Recap of February:
--Finish this rewrite of MMG (400/400 pages)
--Clean up enough of Vesta from NaNo to submit this month (DONE)
--Do CWC critique (1/1)
--UGWP critiques (3/3)
Not bad at all, after the change to "this" rewrite of MMG. Yes, it was a lot of work accomplished. And, yes, it was still disappointing to not be done with the damn thing. But that's the way this game goes. Without further ado (or whinging) here is the plan for March:
--Do rewrite of MMG with new-old structure
--Do CWC critiques (0/2)
I know UGWP critiques are not on the list. I hope to be able to do them, but I won't beat myself up if I don't get them done. I kind of knew the return to Sunday group could turn out to be temporary. If I can keep up great. If I can't, it's time to finally call it quits. Love the people, that doesn't make more time in my month.
Monday, March 2, 2009
What Happened?
Thank you for all the suggestions on great well fillers. I'll definitely put them to use on another day.
My well refilling weekend went a little like this:
--Appointment with wonder hairdresser and first reader, Carrie.
--Spice of Life in Manitou Springs for a breakfast bagel and a latte. Did some morning pages (not, officially, writing) while listening in on a table full of photographers who did not appear to know each other well.
--Wander through Manitou, surprised by how many shops have changed to an opening time of noon from ten a.m. Went into a bead/jewelry shop that advertised everything 50% off of their already wholesale prices. Must really be catering to tourists brand new in town. Prices were off the charts.
--Stopping in Old Colorado City to go specifically to Holly Berry Needlework shop and Mystery Sleuth. Bookstore is now a noon opener. Picked up a cute knitting book and a little knotwork kit. Yarn for pattern I particularly like in the book was $9.00 a skein. The pattern took 15 skeins. Will shop elsewhere for yarn.
--Went home and watched a few of the shows I taped last week. Burn Notice just keeps getting better.
--Did a lot of piecing on a quilt top that was started a while back and then abandoned for whatever reason. Lots of little pieces probably had a lot to do with it. One more good session should get the top together. Then on to the funnest part--quilting.
--Started knitting a hat. Interesting pattern. I'll let you know how it turns out.
That was about it for Saturday. Watched a few more videos in the evening.
Sunday turned into a finish laundry, knit and watch Lord Of The Rings on TV. Worked fine for me.
Time to set goals for March and then get to 'em.
My well refilling weekend went a little like this:
--Appointment with wonder hairdresser and first reader, Carrie.
--Spice of Life in Manitou Springs for a breakfast bagel and a latte. Did some morning pages (not, officially, writing) while listening in on a table full of photographers who did not appear to know each other well.
--Wander through Manitou, surprised by how many shops have changed to an opening time of noon from ten a.m. Went into a bead/jewelry shop that advertised everything 50% off of their already wholesale prices. Must really be catering to tourists brand new in town. Prices were off the charts.
--Stopping in Old Colorado City to go specifically to Holly Berry Needlework shop and Mystery Sleuth. Bookstore is now a noon opener. Picked up a cute knitting book and a little knotwork kit. Yarn for pattern I particularly like in the book was $9.00 a skein. The pattern took 15 skeins. Will shop elsewhere for yarn.
--Went home and watched a few of the shows I taped last week. Burn Notice just keeps getting better.
--Did a lot of piecing on a quilt top that was started a while back and then abandoned for whatever reason. Lots of little pieces probably had a lot to do with it. One more good session should get the top together. Then on to the funnest part--quilting.
--Started knitting a hat. Interesting pattern. I'll let you know how it turns out.
That was about it for Saturday. Watched a few more videos in the evening.
Sunday turned into a finish laundry, knit and watch Lord Of The Rings on TV. Worked fine for me.
Time to set goals for March and then get to 'em.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Well Filling
It's that time again. Time to top off the well. It's not empty--far from it, in fact, but I find it sometimes helps to take a break and pour a little more in before it goes dry. This weekend is reserved for that.
I've hit a point on the MMG revisions which is good, but potentially labor-intensive. My first inclination is to dive right in with no break between the last go-round and the next. But I have finally learned that that way lies madness. I have a good head of steam because of the new ideas. Is it enough to get me through all the messiness in the middle (or the "muddle" as Giles Carwyn calls it)? Don't think so. Hence, the fill up. [Even though that brat Jenny is done and ready to submit and my three competitive cells are all fired up about that, too.]
What is the plan? That's the beauty. There is no plan. I believe there will be music--because there's always music in some form. Perhaps quilting, which I haven't done in a coon's age (just how long is that, I wonder). Baking may be in order. Hiking always works nicely. Some fun with polymer clay? Cleaning out the blue room. Doesn't sound like well-filling, but more room and less clutter certainly help things along.
Of course, by telling myself I can't write at all this weekend, I have made myself ache to put pen to paper. But I shall be a stern well-filler.
So what tells you it's time to take a break? And what constitutes one?
