The writing challenge that knows you have a life.

This round of 80 days is coming to a close this week. I’ve now participated in six rounds. How far have I come since the beginning? Well, I pulled up the first check-in from back in January 2012 and found a writer looking for her rhythm.

All my worries from back then came flooding back. I was in love with writing, still am. I was afraid of losing a new found passion. I also remember needing to respect the process. I needed to put in the time, study the craft, get to know my characters, and most importantly to keep moving forward.

I remember check-ins that held lots of fears and worries about my work, these remain. I have a lot still to learn. I’ll keep coming back to that first check-in though because it holds so much hope and that’s something I want to hang on to.

The self-discipline I worked on over the course of all 104 check-ins helped me to make this happen:

I have a lot planned for the rest of 2014 and beyond. I will get there by respecting the process and I will keep moving forward.

The Goals – week-11 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters-  done. I actually spent time with characters from three different WIPs. Oh boy, lol.
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- considering it done once again. I did some craft study this week, but the majority of my time was spent on writing guest posts to promote my releases. I was hoping to get to the WIP last night, but it didn’t happen.
• Take care of and be kind to myself (start w/ a relaxing ritual, the healthy journey, and daily breaks from technology)- done. Although I’m not getting enough sleep lately, I did spend time in my garden and I did read a couple books this week.

What you might have missed here this week:

Review: A Love Discovered by Ella Jade
Ten Things to know about the Love Projects Series
Mid Week Tease – Long Shot by Cara Bristol
Evernight’s Executive Assistant Anthologies Are Here!

Click to find links to the other ROW80 participants

Another round of 80-days is coming to an end this week. I refined my routine and made great strides in some places and others still need improvement.

I restarted my Margie packet and got through 7-lectures in Empowering Character Emotions. I lost ground while I was sick, but I’m still hoping to finish this packet and start the next BEFORE the second round of 80-days begins. Starting my day with craft study has become a habit this round and it’s such a good thing. I’m very pleased. I read one other craft book this round too.

This round I also I helped my CP with 3 manuscripts, I added 10k to my newest WIP to finish it and took it through several editing passes before sending it off to my CP. I read 12-books this round and hope to top that next round. Lots of great reads in my ereader right now.

I have many things to be proud of in this round however progress in my Nia studies is not one of them. I’m still not finding the time for this goal, but I’m not giving up on it. Do you have something you never get to in your week? Since I’m not getting to it, I really should try to work it into my schedule on Monday. Oh boy.

I’m most proud of my full request though. It’s my first, hopefully not my last, and it still puts a smile on my face. I also became a year older, had great fun with friends, saw a concert, and went skiing. Not shabby round one.

How did the last couple of months go for you? What are you going to try and improve in the next 80-days?

The Goals – week-11 results

Click to find links to the other ROW80 participants

I was knocked down by illness this week. My oldest got it first and the next day it took over my body. I spent all of Tuesday in bed. I can’t remember the last time I slept that much. I dragged myself out of bed on Wednesday, my muscles protested but I forced their hand. Turns out, I should have listen to them, it wasn’t long before I was back in bed. I’m still working on building up my energy. I swear my youngest has gained ten-pounds this week, but the hubs is telling me no. I’m still pretty weak and I have no appetite, but I need to eat to build my strength. It’s an uncomfortable circle right now. It’s also been a monster of a week. Now my youngest has a fever. Seriously. Spring, where are you.

The week wasn’t a total fail, nope. Wednesday, when I dragged myself out of bed, I found a full request in my inbox. That’s right, A FULL REQUEST!! 😀

It seems the world went right on spinning while I was in bed. Veronica Mars is going to be a movie, totally awesome. We have a new pope too, rad.

My effort this week on goals is pretty much nonexistent. It stressed me out at first and then I stopped feeling guilty about it. My system was refusing to negotiate anyway. The only thing I can do is listen to me, get better, and start fresh this week. Have you had a forced vacation recently?

The Goals – week-10 results

Click to find links to the other ROW80 participants

What would you do if you opened your front door on a Sunday afternoon and found your two best friends who you haven’t seen in over a year?

