Tag: Writing

Goals to Live By

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

The last three weeks have been filled with little sleep, lots of pain, and a lot of writing.  I started a story because I couldn’t sleep.  I worked on the story as the vision came to me of what it should be and where it should go.  The first rough draft is done.  93,181 words.  

The full moon is tomorrow.  I’m hoping that I can bring some balance into my life.  The story is done but the work to bring it forth is not.  I’ve got a rough draft which will need refining and smoothing out.  There are a thousand steps before the story can be grown into a book.  
With the full moon I’m looking for some balance in my home, work, writing and crocheting aspects of my life.  Maybe with the story out of my head I can go back to getting all the other tasks done that are grumbling at me.  
The completion of the story is exciting and a bit sad.  I have to let go of the story and move on to the next project.  Editing has to wait.  I can’t write this week and edit the same story next week.  I don’t have enough objectivity.  It’s a bit sad for me because for three weeks now these characters and their story have been almost all consuming.  I’m almost saying goodbye to some good friends.  Though I think in this case I’ll be revisiting them because I think there is another story to follow.  
Next project – the next poetry book – Moments in Life.  These will be all the poems I’ve written about life – my life. I have the cover done.  I’m happy with how it looks and I think it fits part of how I look at life.  I will be working today on narrowing down the poems and getting them categorized.  After that it is all production time – getting the poems in the order I want, cleaning up the file so they can go out there.  
Once I’m done with the poetry book, I’m going back to editing the second Defenders book.  I’m about halfway through that one and it is progressing.  The problem with the editing process is I sometimes get lost in where I am in the story.  When this happens, I have to go back and really think about what the purpose is of what I’m changing.  
It is a pay week and we are doing easy errands this weekend.  We went to Sorgs first thing this morning and tomorrow Ken will do the shopping.  I’ve had high pain levels all week and am still not at a great place for pain levels.  All I can do is manage at this stage in the game.  Until whatever is irritating works itself out of my system, I just have to keep working to get through every single day.  Some days I manage very well and other days I just want to sit in the dark and hope that I can sleep in order to escape the pain.  There isn’t anything anyone can do.  It is arthritis.  It can’t be cured or fixed.  It just is.  So I just cope.
When I have higher pain levels, it helps me to have goals.  They may be small goals like – I will sort poems or I will eat.  But these goals help me cope.  This is why my to do list is so important.  It gives me easy access to the things I want to get done so I can pick a goal and work on it without having to think about it.  
Pain level today – 8 (kinda sucky) but the goal – sort poems and finalize the cover.  Cover done.  Other goal – go see two movies to escape from life for a few hours.  I’m finally going to get to see How to Train Your Dragon 2!!!!  We are also going to see Guardians of the Galaxy.  This will be my afternoon goal.  Fun and escapism – two things I don’t often indulge in.  Today they are an important goal.  
   

One Final Scene

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Three weeks to write 90,000 words and complete a story.  I have finally gotten through the battle scene.  I have one more wrap up scene to bring together all of my plot points and then I’m done.  I should finish that today.

The full moon is on the tenth so I should have this done before then.  This weekend my plan is to work on the next poetry book.  I’m hoping to get final selection of the poems done.  I also think I can finalize the cover.  Then it will be time for production.  All the fun prep work before I can put it out in book format.

My Defenders series is grumbling at me.  There are so many layers to this series I need to get back to that to do list.  I have to make some final decisions on the content of the first book.  I have to figure out what I’m doing on the art for it.  I need to work on editing the second book.  I need to finish writing the third book. 

I’m hoping once I get the poetry book done, I can focus solely on the fantasy series.  If I become a bit obsessive about it, I’m more likely to get the work done. 

On the other side of life, I need to get my craft room organized and start thinking about holiday gifts.  It is already August and I’ve not decided what I want to do.  In the last three weeks, I’ve only made a wedding gift. 

I’m sadly lacking balance right now with writing being the focus of all my non-work hours.  Even Ken has gotten the “What do you need, I’m writing.” attitude from me.

Full Moon

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

August is the beginning of harvesting.  It is time to start gathering up what has been planted and grown all year.  The full moon, which is fast approaching, is about sharing the fruits of your labors. 

With the waxing moon it is a build up of energy towards the full moon.  It is about getting prepared to share what you have been doing and what you have accomplished.  As the energy shifts to the full moon, I’m starting to feel pressure to accomplish more. 

While I’ve been working on the creative story telling since the waning moon last month, I’m starting to feel the pressure to get some of the other things done on my list.  I have the third poetry book to finish selecting the poems, finalize the cover, work on the Defenders series, marketing tasks like press releases and a myriad of other things. 

