In the zone, so far in the zone I have zoned out. My writing rhythm feels solid as March flips into April, which is good news for my personal writer’s challenge but bad news for my already over-burdened mind. I struggle with reality, the small tasks that get me from here to there. Things like going to work-work. You know, that full time position that buys dog food, gas for the scary Toyota and broccoli, I cannot let a day go by without broccoli.
Then there are the dreams, some so vivid I feel I can retell the experiences. Why would I be on an Air Lingus flight in an airplane made of concrete with no windows and pilots seated at a banquet table facing the passengers while the passengers, including me, sit on stadium benches. Weird, I need dream analysis pronto.
Three months down of my six to novel completion, this writer’s challenge seems like the cement airplane in my dream, how the you-know-what is that puppy going to get off the ground.
You got to have faith!
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Blog Fiction
Sunday-early evening-I am sitting in Grand Central Station food court, lower level, waiting to catch a train back to Connecticut. The seating area is comfortable, large, plastic high back chairs that resemble fine leather, library favorites. These are all set in a circle facing outward, perfect for people watching.
I am writing this on the week-in-review section of the New York Times. My sentences are scrawled across a photo with lots of background; a writer’s perogative to use what is handy. As I sit and contemplate the diversity of those coming and going, I am struck by the differences, none is the same but each has two things in common, a story and a cell phone. Electronic devices cupped in a hand, held to an ear, dangling off fingertips or blue tooth, from the well-dressed couple headed back to Fairfield County to the homeless man in a wheelchair parked next to a post with an outlet, his cell phone plugged in and charging.
New York could be a fictional planet not a real place, and its inhabitants aliens not ordinary citizens. I am a writer, a space walker in this city looking for creative fodder, a lineup of fictitious characters, from whom the germ of an idea can be planted, nourished and written.
Day 15, third month of the Writer’s Challenge-the writing is steady but slower than anticipated. I have gone overboard with my research discovering minute facts that may go unnoticed to the reader; however, the best news is my new title rocks.
Blog what your see, feel and think.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
I am writing this on the week-in-review section of the New York Times. My sentences are scrawled across a photo with lots of background; a writer’s perogative to use what is handy. As I sit and contemplate the diversity of those coming and going, I am struck by the differences, none is the same but each has two things in common, a story and a cell phone. Electronic devices cupped in a hand, held to an ear, dangling off fingertips or blue tooth, from the well-dressed couple headed back to Fairfield County to the homeless man in a wheelchair parked next to a post with an outlet, his cell phone plugged in and charging.
New York could be a fictional planet not a real place, and its inhabitants aliens not ordinary citizens. I am a writer, a space walker in this city looking for creative fodder, a lineup of fictitious characters, from whom the germ of an idea can be planted, nourished and written.
Day 15, third month of the Writer’s Challenge-the writing is steady but slower than anticipated. I have gone overboard with my research discovering minute facts that may go unnoticed to the reader; however, the best news is my new title rocks.
Blog what your see, feel and think.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Blog For Writer's Gold
The Olympics have been contagious, infectious, feverish and glorius. I have spent the past seventeen days juggling work, writing, sleeping and the quest for the gold. Struck by tragedy before the opening ceremonies, I rode the wave of emotions of all viewers, the highs and the lows, more tragedy and more gold and then the almost gold by Team USA.
Inspired by the sheer determination of the participants I hurl myself into my go-for-gold challenge of writing my third novel. Plowing through the calendar towards completion by June thirtieth, I must admit I have fallen very short of words as February rolls into March.
Sleep deprived I nodded off at the keyboard once too many times this month and “lost” days of writing to cyberspace. I started backward, rereading, editing and researching again. I stumbled across a book written in the mid-nineties that has no similarity to mine except for the title. Changes. February was all about changes.
New title still a mystery I am, nevertheless, moving at a faster pace perhaps the bobsled competition has had its effect on me. I know that I am not alone on this writer’s slide to the finish line, sitting behind me are my characters, their voices loud inside my head, and they will guide me to “The End”.
My writer’s thought: Fictional characters have their own voices; sometimes they ride in your car, go food shopping and sit on your desk. Word of advice-keep them out of your bed…they snore.
Have the best day everyday.
Blog what you think, hear, and feel.
Linda
Inspired by the sheer determination of the participants I hurl myself into my go-for-gold challenge of writing my third novel. Plowing through the calendar towards completion by June thirtieth, I must admit I have fallen very short of words as February rolls into March.