I’ll tell you what I’d do, because I did it last Sunday. I screamed, I hugged, and then I started to cry. Some surprises are down right fabulous. Last weekend I survived celebrated another birthday and my prince of a husband contacted my two besties and asked for something he knew I wanted. They both live a couple hours away and I hardly ever get to see them. It was one of the best days ever. We talked and laughed for over five hours. We reminisced about our crazy teenage years, experiences we’ve shared and missed over the years, and we supported each other.

Those two girls have my back and I know they always will no matter what. Not much can lift your spirits than knowing something like that for certain. I’ve made some good friends through the years and many of them I’ve met over the past year since starting this blog. Thank you for being here, I appreciate each of you.

When I started this journey I set many goals for myself. We all know anything worth fighting for is worth waiting for. There is no better time to remind yourself of that than when you come up against a hurdle or when you get knocked down. I’ve come a long way in the past year, but I have many hurdles and hoops to go.

The next hurdle I come to, I’m going to remember my two friends, remember how they have my back. I’ll keep picking myself up and I’ll keep going. At each hurdle I’ll take the time to figure out if what I’m doing is still putting me in the path towards my goals. If not, I’ll change my path, but I’ll keep going. This is my promise to me, my birthday gift to me.

Have you had a happy surprise recently? How do you push past hurdles put in your path? Have you made a promise to yourself lately?

The Goals – week-9 results

My goal this week was to look on the bright side.  Yesterday I turned another year older, the annual event I’ve come to loathe. Oh, I know it’s just a number. I even tried to play a few games with it. I tried not to think about it, that didn’t work. I tried to stall, but the calendar kept moving. I tried to convince myself I was 10-years younger  I’m too smart for that one. Figures.

If I have to turn older then we can all eat cake,

Photo Credit: Lynn Kelley Author

looks like someone’s already eaten half of this one. Bet it was yummy.

While I was trying to ignore my impending dooms day, I dove into edits. Last week I had a hard time getting the ball rolling, but this week the wheels started to turn and I finished the first (for story) and second (to fix passive voice, remove unnecessary words, and add in all kinds of visceral responses) read throughs. I’m going to give it one more read through and then I will send it to the CP. I will.

I survived my birthday and I cruised through a week of edits <– bright side. Look at me. I’m a champion. 🙂

What have you championed lately? Tell me your happy endings and let’s celebrate together.

The Goals – week-8 results

I had fun this week and a bit of adventure too. Here it is the end of February and I remembered to live out one of my New Year’s Resolutions. Do you remember yours? Dig them out, it might bring you a very happy day like it did for me.

One of my resolutions: Find time for the things I enjoy outside of books and Nia, like downhill skiiing…Take time each week to make sure one of these things is on my calendar.

We are coming to the end of ski season here in Michigan and, until recently, we weren’t getting a lot of snow. This week I faced an important decision: take advantage of the week and do something I enjoy or stay home and work on the lengthy to-do list. Hmm. It was a harder decision than it should have been.

it’s actually been two-years since I’ve skied. I know, terrible. Last year, I let the season slip by, but not this year. Luckily, skiing is much like riding a bike, your body’s muscle memory can remember what to do. Of course, the more often you ski the better your muscles will be at remembering.

Interesting!

After all the prep work of layering, gathering supplies, driving to the hill, getting on the boots, lugging my stuff in, getting my lift ticket, trekking to the lift, skis on, and butt in the chair…lift ;), I starting seeing many similarities to a writer’s life.

The more often your butt is in the seat the better you’ll be at your craft.

So, there I am at the top of the hill, such a pretty view, but I was not looking out at the view, nope. I was looking down at what looked like an icy terrain. Crap. My local hill is usually groomed so nicely, but the weather really hasn’t been cooperating this year with all the snows and melts and snows. So many things out of my control <– sounds like a writer’s life, doesn’t it. I reminded myself, I knew what to do, knees soft, weight forward, turn to slow down. Eek! I went for it.

