Tag: Writing

Writing Delayed

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Yesterday I spent the day writing.  I was so absorbed in writing, I had no idea what time it was.  I was busy doing edits, covers, sending things to my test readers and so on.  I even worked on drawing some stuff for a cover.

While I was working, Ken brought me lunch.  I hadn’t even realized it was lunch time.  I got a lot of stuff done and hope to continue the trend.  The only bad part is I didn’t get any actual writing done.  I did get summaries of short stories written – everything I put out has to have a summary (think back cover of book).  Sometimes these are the hardest to write because they are so short.

I also got two of my Wayfarer stories updated with the edits I wanted to get done.  This means I have to update three documents per story.  I got the short story and the first novel updated.  I was hoping to work on the others today but it looks like I’m driving to Indiana instead.

Vicki’s power is out.  The power company is saying it will be Tuesday before they restore it.  Which seems crazy to me but what can you do?  She has a freezer full of food, probably somewhere around a $1000 worth of food.

We are going to get her a generator and I’ll drive it down today and come home tomorrow.  It cuts into my writing time but you do what you gotta do for your kids.  I’ll be spending the night at her place so I need to get ready.

Jammies All Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Last night I wrote until 12:30.  I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open but still I had three scenes I noted I wanted to write.  As soon as I went to bed I thought of another scene I wanted to include but I went to sleep and managed a whole whopping four hours.  When I woke up at five this morning, I tried to go back to sleep and did manage to doze for a while.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get back to sleep.  Eventually I got up and went to my office computer.  I paid bills, did some production, and worked on some administrative stuff.  I spent a good deal of time getting information like what books I sold in May (yes I was behind) and from which company I sold them through.

As I sat at my desk, I eventually realized it was nearly one in the afternoon and I hadn’t had breakfast or lunch.  I had brunch and wrote another scene for Wayfarer 9.  I got cold while I sat at my desk in the office, so I curled up with a blanket and took a nap until my daughter called me.

Ken came home and I’ve spent time with him.  Now he is off to bed and I’m all alone.  Guess I could manage to write another couple of scenes or more.

It felt good to get the work out of the way this morning.  I feel like I got somewhat caught up.  I still have a binder full of edits to do for the Wayfarer series so I can update them.  I’m hoping to get that done this weekend maybe.

I texted with all three of my daughters today, wrote, did admin stuff for my writing, worked on production, spent time with my husband, played Peggle, and wrote some more.

Now I have my classical music going.  My hair is up.  The characters are grumbling in my head to stop writing this post and work on their story.  I may have stayed in my jammies all day but I have been very productive.

Personal Writer’s Retreat

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

I’ve looked at writer retreats and they are either too expensive, too far away, or the facilities I’m uncertain of how handicap friendly they are.  I still want to go on one and may invest in it in the future.

Starting Friday I am off work for ten days.  I have one thing scheduled and may have one other thing.  Aside from those two, I’m planning to write, write, write, and write.  I have a bunch of editing and production stuff I want to get done.  After I wade through all of those tasks, my plan is to spend my time writing.  I have two novels I really want to finish.

Fair warning if you bug me I’ll probably be grumpy about it.  I’ve already told people this.  I’m also not planning on spending a lot of time showering or eating or maybe I’ll stay in jammies all week while I write.  I definitely plan to follow more of my natural schedule when it comes to sleep.

Ken will be working.  He will be there in the evenings to pester me but that will be good for me as it will take me out of my head and remind me to deal with the regular aspects of life like showering.  I’ll have all my stuff there – my netbook and computer, my reference materials, maps and so on for the one story I want to work on.

Two work days and then I’m off to write and be in my own little world.  It will be wonderful!

Perfectionism is a Curse and a Blessing

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Edits are done on the Wayfarer series.  I’ve spent the last couple of weeks working on editing the novels already published.

This started because I reread them and found errors.  My impression was there were so many errors, I had to redo them.  I started the process and in doing so discovered there really weren’t that many errors or errors that were so drastic they need fixing.

