The Disturbed Miss. Woods

I found myself having a conversation, with a friend from work, about a fictional story her daughter wrote for school. Of course my weakness for reading all things readable had me asking to see her paper.

Let me just say…
Miss. Woods, I can see why your teacher was perturbed and wanted to send you to the counselor.

However, it was excellent for a piece that dialogue was not allowed, descriptive, disturbing, and roughly realistic. Ever think about being a writer?
I hadn’t at her age, but I never let anyone even know that I took pleasure in writing, let alone see what I had written.

Goals

I set a goal for myself on this WIP, and so far I am ahead of my own game. A quick writer would not describe me in any form. But this currant WIP, I have averaged 1500 words a day and given that I have a limited amount of time to sit down and concentrate, that is an excellent number for me. Being as I still have a long way to go, here is hoping my goal is achieved through out till the end.

I think I have become entirely too wrapped up in this character in the short time since I have created her. There have been moments where I cried for her and had to call a friend to make fun of myself. The character's life is sad, hard, unhappy with very little to give her hope to get through each day. What does that say about me since I am the one who made her who she is. Maybe I am that good! Or that crazy!
I submitted my first chapter to my BPL group last week and I received satisfying reviews, so it gives me hope at least.
That is it for now, hopefully I will have better posts when my mind slags for a bit.

Courage

I have a BPL meeting tomorrow afternoon and the work I submitted has me nervous.

You hear that some of the best writings are from a writers personal experience of a situation.
I took a personal experience from my past and knitted it into a story outline. I am not very far into it, only 6000 words, but I have only just begun writing four days ago. It is the best work I have done so far and I only hope I have the courage to finish this one. Though I am not feeling very courageous. In fact this one has been straining emotionally. Just last night writing a scene I found myself weeping for my main character, Mady. How scary is that? She is only make believe. Right?

I have started ten different projects in the past 2 years and have yet to complete any of them. In fact, even this one has been attempted two times prior.

They say third times a charm... Maybe this is my charm.

Accomplishments

Today I started a new WIP, putting my supernatural WIP on hold for right now. I need a step back from it. I need to come at it with a fresh point of view.
Last night before bed an idea came to me and played out in my head until I drifted off to sleep.
This morning I wrote down as much as I could and doing the same during breaks today at work. When I got home I wrote frantically before going to the gym, even writing during dinner one handed. How sad...
After I put the kids to bed, I was right back on my laptop typing away.
My goal was to write 2500 words today, to finish the first chapter and stop it from playing over and over in my head like a repetitive movie reel.

I am excited to say, I accomplished my goal. I finished up with 2522 words to count and the first chapter completed and ready for critique.

Emerson

I love bookmarks...
I came across a book mark today that caught my attention.

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” - Emerson

Tonight I looked up this quote to learn more about this Emerson.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
He was a very insightful man. Look him, see what he had to say.

Critiquing

I am a member of a small critique group, I refer to them as the BPL group. We meet on average twice a month and I look forward to these meetings with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
Will they enjoy what I have written? Or will they hate it?
Each meeting ends with a sigh of relief when I leave with positive feedback, not once have they said my work has stunk, even when myself thinks that I could have done better.

But there are two sides to being a member of a critique group...

Not only do I have MY work read by others-- but I have to read others work as well. I do not enjoy this by any means. Don't get me wrong, I like the reading part, seeing what others have imagined, others who want to be published like me, and others who have been published as well.
No. I hate the critiquing part.I despise having to go into that meeting and face to face tell that person what mistakes I have found with what I have read.

I am a confident person, cocky even at times. But some how when it comes to these moments, I become a stuttering, naive, daft little girl.
One day I will walk in there being myself.
Outspoken and courageous.

Dr. Suess and His Wisdom

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes, I can get lost for hours in a good book. A good book has me disappointed that I have reached the end. I will read just about anything as long as it isn't too sad. But there have been those rare moments that I find myself reading the same first two pages over and over, and it just doesn't hold my interest. BUT then I feel horrible guilty because the Author put time and effort into making their dream come true and here I can't even get through the first chapter... I know, I am probably nuts for these moments.
Oh well.

My favorite thing to come across are those books that hold my attention and then finding out that the Author is from Texas. Just the other day I came across a link for a YA called The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley and she is from right here close by. I think I am going to pick it up this weekend, it sounds like a good book.

Speaking of Authors,

Yesterday was the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss. At my my sons school they were told to bring in their own Seuss books this week. We dug out one that I bought him when he was less than a year old, Oh The Places You'll Go! This book has been hidden away on the bookshelf for years. I have always HATED this book from the one and only time I have ever read it to him. Oh how I remember the fit I threw to my husband over this being a children's book, 7 years ago...

Boy was I stupid.
We read the book together tonight, and this is a book that we should ALL have a copy of. Keep it by our nightstand even and read it once a week, some of us nightly.

Yes, the message is a bit advanced for a baby, even tonight there were a lot of explanations as to why, or what a passage meant. But overall, we should all keep in mind that life isn't easy, but you can do anything, be anything and we must always remember to enjoy the ride no matter how many times we fall down, get lost or enter scary places. In the end, you have to make your dreams come true. We are responsible as to what kind of journey we took in this one life we have been given.

Oh The Places We Can Go!!!!

Strengthening the Brain

It has been a while. Sometimes life is hectic, and I do not see it slowing down anytime during the month of March. This is alright with me, I enjoy a busy life. It leaves less time for the mind to go sour!

I do wish for additional time to write further some days. Though I am not sure if this week's lack of words on paper is more of being too busy or tired, or of me being intimidated by my own thoughts. I seem to struggle more with key points in my book that I know need to be in my WIP. This is what slows me down, these moments I almost call it quits, forget writing, it is just too hard for me. But I enjoy this, I feel invigorated when the words are no longer visual scenes floating around in my head.
For years I thought I was crazy. I'd drive, daydream, shower and have these strangers act out parts in my head. I wish I had thought to put it all on paper sooner. There are days that I feel like I have wasted a big chunk of my life because I never thought to pursue my imagination. So no I can't quit just because it becomes difficult.

As the saying goes, What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.