That first run was terribly shaky, the icy slope didn’t help. I wanted to hit the delete button and try again. I got back on the chair lift and went to a different trail. I tried something different, but I had the same results, another icy slope and a shaky run. It didn’t work for me. Again, I tried a different trail. On the chair lift, I remembered I had yet to put in my ear buds. What a difference music makes. The third trip down, I tried another trail, with the help of the music and finally a fluffy, un-icy terrain, I started to get my groove back. Over the next couple of runs, my confidence appeared, I gained speed, shifted better into my turns, and I flew down the hill. So much fun.

It took effort and determination. I had to put faith in my abilities. When it wasn’t working, I tried something a little different. I kept at it. I held on to my foundation and built on it. I didn’t give up. When it all came together, I had the time of my life. The runs became effortless.

For the next hour and a half I went up and down the hill and I had so much fun. The whole experience was an excellent reminder of what we live everyday with our writing.

And the bonus analogy: Taking off your boots feels so good it’s like… (I’ve heard some dirty endings to this sentence, but I’ll go a different way) the pure bliss to be found when you type “The End.”

Of course my to-do list is ugly now, but it was worth it. So, tell me, have you had an adventure lately or something that reminds you of the writing journey?

Also, have you had a chance yet to see my Most Romantic flash? The link is below if you want a look see.

The Goals – week-7 results

I have some fun news to share. Did you know that Siobhan Muir holds a flash fiction challenge every Thursday, called the #ThursThreads Challenge? I entered for the first time this past Thursday and won Most Romantic Story!! 😀 I’ve been smiling ever since. To make it all the sweeter, one of my favorite authors was the judge this week, Sandra Bunino!! <– Love her books. Be sure to come back on Tuesday, I’ll be sharing my winning flash and the photo that helped inspire the words.

Toot Toot!! 😀 Okay, now onto the ROW80 post…

Any journey is filled with ups and downs, triumphs and struggles. We know this. We’ve heard the very true saying:

“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well. If it is worth attaining, it is worth fighting for. If it is worth experiencing, it is worth putting aside time for.” ― Author Unknown

But do we know it down to our bones or do we have to remind ourselves? I took a look at the tiles of my last 5-ROW80 posts: A New Routine, Something is Working, Can I Get a Do Over?, Starting Fresh, Slow and Steady, Perseverance. Hmm, interesting. I see the ups and downs of the last 5 weeks right there.

I dug out that famous quote to remind myself, like I keep doing and will keep doing. I want this journey. One thing I know that will help: I’d like to become my own best friend, my own personal cheerleader. Some weeks I’m better at the personal friendship bit than others. I love supporting my friends, so why not me too?

My goals are worth doing and I want to do them well. They are so worth fighting for. I don’t want to just live day to day, I want to experience the journey. I want to push past my fears and keep trying. That’s why I’m here.

I’ll continue to mold my routine to keep me moving forward. I’ll remember some weeks will see more progress than others. As long as I keep trying, I’ll keep moving forward. Sure, I want success yesterday, but it is worth waiting for.

Are you your own best friend? Please share your tips with this newbie.

The Goals – week-6 results

This week my schedule was totally out of control. Have you had one of those lately? You know, the day that starts one way and ends up being like something completely different. Normally, my work from home schedule allows me the flexibility to dip into my main interests, but this week everything that could pop up did. From extras for both kid’s schools, work, work, work, and, with the hubs out of town, I was left to deal with the snow filled driveway too. Ugh!

This week definitely pushed my buttons and almost pushed me over. Each day I told myself tomorrow would be better, but, when the next day arrived, something else came up until finally the black cloud of doubt rained down on me. Why am I doing this to myself. Ugh!

Frustration.

Did you watch American Idol this week?  The boys went through Hollywood Week. It’s definitely one of those experiences that will push you, test you. Stress can take you to extremes and force you to face facts. Do you have what it takes to persevere?

I often wonder if I will ever get published. I’ll tell you one way to ensure I don’t: simply stop, give in…give up.

No, I can not. The thought starts an ache in my chest that shakes through me and leaves me nauseous. So, this week I’ve assigned myself one word: Perseverance. Google gave me this definition: Continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no indication of success. <–That’s it. That’s where I am, but I’ll keep going. I’ll persevere.

Thinking of my characters and their stories helped too, but so did these quotes from some simply brilliant folks.

