right, I’m off to bed before I accidentally type something I shouldn’t.

Toodles!

My new year’s resolution: write every day. This sounds easier than it is. When you work full time and you come home on Friday, there are a few things you don’t want to do: 1) use your brain, 2) answer emails, 3) use your brain, 4) straighten the house, 5) use your brain, 6) figure out how on earth you’re going to get the rough draft of a novella done in two weeks.. Especially since that takes… your brain.

Seriously, on the last day of the work week, I’m toast.

But I have deadlines to meet, a resolution to keep, and goals to make happen.

And I swear, watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is part of meeting those goals. Seriously. Scouts honor. It’s pulp, and I was told to watch it. 🙂

Anyway, so… Most of my “writing” took place in the form of plotting in the shower. (Take that in the innocent spirit in which it was written.) I have to redo the concept for this first novella, and that involves some thought. So I worked out a bit of the introduction, making sure to introduce the main characters in the series to each other. I’m also coming closer to figuring out the main plot. Since my main character’s nemesis has the power to see anything in a reflection, I want to play around with the idea of smoke and mirrors… It’s going to come to me tomorrow because I’m not going to give it a choice.

Anyway, I wrote all of my ideas down directly into the manuscript, and I have therefore written today.

And if you are a writer or thinking about becoming a writer, here is a hint: you can now download Microsoft Word on your iPhone/iPad and connect it to your dropbox. So I can type a few paragraphs before I get to bed and I don’t have to wait for the computer to turn on, which is wonderful!

All right. Off to bed now! Tomorrow I want to get 7,000 words done if possible…

Toodles!

Today was quite interesting. Nothing like walking to work and having 20 ideas about your current writing project race through your head. I love it when that happens; it means I’m in the writing zone all the time–not just when I’m at the desk. It means my work will become more productive. It takes a few days to get there, but once I’m there, no matter where I am or what I do, I get ideas. (This is why successful writers suggest writing every day, and it’s probably why I haven’t been able to get a good flow going for a while. Losing this momentum with a few days break takes a weak to get back. I’m going to make it a goal to do something with writing–books, not blogs–every day for 2015.)

Anyway, figured out three scenes that need changing in my first paragraph. I’m going to jot notes in the prose and come back to it later when I have a better feel for the characters and where the story is going. It will look something like this:

Michael stumbled down the street, blood dripping off his jacket. [Note: the cops took his knife and he has to go back and get it.]

Came home from work early. Cleaned the house and then had to go to the vet to get special prescription food for my dog, who has a bladder stone problem. Finally back at desk around 5:00. Now its time to stare this manuscript in the face and start writing even though–let’s be honest–trying to formulate a lot of these action scenes is really frustrating. I hate writing stage directions and choreography, and that’s basically the gist of action scenes. Later I will get to fill in the blanks, like sensory details and character development, but right now… It’s like wading through mud. But my characters are still trapped in a sinking van, and I have to get them out. Oh, and add in a little surprise with one of the characters. :::grin grin:::

Got about 1000 words in and then had to leave for a New Year’s Eve party.

Toodles!

Wow, what a day. Worked, came home, spent just a bit of time working on getting end of year bills paid but not enough. Then left to have dinner with my sister and her husband. Came back, finished bills, walked the dog… By then, it was 11:20… I’m really trying to write every day no matter what in 2015, so I set my timer for 15 minutes and…

Well basically I sank a van in the Mississippi River and then had to leave the passengers in the van as it filled with water because my timer went off.

:::insert maniacal smile here::::

A few things I learned tonight:

Claire doesn’t want to be called Claire. I keep calling her a variety of names, but mainly Currently Mary, Kate, and Judith hopped in there once. If she keeps it up, I’m going to call her Meredith Weathersby and turn her hair grey and tie it in a tight old lady bun.

Of course, I just destroyed the vehicle my good guys need to complete their assignment… Like seriously. But, think of the conflict I just created! I love writing characters into corners because getting them out is half the fun.

I just realized that 30,000 words is four 8,000 word short stories. This is key because I divide my stories into 4ths (like a screenplay).

Writing action scenes (like, having a van fall in a river and sink) is much harder than character development scenes. seriously, it’s so much easier to have your character sit on a couch and ponder. I’ve encountered a few times in this story where I have wanted to move on an idea and really had to convince myself to do it because writing the scene would be hard. I think part of it is figuring out how my character will solve the problem.

Forcing myself to put something “on paper” (digitally speaking) each day and blog about my progress is working. I’m really excited about this. I want at least 3 books to come out this year…

Okay, folks, time for bed. I’m looking at 6 or less hours of sleep.

Toodles!