This is the time when my energy becomes more frenzied with getting things done.  I usually feel like I’m not getting enough done and then when the full moon is full force I’m overwhelmed with all the energy. 

From the waning moon in July until now, I’ve been working on a story.  It is now over 83,000 words and I’m down to a final scene.  It is the culminating battle which is going to have a lot of layers to it.  I know what I want to happen but I’m struggling with getting it on paper.  One of the things I feel I need to do is map it out.  I’ve done this with other battle scenes.  Seeing on paper where people are in connection with each other and the landscapes helps me get it down on paper. 

I’m hoping to write the final scene, or section really as there will be a lot of little scenes within this last part, before the full moon.  I feel like it is the culmination of the dark moon energy that needs to be done by then.  I’ve got all the components it is just a matter of getting it all down on paper.  It will mean I’ve gotten a rough draft of a novel done in just about three weeks. 

Rough draft is one thing.  There are about a thousand steps from the rough draft to publication but I think this is a good start on this project.  I’m looking forward to seeing it through.  I guess I’m harvesting a novel with this full moon. 

Juggling Tasks

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Swollen ankle limits the amount of time I can spend at the computer.  This means I have to prioritize everything.  Which projects do I really need to be sitting at my desk for and which ones can I do from the recliner?

Friday my ankle had a large red splotch on it and was swollen as well as painful.  This is usually an indicator that my gout is flaring up again.  I have so many things on my to do list and time at the desk is crucial to accomplishing some of them.

This morning I’m going to work on production of the Moments in Spirit.  It is already available on smashwords.com.  I just need to work on the production for Amazon and Createspace.  Hopefully both of those will get done today.

I’ll probably hit the recliner after that though because I have the perfect scene in mind for the next phase in my story.  I worked on a timeline last night because I kept losing track of how much time had passed.  I wanted to make sure things lined up and made sense.  Normally this is an editing thing but I felt out of step with timing so I knew I just had to do.  The timeline is caught up to the story so it will be a simple matter of updating it as I move forward in the story.

It is wonderful that in my head I can see the next scene, I can envision what it would look like and the flavor I want it to take.  I’m working on another bad girl scene and loving it.  Manipulation isn’t something I do and she is a manipulator, she persuades (magically and mentally) people to do her bidding.  I’m hoping it comes across as almost seductive – the more she does it the more she likes it so the more she has to do it.

After her scene, I have an info dump scene which I think I’ve found the perfect solution for giving the information without it being a “hey listen to this” type of info dump.  This scene will provide background information, a little origin myth, and teach the main characters skills they are going to need soon.

Then it will be a scene of betrayal and escape with the bad girl.  She is going to do something really bad and run away from her dominating lover.  It will lead to a series of deeds that will shock the other characters and ultimately lead to the final battle.  I can see it all in my head, I just have to get it down on paper and hope it turns out as well as I think it will.

Once the story is complete, I am going to go back through and add in details and descriptions that have been glossed over.  But that is the beginning of the editing process which this project will have to get in line with the other projects I have going.  

Writer’s High

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

My grumpiness reached an all time high yesterday.  I wasn’t feeling well and generally didn’ t like anything.  After Ken went to bed, I tried fixing some production issues for my next poetry book and it didn’t help.  I was frustrated again.  I didn’t want to crochet.  I didn’t want to read.  I didn’t want to watch tv.  I was cranky!

The music I was listening to we repetative and annoying me.  I skipped a number tracks in an attempt to hear something different.  I reluctantly opted to write about seven.  Opening up my file, I was trying to decide where I was going next with the story. 

As is my habit, I went back to the beginning of the scene.  I started writing and fell into the work.  At one point, I heard the music and was annoyed because they had just played something similar.  I looked at the clock and realized it was two hours previous that they had played the same song. 

Shrugging I went back to writing.  I had a scene to finish.  At the culmination of my scene my main character went through a difficult labor and birth of twins.  When I finished the scene, I was thrilled with my progress.  The word count was just under 63,000 words.

I have about three or four scenes left to write and the story will be done.  I need to think on the next step.  I’ve written another evil girl scene so the readers can keep up with the bad girl.  I know I’ll do one or two more with her.  I need a good move the story along because the culminating scene will be a battle and that is already in my head but it can’t happen for another year in the story time.  I need to figure out some milestones between birth of babies and one year birthday. 