Sleep deprived I nodded off at the keyboard once too many times this month and “lost” days of writing to cyberspace. I started backward, rereading, editing and researching again. I stumbled across a book written in the mid-nineties that has no similarity to mine except for the title. Changes. February was all about changes.
New title still a mystery I am, nevertheless, moving at a faster pace perhaps the bobsled competition has had its effect on me. I know that I am not alone on this writer’s slide to the finish line, sitting behind me are my characters, their voices loud inside my head, and they will guide me to “The End”.
My writer’s thought: Fictional characters have their own voices; sometimes they ride in your car, go food shopping and sit on your desk. Word of advice-keep them out of your bed…they snore.
Have the best day everyday.
Blog what you think, hear, and feel.
Linda
Friday, February 19, 2010
Blog Rewrite
I caught my self the other day, mid-sentence small talk, excused myself and stepped away like some obnoxious cell phone user. I dug into my bag for a pen and then for something to write on. My multi-tasking brain, that was feigning interest in a dull conversation, had just pumped out an amazing string of sentences that I had to instantly write down or forever forget. Forgive my pea brain.
My writer’s challenge is past the half way point of February’s goal. The numbers are thin; I am cursed by the compulsion to edit repeatedly. My last lengthy effort restructured the entire length of chapters, shorter, much shorter. I promise myself that I cannot be hung up in the count, except for the other night when all I could get through were two measly paragraphs. Reword-rehash-rewrite, and woe to my obsession or should I say, whoa?
My inspirational writer’s thought: Oh Gawd…I am writing on napkins again.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
My writer’s challenge is past the half way point of February’s goal. The numbers are thin; I am cursed by the compulsion to edit repeatedly. My last lengthy effort restructured the entire length of chapters, shorter, much shorter. I promise myself that I cannot be hung up in the count, except for the other night when all I could get through were two measly paragraphs. Reword-rehash-rewrite, and woe to my obsession or should I say, whoa?
My inspirational writer’s thought: Oh Gawd…I am writing on napkins again.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Friday, February 12, 2010
Blog Distractions
I am a few miles from Boston in my childhood bedroom. Not much has changed; headlights still penetrate the shades, turning the night into morning again and again. No, this is not the first line of a memoir, although it has great potential. This is real life, present day, full of its responsibilities.
I am writing here, been up since before 5 a.m., laptop perched on my knees and dog curled at my feet. The thief in me steals cyber space from two unsuspecting guys named William and Andrew. Thanks boys.
My writing deadline followed me to Boston, but does not sleep, has no internal alarm clock, just simply does not snooze. Nope, it paces, my deadline, paces the room, this room, every room, any room that I happen to be in with its foot tapping.
“I know,” I say, “I know…just chill.”
My inspirational thought for today: Distractions come quicker than words.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
I am writing here, been up since before 5 a.m., laptop perched on my knees and dog curled at my feet. The thief in me steals cyber space from two unsuspecting guys named William and Andrew. Thanks boys.
My writing deadline followed me to Boston, but does not sleep, has no internal alarm clock, just simply does not snooze. Nope, it paces, my deadline, paces the room, this room, every room, any room that I happen to be in with its foot tapping.
“I know,” I say, “I know…just chill.”
My inspirational thought for today: Distractions come quicker than words.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Monday, February 8, 2010
Longhand Blog
I am just coming off a longhand weekend, a string of days when writing means paper and pen. A good portion of my world is composed of family time, a welcome and necessary part of my life that forces me into my car, onto a train or maybe a plane. Juggling the life I have with a writer’s life sometimes demands a legal pad and a ballpoint. I welcome these opportunities to write longhand because each time I do I am able to tap into the old me, the one who wrote anywhere, anytime.
The results of this past weekend reflect writing without boundaries. There are notes and sentences in the margins, and arrows denoting add and delete, along with pages of my story is simply the story, the meat, and the content; more paragraphs expanded and lists made. Longhand is a good exercise in creativity; it keeps the writer in me honest.
My inspirational thought of the day: Take all that I have, but not my pen or paper.
Blog what you think, hear and feel.
Have the best day every day…Linda
The results of this past weekend reflect writing without boundaries. There are notes and sentences in the margins, and arrows denoting add and delete, along with pages of my story is simply the story, the meat, and the content; more paragraphs expanded and lists made. Longhand is a good exercise in creativity; it keeps the writer in me honest.