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. -Harriet Beecher Stowe

I could call this week slow and steady, or simply consistent. It seems if I start the day with craft study, and then get into writing, the rest of the day falls into place. All that is wonderful, but I’ve been sacrificing my morning workouts to make everything work. Not good. But isn’t that the way. Once you figure one thing out then there is something new to work on. Life certainly isn’t boring that way.

A year and a half ago, when I stared my healthy journey, I got up consistently at the same time everyday and worked out. My body hummed with joy then, but now I’m running on empty. The thing is, life is different now, I have a very active three-year-old to wrangle and get to school twice a week and with an already impossible schedule, that change has flipped my morning routine into quandary.

No more excuses. I know what it takes and it’s time to recommit and just do it. I’ve corralled my mid morning routine and now I must conquer the early morning hour and get up after only hitting snooze once. Oy! 😀

The Goals – week-4 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. Finished the second Lecture in my Margie Packet and got about half why through the third. <–This makes me so happy. I wrote everyday but Monday this week and added 3344 words to the WIP. I spent my time well on the first goal this week and that contributed to filling in all my plot holes and the writing started to come together. I think I might actually finish the first draft of my WIP next week. Wahoo!! Permission to do a little everyday made this week work.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- NOT DONE. We’ve already talked about that. WEEK 5 PRIORITY
• Daily Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- The daily thing did not happen, but the tip I got last week totally works. I waited until yesterday to try it out, but it works. Sometimes you really do just need to come at a task from a different angle. WEEK 5 PRIORITY
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. Horrible busy week with bills, invoices, reporting and deposits.
• Organize something in the house each week- done. Our house will be full of friends today. It’s our year to host the annual Super Bowl party. Organization this week wasn’t a little project, but giving the house the company shine. Glad that’s all done, so now I can enjoy.

What you might have missed here this week:

Review: A Man to Trust by Cheryl Yeko
A Conversation with Malia Mallory author of His Need, Her Desire
Flash Fiction #36 POW!

Three weeks into this round and I think I’ve already gone through a rainbow of emotions. Week-one I took it all on and accomplished so much and I expected a repeat in week-two. When week-two fell apart, as the evil day job demanded more of my time, I did as well. I accomplished a good bit last week and didn’t give myself credit for any of it, because I could only see what I didn’t get done. I totally forgot this journey is a marathon and not a sprint. I can not judge my effort or results based on any one day or any one hour.

This week I took a step back, a break really, and regrouped. If I’m going to survive on this road I need to be my own best friend. I got back to basics, the meat and bones of it all, and attempted to leave the gristle alone. It’s about time I celebrate what I am able to get done. Positive thoughts will encourage me and push me further than all the negative baloney. As a bonus, my in-laws came to town for three-days and yesterday my brother and oldest niece came to stay for the night. It’s a fabulous thing to have your family surround you when you’re trying to start fresh. I felt the love.

The Goals – week-3 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. I finished my current craft book and my CPs WIP. Love the active exchanges post critique, it makes me feel so helpful. Plus, I got back into my Margie packet and finished the first lecture. I restarted reading the packet since it had been so long since I’d read any of it. I only did a little bit of editing on the WIP this week and added 389-words. I haven’t figured out how I want the darkest point to unfold. I think I know how I want to wrap things up, so I’m going to fast draft that out. I’ll go back and fill in the hole, maybe with the end drafted, I’ll be able to see how it all comes together. We’ll see.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- NOT DONE. This was a flustered week as I tried to pull myself back together and the workouts didn’t happened. It’s too bad too, because they sure would have helped. I’ll try again this week to just do it. WEEK 4 PRIORITY
• Daily Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- I did nothing here this week, however I got a tip from a Nia mentor and I’m going to try it out this week WEEK 4 PRIORITY
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. I created/sent several invoices.
• Organize something in the house each week- done. We donate a lot of stuff and this week we got rid of a bunch of things around the house, including a box with stuff from my pre-wedding days. It was marked garage sale, not sure if it ever got in one. Also, I was married almost 13-years ago. Yeah, it was time for the box to go. Feels good to free our home and hopefully help someone else.

What you might have missed here this week:

A Visit from Stormie Kent author of Battling Rapture
Flash Fiction #35 Clueless