Saturday, May 30, 2015

Insecure Writer's Support Group (or how to be a super-hero) and Question of the Month



Hello. Do not adjust your calendar. I've found a way to travel into the future by 4 days. I'm sending a report on my insecurities back to Saturday in order to save the planet.

That's a lie. I'm not going to be around next Wednesday. I'll be prepping for a trip. TO SAVE THE PLANET! (No, not really.)

What's bugging me about my writing? I'm not doing enough of it. After dedicating the month of April to the A to Z blogfest, May was supposed to be the month I would dive back in and start a new novel. It didn't happen.

What did happen were 4 blog posts (all blogfests) and another round of edits on my historical novel. Plus I read four or so novels by fellow bloggers and reviewed at least one so far.

May wasn't a total disaster, but I didn't work hard enough to promote the collection of short stories during their price reduction. Plus I found typos in the darn thing. Still! I need to go over one of the stories again with a fine tooth comb before further marketing attempts. Or maybe that's just a excuse. Forget maybe. It's definitely an excuse. A few reviews trickled in and they were positive, so that was great.

I want to work super-hard on something, but I lack focus. What do I really want to accomplish? The opening draft of the new novel or research for the new short story that will be due October first? I pushed off starting the last short story to the last second and it wasn't pretty. I don't want to repeat that business.

There's also a 12-year accumulation of clutter in this hovel screaming for organization. Will that unpleasantness be ignored for another season? Another year? And the yard. What a mess! Weeds, dandelions, ferocious fanged beasts! Oh wait. That's the cat. He can stay.

And what about my appalling new habit of staying up late to watch Netflix? Not cool. Serious writing is not possible at the end of the day. My children drain every available ounce of energy from me by the time they're tucked in. But I could read. I could blog. The worst part is how staying up late leads to the temptation to nap away precious hours the following afternoon. It must stop! Is there a 12-step program to wean yourself off TV-binging?

Okay, time to get fired up! Time to take charge! Time to . . . put off everything because of aforementioned trip. (Slumps over desk in defeat.)

How is your summer shaping up? Ready to tackle a big project, like saving the pla--okay, that's got to stop--or take time off?

____________

And now for Michael G. D'Agostino's Question of the Month:

If your house caught on fire, what's the one thing you'd grab before running out?

Assuming my kids and cats were safe, the thing I would grab would most likely be my laptop. Considering that most of my writing is backed-up, I'm not sure why this is the object I'd pick, but there you go. Maybe I should grab one of my paintings instead. Or wait, I should take pictures of my paintings, but nah. It's not the same.

This is a monthly blog hop, so please join us!

(There will be a delay until I can fully participate in the June's Question of the Month and IWSG, obviously. But next month, I'm going to save the planet be a  IWSG cohost.)

29 comments:

  1. (That's why I schedule all my blog posts in advance. So I don't have to worry about getting things posted on the day.)

    Ah yes, lack of focus. I know it well. I think you have to forgive yourself for it when it happens and just enjoy it. Because when you beat yourself up about it, it makes it that much harder to focus the next time you want to try.

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  2. It's hard to stay on the focus wagon. And doesn't it suck to find a typo after publication. It happens to most of us. I feel your pain.

    Enjoy your trip.

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  3. I am trying to get back into writing. It's taking longer than I expected.

    Writers always have to save their work/laptop even if it's backed up. It's habit. If something happened to any of it, we'd freak. I'd save mine as well, after making sure my kitties were safe.

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  4. I feel you on the distraction pains. (and the kiddo energy drain) I seriously find the dumbest things ever to distract myself. If it's not Netflix (binge watching three series) it's Animal Crossing on my DS. Or just a straight up nap. It's weird, because some months are better for me than others.
    I think I'd let my laptop burn. I need a new one anyway. So long as I grab my flash drive, I'm good!

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  5. Don't worry too much. I did worse than you in May.

    I don't have much of anything on my laptop. I rarely use it other than when I travel.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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  6. As distracted as you were, you still did quite a lot. I don't think we writers ever feel like we're doing enough writing. But at least you know that you won't let a potential fire get in the way of your progress. I'd want to grab my laptop as well.

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  7. I'm strating to think Netflix is bent on world-domination - I hear so many people talk about how it's taking over their lives :P

    Maybe it's because your emotions are attatched to the laptop, not just the files. You've tailored your laptop to suit you, with all the programs you need, background and screensaver that you like etc. It would be a shame to have to get a new one and start again.

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  8. Laptops are important. Good choice.

    Hi! My name is Janie, and I'm addicted to Netflix.

    Love,
    Janie

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  9. I do all this by little steps. And by taking weekends off to binge-watch-or-read whatever I want.

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  10. Good luck on sorting through all that and carving out writing time. It isn't easy. Sounds like you were productive in May, though. I admire you for reading fellow blogger's books. I picked up a couple myself. And, writing reviews is a great way to support them.
    I'm also participating in the Question of the Month.
    Play off the Page

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  11. Focus? Huh? What's that? Oh look, a birdie!

    Sorry. Losing focus ;) Yes, it happens to me all the time. All. The. Time. I wish I had some advice, but the best I can say is to go after one task and just finish it. It'll feel good. Have a great trip!

    Oh also, your blogger profile is weirdly blank. Not sure why, but wanted to let you know!

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  12. I'm terrible at staying focused on just one project. Hey, just got an idea for that story I was working on. Hang on, there's this blog post I need to edit. Ooh, that's a great new flash fiction premise! And so on.

    In a fire, I'd probably save my computer (is it cheating if the flash drive is still attached to it?), mostly so I wouldn't lose all my bookmarks and music.

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  13. Ha ha! I'm laughing now! You have a way with funny words girl. Summer is always a hard time to write for me, and I don't even have kids at home anymore. However, they are both overtaking my summer by getting married! So I can relate. I have big plans to write, so I'm just going to do the best that I can and try to be happy with that!

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  14. you totally cracked me up - and i needed that just now
    thanks!
    now lets go save the planet!

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  15. Oh yeah, definitely be the laptop.

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  16. Hi Tamara,
    Thanks for stopping by.
    Love the virtual cat:)

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  17. Hope you find the time you need. I used to keep a jump drive with the stuff from my computer,pictures and my family genealogy files, so I would say that's what I would grab...but, I'm in need of finding and updating it.

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  18. Popping in again to say hi, hope all is well. Sing out whenever you come back so we can re-connect.

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  19. I hope your writing is going well. There's not much worse than knowing you need to draft a book but being unable to get to it.

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