May 6, 2012

Frenzy and the Muse: ROW80 and #writemotivation Updates

They are called challenges for a reason. I find I've challenged myself into quite the frenzied state. Add blogging daily to my two writing challenges (see updates on those below) and mix... a guaranteed recipe for frenzy. Oh, and let's not forget I'm writing a follow up to Depression Cookies and working on my first YA novel.

So what happened last night?

A dream.

Not just any dream, but a dream inspiring a new story. Normally I have very vivid dreams, but this one was shadowy. I woke up and remembered little, except this: She was only eighteen, but she was the new queen and desperate to find her king. The fate of her world and Earth depended on it.

Are you kidding me?

I can barely find time to write the two I'm working on, much less start obsessing over a new one.

But, thus is my muse-driven life.

So, with all this energy and determination (and commitment) to write, how did I do this last week. Well...

A Round of Words in 80 Days

Writing: My goal is to write 500 words a day minimum, my test mile. Since Wednesday, I've written 0 words toward my WIP. I've done some outlining and mental planning, but zero words. UGH! Yet, I've written a total of 1,195 words for blog posts.

I'm starting to believe the muse only gives me so many words a day, and the blog posts are sucking them away. I need to dedicate my #teamsprinty #ROW80 wordsprints to my WIPs only. (I did one on Friday, but needed to finish an editing project).

Editing: Speaking of editing, I finished another project and ready to start on more. I'm hoping to really kick it into high gear in May, so I can ease back in June.

Blogging: Daily, thanks to Blogathon and BlogHer's NaBloPoMo. My favorite this week: Five Reasons I Try Things that Terrify Me. Now I just need to keep taking my own advice and write these novels. Yes, I'm terrified of failure, but you can't win if you don't begin!

Social Media: This is where the challenges overwhelm me. I want to get around to as many blogs as possible, but with it's near to impossible. I loved A to Z and couldn't visit nearly as many as I wished. It's frustrating. I end up visiting people who visit me first and then trying to visit more.

Reading: I read a great, but demanding, book recently. Although I enjoyed it, it took way too much out of me mentally. I need a light read, and quick! This book, which I will review this week on Mom in Love with Fiction, jumped all over time and included lots of science and technology details.

Exercise: Today is No Diet Day, but I shall not let that deter me. ;-) Still running and trying to avoid sugar.

Write Motivation

1. Write a minimum of five days a week for a total of 2,500 words on my works in progress.
Well, darn it. I wrote five days, but only 500 words of it was for my WIP. Must. Do. Better.

2. Get current novel, Depression Cookies, up on Smashwords by month's end.
Still working on this goal, and I should meet it early. Dare I say.

3. Read a book every 10 days, plus at least one craft book in the month of May.
On goal, but need to start a craft book soon.

*****

I will survive May, and I am determined to learn from it. One thing I've already figured out... June and July are novel-writing months. My blog will be relegated to 3-4 times a week postings if it kills me. I need to devote my writing muse to my novels.

How's everyone else doing this month?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm not doing so well on my writemotivation goals on my WIP either. A total of 2000 words instead of the 4000 I want to do--the two blogs are going quite swimmingly though. Like you, I think I need my Muse to focus on the WIP :)--though my Muse seems rather taciturn at the moment.

With your Muse in full form, you'll soon get those WIP goals done, trust me!

Kate said...

My current series started from a dream. And several of my short stories have been inspired by dreams. It's hard not to follow every rabbit trail that comes your way. So my technique is to write down the dream/story idea and refuse to let myself make it into a story until the current project is done. Man was it hard to do that with Compis, because my brain wanted to write it SO badly. But I finished Six Keys and I was so glad I did. Sometimes finishing something, even if it's not your best work, is the better thing to do. Good luck with your warring muses! :)

Anonymous said...

You are frenzy-motivated! I applaud your accomplishments and grew tired just reading your scheduled goals. May you read them all and then some! Thanks for posting.

Tia Bach said...

Damyanti, Thanks for the vote of confidence. I hope my muse was listening. ;-)

Kate, Great advice. I wrote a bunch of notes in a notebook last night and hope the interest will remain until I can tackle the story. I don't want to lose steam on the two I've already started (and I've had a difficult enough time trying to balance two).

Bellesapepper37, Sometimes I think I'm frenzy-motivated, until the frenzy pushes my head under water. So far, though, I am managing to stay afloat. Check back in on June 1. :-)

I so appreciate comments and support. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

A book every ten days? Wow! I'm impressed.

Rebekah Loper said...

oooh, that sounds like a really cool new plot! I can't wait to see what you do with it. Good luck with #writemotivation, you're further ahead than I am :)

Tia Bach said...

Liz, I truly love to read. It's a de-stressor for me, and I also believe it makes a huge difference in my creative output.

Rebekah, Thanks. I'm thinking I'll start a short story with it and see if the character want more. ;-)