My next step is to analyze the errors and decide if it is worth the time and effort to republish.  The perfectionist in me is saying HELL YES!!!  But the realist in me is saying, let’s be reasonable.  Time is a precious commodity.  I’ve done the editing now are those errors really so important I need to republish?

Part of this is me needing to make sure I’m producing a quality product.  One side benefit from doing these edits, Wayfarer eight seemed to pop out of my head and onto the pages so is now in the rough draft stage.  Wayfarer nine has been started.

I’m planning some vacation time at the end of the month.  I’m staying home to write.  I’m hoping in that time I’ll finish Wayfarer nine and the Defenders series.  I am about halfway through the third book and keep getting distracted from finishing it.

I also need to get some crocheting done.  I’m going to try to get some of that done this weekend but I’ll have to see how it goes.  When I want to write, there is little else I can do.  I write or my head explodes (or feels like it will).

I’ve not been hitting the marketing aspect of my author business so I need to get back at that.  I feel like I never have enough time for this (and the other hats I wear).  I’m hoping to have another book out by the first part of next month.  If I can finish the Defenders series while I’m on vacation, I’ll try to get that one out in August.  Then I turn my attention to either new novels and non-fiction or I look at the sequels to other series waiting in the wings.

So much to do and so little time to get it all done.  I keep reminding myself I’m one person capable of doing one thing at a time (unless I’m doing three or four).  I’m trying to keep my to do list realistic as well as my own expectations.

This is why I’m hoping to let go of the need to correct the minor errors I found in my books.  It helps to see books done by professional publishing companies have errors in them.  As I read the JD Robb series, I kept finding errors.  She is a long standing author, who is published through a traditional publisher, with the use of a professional editor.  Still her books have errors.  It helps me realize I need to let go of the desire to be PERFECT in my work.  Missing commas are not going to show up on a report somewhere.  Though I could see a missing commas department somewhere investigating … wait I digress…

Next step, decide how many of the books need republishing and how many I can let go.  After that I’ll move on to the next task.  Writing, marketing, publishing, and the list is never ending…

Little Sleep + 70,000 Words = new Wayfarer Novel

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I’ve been putzing on writing the eighth Wayfarer novel.  I’d write a little and put it away.  That all stopped this week.  I went from 20,000 words that I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep to 70,000.  I think it’s a good one but I’m not sure.  I say this and I can hear other authors telling me to be confident in my work.

I am confident in my work but I just finished this one and I need some space from it before I can objectively judge the work.  I’ll wait for my test readers to tell me what they think.  I’m hoping by the end of the weekend.

Finishing this was supposed to get Wayfarers out of my head for a while.  That’s not happening.  I can already tell the ninth book will be started sooner rather than later.  I can feel it bouncing around in my head and wanting to be born.

I will attempt to set writing aside and finish a crochet project or two but the writing has grabbed me.  Once it starts, I have to write.  If I don’t I can’t sleep or focus on much of anything.

My goals for the weekend include finishing a baby blanket and starting a skirt.  I’ll likely write as well because I can already tell I’m going to need to.  I am working on editing the Wayfarer series – it is me being a perfectionist.  Even though the books are published, I reread them and discovered errors.  I decided to print, edit, and decide whether the errors merited going through the edit and republish process.  I’m on five and I’d love to finish them this weekend but we will see.

I liked the editing process.  I think rereading the books helped jump start the eighth book.  I’m planning to do the same with the Defenders series to see if I can get that story out of my head as well.  From there my to do list is long and complex but I am trying to be realistic and only think about the things I can actually accomplish in a short time frame.

Weekend Tasks

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Last weekend was insanely busy in the best of ways.  This weekend is just around the corner and I’m hoping to catch up on a few tasks. 

I still need to pay bills and do some of the book work for my writing.  In addition to that, I’d like to publish some more crochet patterns.  I have a few which are ready to go.  Plus I want to look to see how close I am with a couple of other ones. 

Last night it was 80 in my house.  Now my husband doesn’t like to turn on the air conditioning.  He thinks it is comfortable at 80.  I hate it.  I sweat, get a headache and generally my grumpy level elevates.  On top of which I can’t do anything.  It bugged me to just sit and read.  I gave in and turned the a/c on about 10:30 last night and the inside temp was still at 79. 

