"A million young poets/ Screamin' out their words/ Maybe someday/ Those words will be heard." - "Check It Out" by John Mellencamp
I wrote 1,200 words for my work in progress yesterday! I know it's not much, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Who We Thought We Were is starting to take shape, I'm getting a better feel for the characters I have introduced so far, and I even have a couple of new ideas of where I want the story to go. I'm back on track!
My goal for this week is to finish the current chapter and hopefully start the next. Usually once I get going on a book, I can write pretty quickly. It's just getting through the first couple of chapters that are a little slow. But as I get into the heart of the story, I become lost in the words, words that hopefully will be read by many, many people someday. Once the story has taken over my senses, I know I've got something worthwhile. I have a feeling that will happen very soon!
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, May 29, 2011
I'm a Dreamer
"You may say I'm a dreamer/ But I'm not the only one." - "Imagine" by John Lennon
I love "Imagine". It's my favorite Lennon solo song and I'm in awe every time I hear it, even though I have heard it a thousand times before. It's really a pretty simple song, but so powerful and thought-provoking at the same time. The work of a true genius...
So, I just finished watching the Meryl Streep/Amy Adams movie "Julie and Julia", which just gets better each time I see it. In fact, it was my inspiration for starting this blog almost a year ago.
Whenever I watch that movie, I have to throw my hands up in the air and shake my head in amazement and wonder (and, I'll admit, a little bit of jealousy) when Julie's blog takes off and she ends up getting calls from agents, editors, and even publishers who want to represent her and her writing. What an impossible dream that would be! But still, I'm a dreamer and I do fantisize about how incredible it would be to have someone pursue my writing instead of me sending off my hopes and dreams and waiting with my fingers crossed for a positive response. I know it's stupid to even think like that, and believe me, I know it would never happen in a million years because I do live in the real world (most of the time...), but hey, that did actually happen to Julie Powell. I also take solice knowing that I am not the only hopeful writer out there who shares these dreams, as well as these realities. That being said, I didn't start my blog to get noticed and become rich and famous. I started blogging because I always have something to say and don't always have someone around to listen. Plus, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get the word out about my writing just in case... It's always good to have a platform, right?
Okay. Since I know I have to make this dream of becoming a novelist a reality, I am in the process of compiling my next list of agents to query. I have some time off of work in a few weeks and I am going to use it to write, submit to agents, research, and write some more. What? You think that sounds like work? Well, not to me. To me it sounds like the possibility of getting one step closer to my goal, which is music to my ears.
I love "Imagine". It's my favorite Lennon solo song and I'm in awe every time I hear it, even though I have heard it a thousand times before. It's really a pretty simple song, but so powerful and thought-provoking at the same time. The work of a true genius...
So, I just finished watching the Meryl Streep/Amy Adams movie "Julie and Julia", which just gets better each time I see it. In fact, it was my inspiration for starting this blog almost a year ago.
Whenever I watch that movie, I have to throw my hands up in the air and shake my head in amazement and wonder (and, I'll admit, a little bit of jealousy) when Julie's blog takes off and she ends up getting calls from agents, editors, and even publishers who want to represent her and her writing. What an impossible dream that would be! But still, I'm a dreamer and I do fantisize about how incredible it would be to have someone pursue my writing instead of me sending off my hopes and dreams and waiting with my fingers crossed for a positive response. I know it's stupid to even think like that, and believe me, I know it would never happen in a million years because I do live in the real world (most of the time...), but hey, that did actually happen to Julie Powell. I also take solice knowing that I am not the only hopeful writer out there who shares these dreams, as well as these realities. That being said, I didn't start my blog to get noticed and become rich and famous. I started blogging because I always have something to say and don't always have someone around to listen. Plus, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get the word out about my writing just in case... It's always good to have a platform, right?
Okay. Since I know I have to make this dream of becoming a novelist a reality, I am in the process of compiling my next list of agents to query. I have some time off of work in a few weeks and I am going to use it to write, submit to agents, research, and write some more. What? You think that sounds like work? Well, not to me. To me it sounds like the possibility of getting one step closer to my goal, which is music to my ears.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Family
"We are family/ I've got all my sisters with me/ We are family/ Get up everybody and sing!" - "We are Family" by Sister Sledge
Every year my mom and her sisters get together for a long weekend, with a different sister hosting the reunion each year. This year is my mom's turn, so I get to see a couple of my aunts that I haven't seen in four years! I've been looking forward to this for a while now, so I'm glad it's finally here.
