A haircut that ended my writers block

I had long hair, it was about halfway down my back. I had been telling my husband I was going to cut it off for months. Well yesterday I decided to actually do it.

I went short real short. Then as I was driving home something happened. My writers block lifted as I arrived at home. If I didn’t know better I’d say the hair was the cause of the writers block, but…. I think it was more the feeling of having done something fun.

My hair now takes 2 minutes to wash versus 10 minutes and there is something fun and freeing about not having to care for long hair.

It’s the same kind of hair style I picture my Kate my main character having, that may indeed have something to do with it. Well enough about my hair for now.

In other news I started a website, I know this is sort of putting the cart before the horse since I don’t have a debut date for my novel but… I took the plunge anyway.

Check it out.

The pain of editing is leaving

I had been stuck on editing the early chapters of this novel for weeks now. There are a number of reasons I was stuck. The road trip I blogged about and other life related things didn’t help me have a lot of time to write. Then there was the pain of tearing apart my words and stitching them back together in a new order.

Add in the fact that I had to write whole new sections that had never seen the light of day, the pain and challenge seemed overwhelming. So I put it off, well on the road trip I realized that if I let it slide to long I would risk never finishing it. I decided in the last 1000 miles I would have to start writing again soon.

When I got home the plot bunnies were not bouncing or giving me any ideas, I tried anyway. I started in on a new novel I hope will become a sequel to one I am editing.

A few days later inspiration struck in a hospital waiting room with my husband. He was having corrective eye surgery. I started in on the fresh material even though I had no idea how to weave it into the current chapters. You don’t want a thriller that starts out boring, or the pages just wont get turned.

Finally the right way to get everything stitched together nicely came to me. So as I watched my husband begin to heal the pain of editing was leaving me was well.

I was totally relieved. Today I began stitching the new material in with the old material. The pain of editing has left my body. The plot bunnies are bouncing around again, and I am finally getting some inspiration.

I will make it work!

Writing the new chapters

After being informally asked by an agent to have a peak at my manuscript just for fun it was brought to my attention that a bit more setup was needed. So some new chapters had to be added as well as a few plot line changes.

I have been working hard on accomplishing this. I have finished the first of the new chapters and am more than half way through the second new chapter.

I will be sending them off to Dad in a few days. The new chapters are short but contain valuable information that the reader will need to fully understand the plot line in the novel. I am thankful for this agents input.

Well back to writing.

Working hard vs Hardly working

writing, lets make that clear. I spend hours at the keyboard every day. I just sent chapter 7 off to my dear Dad for his wonderful editing assistance. Why my Dad?

It’s simple he is a well respected foreign language professor, and willing to help me. He is also a published author in his own right, albeit in french.

Now back to the main topic is all this time at the keyboard work or am I hardly working?

Well since I love what I am doing, it doesn’t feel like work, despite the hours I am putting in. I think it’s the perfect mix of working hard without feeling the drudgery of work.

Does it ever feel more like work?

Yes if I said no I’d be lying. Those tend to be the days when I feel uninspired and needing motivation. What then? I turn to those around me, the veterans I volunteer with, the soldiers helped through soldier angels and many other sources.

Sometimes i find myself reading to my cats, yes I said cats. While they cannot give feedback, at least not the constructive or grammatical kind, they give support. They provide cuddles, snuggles, purrs and meows. Yes the felines of the house are often the first to hear my freshly minted prose, but I don’t want them to be the last to indulge in the stories I craft as I sit at the keyboard.

Juggling Act

I was chatting with a friend yesterday, we were comparing schedules trying to figure out when to meet in person for lunch. After she looked at my schedule she asked me “How do you keep all of this straight and stay sane?”

I smiled and commented there is method in my madness. I will let all of you in on the secret.

It’s planning!

I use my outlook calendar that gets synced with my iPhone, if it isn’t on the calendar don’t hold your breath, not likely to happen. I also schedule everything in 15 minute blocks of time.

I will start with the big picture, what do I need?

1. Sleep

2. Time with hubby

3. Time to write based on my goals.

4. Time for volunteer work.

So open up a digital calendar, I use outlook.

Block out time for sleep, I block out 8 hours a night, do I get all 8 no not every night.

Next I put 1 date night a week on the calendar, usually Saturday, then if you are religious block out the time for that.

If you have a job other than writing block out that time next, don’t forget commute time.

For me it’s volunteer activities I know when some of these take place well in advance. For me I go to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum every Tuesday morning.

Next add time for holidays if you didn’t include them with the religious items.

Okay I think you are getting the picture. You are essentially making appointments with yourself.

Now you have a frame, so we can add in time for writing, researching etc.

My calendar looks like a rainbow since I use a different color for everything.

I am currently doing a number of short term projects, so I add in time to work on them. The cat has an appointment I add that as well. No kids here but, you would schedule their activities the same way.

Am I ever double booked?

Once in a while, but, most of the time I avoid the confusion since I have that frame in place.

I have routines that I don’t even think about anymore for the daily things, such as housework. I try and plan meals in advance, and yes they get added to the calendar too.

When Mr. Murphy comes calling I know exactly what I can move with the fewest issues.

If you want to know more about the housework and how it comes together, I use Flylady. I adapted many of the things I learned from “flying” to help me structure my life and it works out well.

Now if I can just structure chapter 6 a bit better…..