I have an afghan to work on.  The a/c needs to be on for that reason alone.  I do better at a constant temperature.  I have fewer health issues if the temp is a steady 73.  I know it is probably not as energy efficient as say 68 but it is the temp where I’m not uncomfortable or sore all the time.

We go visit the girls in Atlanta at the end of the month.  I need to finish Virginia’s afghan so I can take it to her at that time.  I don’t want to ship it to her as I don’t trust the post office or UPS.  This means I’ll be working on it this weekend. 

I’ve also fit in an hour or so of writing here and there.  I’ve got a story that is tugging at me that I want to work on.  I’m battling with time management.  I want to read, crochet, and write.  I can read and crochet at the same time but I can’t write with the other two.  It is definitely a challenge for me.

I don’t know what the weather is supposed to be like but I’m also hoping for a little deck time.  It would be good to sit on the deck and write in my journal or have a meal out there.  It just depends on the weather. 

The weekend is coming and hopefully it will be calmer, quieter, and less eventful – though I’m sure this will me less fun without my girls around. 

End of Crafting Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I’m back from my long weekend of crocheting with my daughter.  I got some stuff done and definitely organized a bunch of other things but I didn’t accomplish as much as I wanted to.  I have two shawls started for her and one I’m hoping to finish this week.

Tonight has been recovery from driving.  I’ve got my feet up but still in a bit of pain from the drive.  I’m trying to stay awake so I can take a second dose of Tylenol before I go to sleep.

It was great to sit at my daughter’s apartment and work.  I got some stuff done but the time with her was wonderful.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her.

She had all sorts of goodies for me including the softest most scrumptious afghan she knitted.  It is absolutely lovely.  I LOVE it.  She also made me a shawl and wristers and spoiled me thoroughly.

Now it is back to the regular schedule.  Spring break is over on Monday and I’ll be facing advising issues as well as registration issues which starts next Monday.  It will be a busy month for April.  I have a lot of work to get done for writing and crocheting.

My niece is getting married the beginning of May and my daughters are all going to be home for it.  This in and of itself will be wonderful but I want to have my oldest daughter’s afghan worked on so I can show her it – maybe finish it (it is complicated not holding my breath on that one).

I have two novels I’m working on and hope to finish sooner rather than later but you just never know how the creative flow is going to go.  However, my day job is going to be stressful and busy for the next few weeks with registration so crocheting is generally a better option.

It feels like this year is flying by and I don’t have nearly enough time to get all the things done I want to.  We are already at the end of March, a quarter of the year is gone.  How does this happen so quickly?

It doesn’t matter, I’m just going to work on balancing all the things I have going on.  Bridal shower, wedding, daughters visiting, us traveling, and so much more.  It’s all good.  I just have to keep it all straight and balanced… don’t worry I’m not holding my breath on it… just doing the best I can.

Meanwhile, back in my cave

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Tuesday I was unproductive but last night I got a third of a manuscript edited.  I made a point of breaking the papers up so I would have a definitive stopping point.  This helped me get to bed at a reasonable time. 

I’ve been away from the characters and story of the Wayfarers.  I thought I wouldn’t remember where I left off and who the characters would behave but I started reading and it all came back to me. 

It was good to have a goal and meet it.  Work (at my day job) is speeding up and my days have been busy and a bit stressful.  This means by the time I get home, I’m sort of done in.  Being able to fall in and get the editing done is a bonus as when I leave work I think I’m done, I think my brain can’t take any more for the day. 

I come home, have supper with my husband and then turn to my evening actitivies.  Last night it was editing 50 pages of Wayfarer Trials.  This one and seven to me are two of my better stories.  Don’t get me wrong I love the entire series but in these two I bring to culmination some of the longer story lines and start the set up for the next phase for my characters. 

Having let the manuscripts sit for a time, I wasn’t sure I’d like what I wrote and then as I got into the editing, I realized I did like the story, the way things worked out.  When I’m writing I am sometimes taken by surprise when my story takes a twist or turn I wasn’t expecting so when I edit, it’s nice to realize those twists are working well and the turns add a bit of oomph to the story. 