I've hit a point on the MMG revisions which is good, but potentially labor-intensive. My first inclination is to dive right in with no break between the last go-round and the next. But I have finally learned that that way lies madness. I have a good head of steam because of the new ideas. Is it enough to get me through all the messiness in the middle (or the "muddle" as Giles Carwyn calls it)? Don't think so. Hence, the fill up. [Even though that brat Jenny is done and ready to submit and my three competitive cells are all fired up about that, too.]
What is the plan? That's the beauty. There is no plan. I believe there will be music--because there's always music in some form. Perhaps quilting, which I haven't done in a coon's age (just how long is that, I wonder). Baking may be in order. Hiking always works nicely. Some fun with polymer clay? Cleaning out the blue room. Doesn't sound like well-filling, but more room and less clutter certainly help things along.
Of course, by telling myself I can't write at all this weekend, I have made myself ache to put pen to paper. But I shall be a stern well-filler.
So what tells you it's time to take a break? And what constitutes one?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Impressive
Last night was our CWC meeting. Fleur was "up the creek" for a full YA novel. Even though we all enjoyed it and LOVED the protagonist, there were suggestions all the way around. As there always are. That's what the group was created for--to make us all better.
What impressed me was not just how well the story already worked or the amazing ideas that flew around the table on how to make it even better. The really impressive thing was Fleur's reaction to all this input. "This is great!" she said with a huge smile. Either she needs to try out for Theatreworks or she really meant it. I think she was genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to revise using (or not) the ideas we gave her.
And that's a good writer, my friends. I'm trying to get there. I realize that rewrites are necessary. I'm getting better at them. And at taking criticism. But I can't say that I ever feel so freakin' joyful after a critique session. Especially right after. Maybe a few days later when things start to sink in and balance out a little it doesn't sting quite so much. And that doesn't mean I want the others to take it any easier on me during critiques. That won't help me.
Hanging out with other writers is always a learning experience. I learn from their work, from their critiques of my work and of other people's (published and aspiring). And I realized last night that I have learned and am still learning from their reactions to feedback.
This IS great!
What impressed me was not just how well the story already worked or the amazing ideas that flew around the table on how to make it even better. The really impressive thing was Fleur's reaction to all this input. "This is great!" she said with a huge smile. Either she needs to try out for Theatreworks or she really meant it. I think she was genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to revise using (or not) the ideas we gave her.
And that's a good writer, my friends. I'm trying to get there. I realize that rewrites are necessary. I'm getting better at them. And at taking criticism. But I can't say that I ever feel so freakin' joyful after a critique session. Especially right after. Maybe a few days later when things start to sink in and balance out a little it doesn't sting quite so much. And that doesn't mean I want the others to take it any easier on me during critiques. That won't help me.
Hanging out with other writers is always a learning experience. I learn from their work, from their critiques of my work and of other people's (published and aspiring). And I realized last night that I have learned and am still learning from their reactions to feedback.
This IS great!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ha!
I just finished cleaning up my CWC submission for February AND the one for April! I am officially ahead for once
How groovy am I? Pretty damn groovy, I'm thinking.
aaaah.
How groovy am I? Pretty damn groovy, I'm thinking.
aaaah.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
And Now For The Rest Of The Story
My post of yesterday was an attempt at humor in the face of a crushing realization. Like Jenny, I realized that my rewrite wasn't quite where I wanted it to be. As I told her, if she was depressed over not finishing in a week, I should be on the point of suicide. How long has this been going on? [And to make matters worse, that damn song is now stuck in my head.]
Anyway, yesterday afternoon was a bit of a rough one, until I hit the fuck it moment. Not as in throw in the towel and take up botany, but as in it's taken this long so why not take a little longer and really get it right. Once that sank in, lots of great ideas for improvement of said tome flooded in. Not sure I even got them all down, they were coming so fast. And ideas for other works in progress, henceforth referred to as WIP.
This shouldn't take months to fix. Weeks, maybe. Today is take a breather, make more plans for what to do and clean up Vesta for CWC next week. Then back at it tomorrow for the last 40 pages of MMG just like nothing happened. Saturday will start the new rewrites. So we're still looking at March for sending queries. Not bad.
Note to self: Don't ever title anything The Last Rewrite.
Anyway, yesterday afternoon was a bit of a rough one, until I hit the fuck it moment. Not as in throw in the towel and take up botany, but as in it's taken this long so why not take a little longer and really get it right. Once that sank in, lots of great ideas for improvement of said tome flooded in. Not sure I even got them all down, they were coming so fast. And ideas for other works in progress, henceforth referred to as WIP.
This shouldn't take months to fix. Weeks, maybe. Today is take a breather, make more plans for what to do and clean up Vesta for CWC next week. Then back at it tomorrow for the last 40 pages of MMG just like nothing happened. Saturday will start the new rewrites. So we're still looking at March for sending queries. Not bad.
Note to self: Don't ever title anything The Last Rewrite.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)