By the time I was done last night, my mood had completely changed.  I went from super grump to completely happy.  It felt wonderful to add to this story, to see the characters develop further, and to see things come together.  Now to continue the adventure, bring together some loose ends, and get ready for the final battle.  I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.

 

Temporarily Stuck

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

I came to a transition point in the story I’m working on.  If I were putting chapters or parts to it, I’d say I came to the end of part one.  I knew where I wanted to go.  I know the next scenes but there were some details I wanted to get down. 

Briefly, the main character is transitioning from her old life to her new life.  During the first part of the story, she is traveling to her new town where she will take up a new powerful leadership role.  Part of what I wanted to get in was that she was feeling overwhelmed in her new role, new position, new relationship, and so on.  It is like that moment when you walk into a new job which you know is going to be great but you look at the tasks ahead and think – What the hell did I get myself into? 

At the same time, the reader doesn’t want to hear about the minutiae that goes into her daily life.  An awareness needs to be made and I don’t want it to seem like she stepped into the role and just ran with it.  It makes her more believable and likeable if she struggles.  Struggling is good.

Last night I was going to work on the story some more.  Repeatedly I reached for the netbook to open it and type but never could bring myself to.  I had essentially written myself into a scene that I wasn’t sure where it was going. 

I don’t consider this writer’s block mostly because it never lasts.  I consider it a pause in the process.  I knew what the scene overall was supposed to be and how it would transition to the next scene.  I just wasn’t sure of the details. 

Last night I putzed.  I worked on a couple of other things but was just tired and a bit growly.  I knew I was thinking about it too much.  I changed my focus and let it go.  Eventually I get a solution.  Either I talk it out with one of my people who listen to me ramble about writing or something just comes. 

This morning in the shower, I saw the scene in my head.  I saw my characters just as I had left them.  I saw the scene play out in my head.  My fingers itched to get to my computer.  Unfortunately I couldn’t immediately get it down.  I was a bit grumbly about this until I realized it just kept getting more detailed and fleshed out the more I thought about it. 

The scene I was stuck on is written.  It has led into the next scene which will allow my characters to give some background information without it feeling like an info dump.  The story just keeps coming and as it comes it just gets better.  It solidifies what I’ve already started and leads forward to what I hope will be a great climax.  I can’t wait to see where it takes me. 

Obnoxiously Early

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Sunday I was up at 6:30 which for me on the weekend is too early.  I slept from 3:00 am to 6:00 and would have liked more sleep but by 6:30 I knew it wasn’t going to happen.  The good thing about being up that early – I got a lot of writing things done. 

I finished another step in pre-production for another poetry book.  I redid the cover for Secret Past and uploaded it to all the places as well as several other items on my to do list.  I worked on production of Moments in Spirit and failed miserably at making it through the process.  It is available electronically through Smashwords but there are issues (background not with the text) and I need to spend more time on it. 

After a couple of hours fussing with the file trying to figure out what wasn’t working and not getting it to work, I gave up and hit my recliner.  I worked on the story I’ve been working on for a week.  I decided to show more of the antagonist in this story.  There are flashes of her throughout the story but I actually took the time to write up a synopsis of her. 

Normally I don’t do this as I like my character so just develop.  However, with her it will have to be more subtle.  I won’t be telling her story per se but overlapping her story with the protagonists.  This means I have to work harder to show who she is. 

Writing the synopsis and little scenes for her.  It helps me to keep her darker.  I haven’t written a lot of dark characters and it was kind of fun to tap into motivations that I don’t normally explore.  With good characters it is all about protection, overcoming, and higher purpse type qualities.  With a bad character it is much more self -motivated – gathering power, me oriented desires, and revenge at any slights, real or otherwise.

I don’t know that the little scenes for her will make it into the story. I think some of them will have to but they help me see how someone like her would work.  She’s power hungry and she likes being that way.  I like that. 

I know there are at least eight major scenes left in this book.  I’m sure there will be others as I illustrate how the main characters live and adjust to their new life together.  I’m already at over 43,000 words and can’t wait to move forward. 

I want to be careful not to let the details bog down the story.  No one wants to read lengthy descriptions on all the details in a life.  It gets tedious.  It will be a matter of finding the right balance between giving the details and keeping the adventure and action moving forward.  The more I think about it the more excited I get about it.  It will be fun to see it develop and expand into more than just some strange imagining in my head.