With the added family members and change in routine, I figure that I won't get any writing done at all this week. I have been holding steady around the 250 page mark in Willow book #4 for a few weeks now and it's starting to get on my nerves. I don't have writer's block or anything, I just either don't have the time, can't concentrate when I do have a few moments to spare, or I keep finding things to change in what I have already written. I think I have rewritten the last ten pages I have been working on at least half a dozen times. Sometimes it's just tweaking a sentence here or there, sometimes way more. Next week, I plan to get back on track and get some serious writing done!
I was originally hoping to finish this novel by the first week of June when the girls I nanny for get out of school, but that's not happening. My new goal is to finish my writing and editing of book #4 by the 4th of July, which will mark the end of a two week vacation I have from work while the girls are out of town. That goal will be accomplished!
Every year my mom and her sisters get together for a long weekend, with a different sister hosting the reunion each year. This year is my mom's turn, so I get to see a couple of my aunts that I haven't seen in four years! I've been looking forward to this for a while now, so I'm glad it's finally here.
With the added family members and change in routine, I figure that I won't get any writing done at all this week. I have been holding steady around the 250 page mark in Willow book #4 for a few weeks now and it's starting to get on my nerves. I don't have writer's block or anything, I just either don't have the time, can't concentrate when I do have a few moments to spare, or I keep finding things to change in what I have already written. I think I have rewritten the last ten pages I have been working on at least half a dozen times. Sometimes it's just tweaking a sentence here or there, sometimes way more. Next week, I plan to get back on track and get some serious writing done!
I was originally hoping to finish this novel by the first week of June when the girls I nanny for get out of school, but that's not happening. My new goal is to finish my writing and editing of book #4 by the 4th of July, which will mark the end of a two week vacation I have from work while the girls are out of town. That goal will be accomplished!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tired and Broken
"Maybe you're tired and broken/ Your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear." - "Box of Rain" by the Grateful Dead
This is the perfect song choice for today. I am exhausted, I have so much going on in my head I can't seem to think straight, and my words are only half spoken because I didn't write a single sentence in my novel all weekend. I still achieved my weekly goal, thanks to a couple of very productive days, but I am left feeling unsatisfied with what I have done. My question is, how can I take care of myself (meaning by writing to save my sanity!), if I am consumed with taking care of everyone around me? Isn't is a pain when real life gets in the way of a much calmer, nicer, creative life?
So, taking into consideration the way this week is starting out (sick kid that is not mine but I take care of and worry endlessly about, as well as being very worn out myself), my goal is simple. Continue doing a daily writing prompt, which has been great by the way, and try to complete one chapter in my fourth Willow Ryan book. There is so much coming up in this latest installment of Willow's life, and I can't wait to write about, but I guess I have to. Hopefully the week will get better though. You'll hear about it either way! Have a good Monday, everyone!
This is the perfect song choice for today. I am exhausted, I have so much going on in my head I can't seem to think straight, and my words are only half spoken because I didn't write a single sentence in my novel all weekend. I still achieved my weekly goal, thanks to a couple of very productive days, but I am left feeling unsatisfied with what I have done. My question is, how can I take care of myself (meaning by writing to save my sanity!), if I am consumed with taking care of everyone around me? Isn't is a pain when real life gets in the way of a much calmer, nicer, creative life?
So, taking into consideration the way this week is starting out (sick kid that is not mine but I take care of and worry endlessly about, as well as being very worn out myself), my goal is simple. Continue doing a daily writing prompt, which has been great by the way, and try to complete one chapter in my fourth Willow Ryan book. There is so much coming up in this latest installment of Willow's life, and I can't wait to write about, but I guess I have to. Hopefully the week will get better though. You'll hear about it either way! Have a good Monday, everyone!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Things That They Stood For
"Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham/ Can you tell me where he's gone/ He freed a lot of people/ But it seems the good they die young/ You know I just looked around and he's gone." - "Abraham, Martin, and John" by Dion
Ah, Presidents' Day. A day that some lucky people (like me) get off of work, but does anyone really think about the reason for this holiday anymore? Not to get overly political or anything, but there was a time where the President of the United States was highly respected by most, if not all of the public, someone to admire. They stood for something. If people were a little more open minded and willing to see the big picture instead of just focusing on the negatives, maybe the same thing would be true today.