Tonight I plan to work on editing.  I’m hoping to finish the manuscript I’m working on.  Hopefully this weekend I can make the updates to the computer for the two manuscripts and shift them into production mode. 

This will leave me with one more manuscript to edit before I look for another story to work on which will probably be the last Defenders book.  I’m hoping to get that finished this month (or maybe next as my month is filling up). 

Back to Editing

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Last night I worked on editing Murder Next Door.  It is a murder mystery, romance set in 2178.  After talking to one of my daughters until after 8 pm, I started editing.  I really just wanted to go to sleep when I started but it was too early for me if I wanted to sleep all night. 

I put on classical music, turned off all but one light and set to work on editing.  Somewhere around 11 or so I realized how late it was.  I looked at the number of pages and decided to stop by midnight.  At 12:30 I looked up and realized how late it was but was in the middle of a chapter.  I said at the end of this chapter, I’ll quit and finish it tomorrow. 

That didn’t happen.  I finished editing it last night – or more correctly this morning around 1 am.  It felt good to work on writing, to think about plot lines and characters, to look at verbage and decide the tone this word or that one gave to the story. 

Tonight I’ll be working on Wayfarer Trials.  This is the sixth book in the series and I think full of action and craziness.  I know there is one major rearrangement I want to make in this book but there are a lot of loose ends to tie up for plot lines so I have to make sure those get done. 

If I can get this one done tonight, I will only have one left to do the edits on, which is Wayfarer 7.  I don’t have a name for it yet though one or two options are floating in my head. 

My restlessness of last week evaporated with me editing.  I lost time as I worked and the tiredness I felt dissipated as I sunk into Murder Next Door.  The book drew me in, kept me occupied.  The act of editing soothed me in ways I find difficult to explain. 

In the back of my head, I’m working on writing the last Defenders story.  I think it’s time to finish it.  I just need to sit and write it.  I have the next two scenes (part of a bigger scene) in my head, the major parts of it starting to coalesce and take form.  Soon I’ll have to write it or I’ll be dreaming about it again. 

A week off was good, I guess.  But I’m glad to be back to writing, editing, and getting stuff done.  Interestingly, I didn’t miss the tv stuff at all last night.  I was more entertained by my work.  Now I just need to look at my to do list and decide what’s next. 

Booooring!

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

Last Sunday I came down with the flu.  It knocked me on my bum for a few days before I went back to work.  Wednesday I went to work and came home feeling wrung out.  My normal schedule is busy.  I work my day job and come home and do either crocheting while listening to audio books or writing.  This last week I’ve done nothing.

Ken goes to bed early, normally I pick up something and work on it.  This week, I’ve done nothing more than watch HGTV.  Now I’ve enjoyed Property Brothers and Income Property and a couple of other shows.  Last night I realized how bored I was just sitting in my recliner and watching tv.  Friday night I called different people to chat but they were busy.  I realized the reason I was reaching out was because I’d accomplished NOTHING all week.

Yesterday was a busy day with grocery shopping and taxes.  It was a frustrating day working on taxes but they are done and hopefully I won’t have to think about them for another year.  Ken and I were wiped out after doing our taxes.  We watched Babylon 5 and the new Librarians show.  Both were enjoyable but by the time he went to bed I was restless.

This morning my plan was to get up and hit the computer with production of a short story.  Unfortunately, I woke up with a leg that decided it wanted to be cranky.  I’ve spent the last hour and half checking emails, playing on pinterest, and now writing this blog.  In that time, the Tylenol has had a chance to go to work and ease some of the issues I was having.  I’ll be hitting the other computer to work on production today.

I’ve got a long list of things I want to get done today – production of short story, three manuscripts to edit, crocheting to do, and more.  I know I won’t get through all of it but I will make a start on it.

It hasn’t been a completely unproductive week.  I upgraded my cell phone to a smart phone and this week I’ve gotten to know something of what the thing can do – I like some of it and most of it I don’t care about.  I’ve rested and recuperated which I obviously needed.  Now though my brain is crying out for more to do than watch tv.  It’s time for progress to be made on other things than the recovery from the flu.