I’ve had a couple of struggle weeks and I’m desperately trying to keep my chin above the keyboard. What did I find going on in my head this week? Was it: More of the same, a new face to the madness, or was it something altogether different…

Thanks to some tremendous comments last week my mind has actually calmed and ACCEPTED the task ahead. I no longer have that hopeless feeling. It’s going to take one step at a time and all steps WILL be moving in a forward direction.

I’m working on some new goals. I’m not a nail biter, but I suddenly had the urge.

I’m going to try a few on for size and see what fits. My current goal is to spend an hour a week with my characters, which I will continue as it has been working well. I would also like to add some goals for reading my craft books/blogs, which is something I have been doing. I have not been tracking my time and I think I’ll be shocked by how much time this task is soaking up. I would really like to add a word count goal…I’m going to start with 2,000 a week. OH BOY!! I did make that goal this week, yeah!! Lastly, I need to add an editing goal. My first book needs a lot more work and unless I’m working on it weekly it is not going to get finished, EEK! That will NOT do.

My to-do list is weighty, but it can only get done one step at a time. I can feel the pressure sliding off my chest. There is still so much to be done, but the course is getting built. It is up to me whether or not I stay on track.

The ROW80 check-ins have been extremely helpful. I’m happier than ever that I signed up!!

Have a great week everyone.

It has have been a full week now with my new balanced structure and I can firmly say my plan still needs tweaking. I don’t need another full overhaul, but just some tweaking and some acceptance. Spending an hour a day with my characters has served me well this week, but that needs some tweaking too. My mind just can’t seem to let go of learning. I find so much good information (via twitter, blogs, and in the Plot & Structure book I’m reading) that I can’t seem to let it go and just be creative. There-in lies my problem.

Wanting to learn and respecting the craft makes perfect sense, but in itself is not the real problem.

It has taken me a long time and a lot of effort on my part to accept my need to be a writer. Making up for lost time is always a vicious circle. Now I find myself in the infamous catch-22: I need to write, but I want to learn before I write

uuuurrrrrgh

Balance

yes, my balance needs some tweaking, some acceptance, and a firm step forward.

The week began with three days of glorious writing, plotting, and editing. I added 1,622 words and charted 14 chapters. Now all I can see is problems that I need to fix and I’m having a problem moving forward. I can’t seem to fix the problems or write new scenes.

big girl breath, balance, acceptance

In the last few months I have learned and accepted a great deal about my writing. I guess you can say I’ve moved from the pretty in pink stage to the all is dull and grey stage. Well, forget grey. I’m changing my colors to blue. I am working woman blue.

I’m pushing up my sleeves and getting down to the business at hand. I will Seize the day and what ever it can provide me. Now it is time to work hard and just move forward.

Each week I will continue to spend an hour a day with my characters. I will read and learn about my craft. In time my writing abilities will improve, but it will take time. Heck most things, that are really worth the investment, take a life time of study anyways. In the mean time…I. will. write!