Okay, enough with the politics and onto the writing! I accomplished my two chapter goal last week, and am now over 120 pages into my fourth novel. The more I write, the happier I get with Willow's character and where she is going in life. I think one thing a writer has to do in order to create a good book is to have believable characters that his/her readers can relate to. Willow is by no means perfect, but as her journey has continued, she has grown so much and learned a lot from her experiences in life. By creating characters that seem like real people, with hopes and dreams, fears and worries, I am aiming to write a story that readers can see themselves in. Who hasn't at one time worried that they weren't a good enough parent, kept a secret that was eating them alive, worked so hard to the point of exhaustion to try to give their family a better life, or had dreams so big they fear they may never come true, but still have to dream because it's part of who they are? There is a little bit of Willow Ryan in all of us.
This week, my goal is to crack open a book I bought last week and start doing a writing exercise every single day. I'm hoping to expand my knowledge of writing and find new ways to think and new ways to convey ideas in all of my writing. In addition to the homework I am assigning myself, I also plan to write at least 20 pages this week. I'm excited to see what happens next in Willow's story!
Ah, Presidents' Day. A day that some lucky people (like me) get off of work, but does anyone really think about the reason for this holiday anymore? Not to get overly political or anything, but there was a time where the President of the United States was highly respected by most, if not all of the public, someone to admire. They stood for something. If people were a little more open minded and willing to see the big picture instead of just focusing on the negatives, maybe the same thing would be true today.
Okay, enough with the politics and onto the writing! I accomplished my two chapter goal last week, and am now over 120 pages into my fourth novel. The more I write, the happier I get with Willow's character and where she is going in life. I think one thing a writer has to do in order to create a good book is to have believable characters that his/her readers can relate to. Willow is by no means perfect, but as her journey has continued, she has grown so much and learned a lot from her experiences in life. By creating characters that seem like real people, with hopes and dreams, fears and worries, I am aiming to write a story that readers can see themselves in. Who hasn't at one time worried that they weren't a good enough parent, kept a secret that was eating them alive, worked so hard to the point of exhaustion to try to give their family a better life, or had dreams so big they fear they may never come true, but still have to dream because it's part of who they are? There is a little bit of Willow Ryan in all of us.
This week, my goal is to crack open a book I bought last week and start doing a writing exercise every single day. I'm hoping to expand my knowledge of writing and find new ways to think and new ways to convey ideas in all of my writing. In addition to the homework I am assigning myself, I also plan to write at least 20 pages this week. I'm excited to see what happens next in Willow's story!
Monday, February 14, 2011
A New Week, A New Goal
"Sunshine came softly through my window today..." - "Sunshine Superman" by Donovan
It's bright, sunny, and warm today, and for once I can honestly say that I don't hate it. Normally I favor dark, cold days, but this is a nice change of pace. I spent the morning with Riley who stayed home sick (she's fine now), and when we went to pick her sister up from school, we actually had the windows rolled down and the heat turned off. It was kind of refreshing. But I still want winter to return and stick around for a while. Go figure!
With working all morning and not getting in my normal two hour writing block that I try to do Monday-Friday before I head off to the job that actually pays the bills, I already feel like I am behind in accomplishing my new goal. I met my goal for last week (yea me!), and now have six chapters completed in book four of the "Willow Ryan" series. My goal for this week is to write two more chapters. That shouldn't be a problem, unless a child gets sick again, I have computer problems (please, no more!), or I become infected with one of the millions of germs that seem to be following the girls around like the dust cloud that trailed Pigpen in the old Peanuts cartoons. Sometimes I feel like a walking Petrie dish! I guess that is one of the occupational hazards that come along with being a nanny.
So here's to a healthy, problem-free, productive week for us all!