My inspirational thought of the day: Take all that I have, but not my pen or paper.
Blog what you think, hear and feel.
Have the best day every day…Linda
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Blog Writer's Challenge
Month number two: February Report: Seven hundred words short of January goal.
Writing my third book in ten years does not exactly make me prolific, persistent, maybe, but not prolific. The third manuscript should be a piece-of-cake as the old cliché goes, but no, cake it ain’t. For one thing, the discipline needed chafes my inner free spirit; a five a.m. start is the key but not always achievable. When I am in a rhythm, it clicks, rise at five, dog, yoga, write, work, home, dog, dinner, write, and sleep. Throw in, or throw out, the following: fending off life’s surprises, also life’s responsibilities and oh yes, having a life.
The truth is I am committed to this writer’s challenge. There is no stopping the writing machine; I am out of the gate, tweets and blogs all about words and numbers, 500 a day, 12,000 a month by June 30, 2010, no rest until “The End”.
Inspirational thought: Nothing to do but write, write as if my life depended on it.
Blog what you think, see, hear and feel.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Writing my third book in ten years does not exactly make me prolific, persistent, maybe, but not prolific. The third manuscript should be a piece-of-cake as the old cliché goes, but no, cake it ain’t. For one thing, the discipline needed chafes my inner free spirit; a five a.m. start is the key but not always achievable. When I am in a rhythm, it clicks, rise at five, dog, yoga, write, work, home, dog, dinner, write, and sleep. Throw in, or throw out, the following: fending off life’s surprises, also life’s responsibilities and oh yes, having a life.
The truth is I am committed to this writer’s challenge. There is no stopping the writing machine; I am out of the gate, tweets and blogs all about words and numbers, 500 a day, 12,000 a month by June 30, 2010, no rest until “The End”.
Inspirational thought: Nothing to do but write, write as if my life depended on it.
Blog what you think, see, hear and feel.
Have the best day everyday.
Linda
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Return to Blog
I fell off the planet about four months ago, I stopped blogging, and more to the point, I stopped writing. Why? I told myself that I needed to step back, but I took too many steps and found myself hanging off a writer’s cliff. I dangled there, out over a wordless limbo, thinking. Months of contemplation have led me to this resolution: Finish manuscript number three by the end of June 2010.
My return to blogging begins one month into this New Year’s resolution. I must write 10,000-12,000 words a month to meet my goal. At this writing, I have four days to write about fifteen hundred more words for January’s numbers. Can I succeed?
I can because of the random people who cross my path daily, the ones who stop and ask if I am writing, this inspires me. The folk who tell me they loved my last books and are waiting for the next, motivate me. Inspiration continues because my family understands and the man I love tells his friends that Linda is busy writing.
Stuff happens. My publisher closed its doors and my agent graciously accepted the returned rights and now tries to shop a used title in a drowning economy. However, none of this matters because life will have its way with me; change is always around the corner, for good or not so good. What I have learned from my writing hiatus is that to be a writer I must write.
Come follow my blogs over the next several months as I journal my frustrations of how life-gets-in-the-way, of how getting up at five is my success tool, and about the numbers, achieving the numbers at the end of each month. Writers relish their privacy; none more than me, but this is my blog-to-blogger challenge.
Inspirational musing of the day: Stop writing…never.
Blog what you think feel, see and hear.
Have the best day every day…Linda
My return to blogging begins one month into this New Year’s resolution. I must write 10,000-12,000 words a month to meet my goal. At this writing, I have four days to write about fifteen hundred more words for January’s numbers. Can I succeed?
I can because of the random people who cross my path daily, the ones who stop and ask if I am writing, this inspires me. The folk who tell me they loved my last books and are waiting for the next, motivate me. Inspiration continues because my family understands and the man I love tells his friends that Linda is busy writing.
Stuff happens. My publisher closed its doors and my agent graciously accepted the returned rights and now tries to shop a used title in a drowning economy. However, none of this matters because life will have its way with me; change is always around the corner, for good or not so good. What I have learned from my writing hiatus is that to be a writer I must write.
Come follow my blogs over the next several months as I journal my frustrations of how life-gets-in-the-way, of how getting up at five is my success tool, and about the numbers, achieving the numbers at the end of each month. Writers relish their privacy; none more than me, but this is my blog-to-blogger challenge.
Inspirational musing of the day: Stop writing…never.
Blog what you think feel, see and hear.
Have the best day every day…Linda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)