Scenes

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing
I finished off most of the scenes for my story I had thought up.  I got about halfway through a scene and realized I didn’t know the purpose of the scene.  It always makes me pause.  I figured I’d take a break and let my mind simmer on it for a bit.
Last night I was planning to write more but opted to watch some tv.  I went to bed early and actually fell asleep without it being a huge struggle (thankfully).  This morning as I’m showering, the entire rest of the story just came to me.  I have a dozen scenes written down – they will turn in to the rest of the plot.  What’s more the climax will lead to a second book I think. 
I never have titles – not ever.  I struggle to get titles because I can never seem to find something catchy, quirky, or fitting for the book.  In my head I come up with whatever fits at the moment for a working title.  With this story – I have a title, though I’ll probably do some research to see if it is common.  I also have a title for the next one too and have a rough idea of the plot I want to do for that one. 
This morning I’m working on items on my to do list.  I’ve crossed off several and hope to continue the progress.  Ken is off doing the errands which leaves me free to either write or work on the to do list.  Perhaps I’m getting back on track after my week of no sleep.  If that is what it took, I’m going to count the lack of sleep as a blessing – though I’m not sure Ken would he had to put up with me being cranky.

Sleep has returned to my life and – not surprisingly – I feel better.  I got a solid six hours last night which for me is good.  I feel like I can face and tackle the issues I wasn’t able to for the last week.  It is just a matter of working my way through each task.  

Rested but Tired

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing
When I have dizziness, nausea, and headaches from lack of sleep, I know I’m reaching my limit.  Yesterday all of those were hammering my body pretty bad.  Still I closed my eyes and couldn’t settle to sleep. 
Instead of writing last night I watched tv.  I’ve not watched tv except for an hour with Ken in the evenings in several weeks.  Two episodes of Rizzoli and Isles and my eyes were drooping and it seemed like I was likely to sleep.  The tv went off and I closed my eyes. 
An hour later, I turned the light back and grabbed my computer.  My mind wouldn’t shut down yet again.  It isn’t that I’m lying there thinking about the story I’m working on.  I have all sorts of other things going through my head that just won’t stop as well as listening to my head pounding and having a stitch in my side because my asthma is bugging me because I’ve had no sleep. 
I wrote.  I finished two scenes one of which was a battle from a different perspective.  I’ll probably be adding more into that so it is more involved when I do the edits (or if I go back today).  As I reached the end of the fight and flee scene my eyes were the only thing bugging me. 
Before starting the next scene, I decided I’d try sleeping again.  Ken woke me up around 2:30 to ask me something.  To be fair, I think he thought I was awake.  I thought great, now I’ll be up for a while.  However, I finally got back to sleep and when my alarm went off I was deeply asleep.  I opted to turn it off and not go to work so I could catch up on some sleep.
I slept solidly for a while and then dozed for a couple of hours allowing myself to slowly wake up and acclimate to the world.  It felt good to actually sleep.  I still have a headache but that is normal after so long without sleep I think. 

My body finally overruled my brain.  Now the test will be to see if I can sleep reasonably tonight.  I have a few things to do at home but I’m going to work on writing my story.  It is pulling me – even above my other writing tasks.  While I’ve got the momentum, I’d love to finish a rough draft.  Then it can also go in the to-do pile.  

Must Type Faster

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Sleep didn’t work last night.  I tried twice to go to sleep before I gave up and wrote.  Just before 1:00 am, I turned the light off to try sleeping a third time.  I finally got to sleep but was awake again at 4.  This sucks.

On the up side, I worked on my story last night.  I finished off the scene I was writing and started another.  I have seven scenes in my head that I think will flow and move the plot forward nicely.  I’m up over 20,000 words in three days. 

I’m in love with my two main characters.  I’m not sure where they are taking me quite yet.  I have glimpses of what will happen to them but these come to me as I’m moving through one scene and into the next. 

The change in mind frame for me when I’m writing is amazing.  I write and even when I’m frustrated with not finding the right words or not describing the scene the way I want everything else fades away.  The headache I’ve had for three days, the aches, the pain I deal with daily, all fade away.  It annoys me when I’m interrupted by anything. 

Not only am I narrowing my vision to the screen I’m looking at but I’m going to a different place in my head than the crazy repetitive place that won’t stop when I try to sleep.  My focus is so narrow, the music I play often fades away.  Although sometimes I hear the same song and then I get annoyed.  Never mind that hours have passed since I heard it the first time. 

One of my biggest problems is I can’t seem to type fast enough.  I’ll find myself reading over what I wrote and will have missed words.  It is a rough draft but it has to be comprehensive enough to edit when I finish the first draft.  I type fairly fast but the words are tumbling out of my fingers so fast I’m skipping words.  This will make the editing process fun. 

If you want to read some of my writing, my books are on sale at smashwords.com – 25% off till the end of July.