It's bright, sunny, and warm today, and for once I can honestly say that I don't hate it. Normally I favor dark, cold days, but this is a nice change of pace. I spent the morning with Riley who stayed home sick (she's fine now), and when we went to pick her sister up from school, we actually had the windows rolled down and the heat turned off. It was kind of refreshing. But I still want winter to return and stick around for a while. Go figure!
With working all morning and not getting in my normal two hour writing block that I try to do Monday-Friday before I head off to the job that actually pays the bills, I already feel like I am behind in accomplishing my new goal. I met my goal for last week (yea me!), and now have six chapters completed in book four of the "Willow Ryan" series. My goal for this week is to write two more chapters. That shouldn't be a problem, unless a child gets sick again, I have computer problems (please, no more!), or I become infected with one of the millions of germs that seem to be following the girls around like the dust cloud that trailed Pigpen in the old Peanuts cartoons. Sometimes I feel like a walking Petrie dish! I guess that is one of the occupational hazards that come along with being a nanny.
So here's to a healthy, problem-free, productive week for us all!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Half Way There
"Oh, we're half way there/ Oh oh, livin' on a prayer!" - Bon Jovi
Last week I wrote about how I was giving myself a writing goal each week, and my first goal was to complete 40 pages of my fourth novel that I started about two weeks ago. Unfortunately, do to unforseen circumstances, that did not happen. As of last night I was a little over half way there, hence the song of the day. And just like Bon Jovi's Tommy, the dock worker, and his waitress wife, Gina, we're all just livin' on a prayer every day, aren't we?
Anyway, I have hope that this week will be more productive. I am currently on page 52 in the latest "Willow Ryan" book, and my goal for the week is to write 30 pages and complete a poem I have been working on. It would be nice if I could just spend all day writing, but I live in the real world and writing all day never happens. Wouldn't it be nice though... (that gives me an idea for tomorrow's song of the day!)
Last week I wrote about how I was giving myself a writing goal each week, and my first goal was to complete 40 pages of my fourth novel that I started about two weeks ago. Unfortunately, do to unforseen circumstances, that did not happen. As of last night I was a little over half way there, hence the song of the day. And just like Bon Jovi's Tommy, the dock worker, and his waitress wife, Gina, we're all just livin' on a prayer every day, aren't we?
Anyway, I have hope that this week will be more productive. I am currently on page 52 in the latest "Willow Ryan" book, and my goal for the week is to write 30 pages and complete a poem I have been working on. It would be nice if I could just spend all day writing, but I live in the real world and writing all day never happens. Wouldn't it be nice though... (that gives me an idea for tomorrow's song of the day!)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, Monday
"Monday, Monday/ So good to me/ Monday morning/ It was all I hoped it would be." - "Monday, Monday" by the Mamas and the Papas
Normally Mondays are not my favorite day of the week, but so far today has been great! I was able to write six more pages in my latest novel, even though my dog was barking and howling like a crazed wolf, I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio ("Me and Bobby McGee" by the one and only Janis Joplin), and Alana was in a fantastic mood when I picked her up from school. What a great way to start the week!
As I was working on some writing last night, I decided to give myself a goal each week. It could be anything from finishing a poem I'm working on, to writing a certain number of pages in a novel, or writing an article on child development. This week, my goal is to write at least 40 pages in my fourth Willow novel. Since I don't have an agent, editor, or publisher to give me deadlines (sigh), I will give them to myself. Hopefully my dedication and hard work will pay off...soon!
Normally Mondays are not my favorite day of the week, but so far today has been great! I was able to write six more pages in my latest novel, even though my dog was barking and howling like a crazed wolf, I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio ("Me and Bobby McGee" by the one and only Janis Joplin), and Alana was in a fantastic mood when I picked her up from school. What a great way to start the week!
As I was working on some writing last night, I decided to give myself a goal each week. It could be anything from finishing a poem I'm working on, to writing a certain number of pages in a novel, or writing an article on child development. This week, my goal is to write at least 40 pages in my fourth Willow novel. Since I don't have an agent, editor, or publisher to give me deadlines (sigh), I will give them to myself. Hopefully my dedication and hard work will pay off...soon!
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