April 12, 2012

It's Wednesday, Right? My ROW80 Update

If you are stopping over from the A to Z Challenge, please click here to see my Kick it or Kiss it = K post. You don't want to miss it.

I want you all to sit down, close your eyes, take a deep breath. Do you feel centered, lighter? Now, say it with me, "It is Wednesday. I did not miss the ROW80 check in."


Now, are we all on the same page?

My kids were off school Monday. So Tuesday was Monday, Wednesday was Tuesday, and today is... you guessed it, Wednesday!

The simplest things can throw me off, so I appreciate my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) friends going along with me on this.

Speaking of the simplest things, I have a character that does NOT like her name. I've tried several out, and she's not having it. I'm finding it very distracting. I've never had this happen before. For several pages, she was one name. She didn't like it, so I changed it (it helped that she put a new name in my head which I suddenly started using--I had to go back and change it throughout). Then the stinker did it to me again. I'm getting sick of Find and Replace.

I don't want to continue to stop and rename her, but I'm afraid if I don't, I'll have an editing nightmare on my hands later. I once read a book where the character was Molly for half the book and Mollie for the other half. So distracting!

Any suggestions for this character? Should I just put XXXX and see what she wants at the end?!?

My ROW80 Update

My original Round 2 goals can be found here.

Writing: Thanks to my new girlfriend and her inability to embrace a name, I've been at a standstill with a pitiful 158 words since Sunday. 158. Really? I can write more than that in a note to one of my kids!

Editing: I have a 62,000 word editing project due Monday. I'm halfway and making great progress. This is a third edit, so it's moving along. I just don't want to miss anything, as my client is ready to go to print. My other editing project is at the printer, and I can't wait to see the galley copy!

Blogging: I'm loving the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Please check out some great participants here. I'm particularly proud of my Isn't It Ironic? and Kick It or Kiss It posts this week.

Social Media: Slowly catching up, but I was awful the last couple of days. I hope my A to Z and ROW80 friends will forgive me. I'm going to make it up to you!

Reading: I'm reading faster than I can review. I am one of those people who needs to review a book within one to two days of reading it, or I start to lose details. I still need to review Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott) and Ape House (Sara Gruen). Hope to get to those today, before I forget what I'd like to say.

Exercise: Ran 5 miles today (with hills!) and did strength training on Tuesday. Or at least I think it was Tuesday. Eating is getting better, too. If only I could figure out how to combine an hour-long run and writing or reading. I haven't embraced audio books, maybe I should. Thoughts?

I'm off to encourage others...

7 comments:

Lynnette Conroy said...

First, I love your little This is Wednesday ticker thingy...how'd you do that? And if you can figure out that exercise/reading/writing thing, I'm in. I use that as an excuse not to exercise - too many things to write/read/edit/draw.

As for you character name, I can see where that could get distracting, I think I'd have trouble with the XXXX method - what were her first 2 names and what are her defining personality traits?

And don't worry about the days - Saturday is a rest button

Melanie Macek said...

Sounds like one of my weeks! A co-worker and I are trying to figure out how to add another day to the week. :) I haven't tried audio books either.

Good luck with the goals.

Melanie

Grammy said...

Hi, my days go fairly simply since I don't have the stress that you and your friends have. I am a little old grandma who can sleep late if she wishes but never does. I love to write, write, write and so far have visited over 550 blogs since our atoz challenge began. Not braggin', just stating a fact. It does get rather dizzying reading one post after another. Come see me when you can, if you haven't. Best regards to you. Ruby

Eden Mabee said...

Well, I can't help you much on the name thing, Tia, though I have found that threatening characters with names like "Gertie the spoiled poopie-pants boy" works on occasion. ;-)

As far as the rest of your goals? Wow! You should do a #happydance (if only because it will add to your aerobic workout AND be fun to boot).

See you around the ROW80

Tia Bach said...

Lynette, Thanks. The ticker can be done on wigflip.com. I love that site (it also does the stick note pics).

She's the main character's friend (not best, but more steady and true, less drama). She was Misty, then Miranda. Maybe she doesn't like Ms.

Melanie, If we added another day, we'd just have more work to do probably. Unless we each got an extra day nobody else did, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. ;-)

Grammy, I aspire to be where you are someday. Enjoy every minute of it!

Eden, Great to see you! I like the idea of a happy dance! And I think my character has a great new name. ;-)

Nicole Stallworth said...

New here, from ROW80 linkup...
I like to check my names at nameberry.com; maybe something will suggest itself. On the other hand, calling her XXXX may force her hand so she finally says, "OK! You can call me NNNN!"

Tia Bach said...

Nicole, I've never heard of that, but I'm going to check it out. Thanks SO much!