The two-month writing race starts on Tuesday, and it's going to be a doozy. So, I need a game plan. Namely, I need to figure out what I'm going to write.
Key parts of the figuring:
1. It's a writing contest, not a re-writing contest, so edits don't count for word count, which means
2. My original plan to be working on revising my old Oracle material right now won't fit, but
3. I'm going to need a CWC submission during the contest and I'm really wanting to make progress on Oracle and not just sideline it in favor of a new project, so
4. I've decided to continue with the blind re-write, but
5. This is going to be a marathon race, not a sprint, and sometimes I get stuck. If all I'm working on is Oracle, running into a road block means game-over, so
6. I spent a lot of time over the past two days coming up with and developing an idea for a new novel to start on if Oracle stumps me, therefore
7. I've got a plan.
I'm going to keep on keeping on with Oracle without going back to the pages I originally wrote, and I'm working on my project B if I get stumped. Doing a blind rewrite on a whole novel is not something I'd ever have planned on, but it seems my best option right now. While I could just dive into project B for the contest, and submit it for my CWC obligation, it seems like cheating to me and it's been so long since my first try at Oracle that I'd really like to get it done instead of shelving it again.
I am totally intimidated by a two-month long contest, and I have no idea how this is going to go. But, I know that I'll get some pages written and, however it goes down, it should certainly prove interesting. Whether or not I'll cry remains to be seen, though I know Jenny's hoping for tears, that meanie.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Lots and Lots and Lots
The past few days I've been on a polymer clay bender. Goodbye kitchen table, hello beads, beads, and more beads. Whew.
Then, Jenny goes and decides that to help her meet her goal of writing 200 pages in two months, she's putting out a challenge. A two month writing race is intimidating, the two I've done before have both been more like two weeks, but, let's face it, I'm too hard headed to back away. Jenny put out the challenge, John jumped on it, and, after trying to talk myself out of it, I'm throwing my hat in the ring too.
Goodbye polymer bender, hello writing bender.
If it isn't one thing, it's the other. At least now I've got a ready-made challenge for myself for June.
Then, Jenny goes and decides that to help her meet her goal of writing 200 pages in two months, she's putting out a challenge. A two month writing race is intimidating, the two I've done before have both been more like two weeks, but, let's face it, I'm too hard headed to back away. Jenny put out the challenge, John jumped on it, and, after trying to talk myself out of it, I'm throwing my hat in the ring too.
Goodbye polymer bender, hello writing bender.
If it isn't one thing, it's the other. At least now I've got a ready-made challenge for myself for June.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Traveling Photos
Boy am I ever tuckered out. The first part of May went by in a flash as I graded finals, submitted grades, went to visit Casey in Florida, then drove to Grand Junction for Camii's wedding. All the travel was lots of fun, and it was really great to see my brother and Camii. But, I have to say I'm glad to be home for a while now.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Homework
In order to keep from over-reaching this month, I'm keeping things simple. The CWC crew has been assigned homework for the next meeting: expand one of the writing prompt responses into a whole story. For May, I'm going to make that my primary goal.
There's something about writing when other people are expecting results that helps to motivate me. It's an accountability thing. If I don't get my story done, the CWC crew will give me a hard time. If I don't get other things done, well, they just don't get done. Yes, I have to have 50 pages for the gang when my turn's up, but it doesn't automatically have to be 50 pages of anything specific. Anyhow, having the clear expectation and clear deadline is a good kick in the pants for me.
I'd challenge you to do something similar this month. Find someone who knows your writing and ask if they'd be kind enough to give you homework. It can be anything you want, but I'd recommend some kind of writing exercise instead of something that specifically relates to your current work in progress - this is more about shaking up your routine than just getting a few more pages written.
Alternately, I'd love to get some audience participation here. I had so much fun with the writing prompts at the meeting that I'm wondering what you think of writing prompts/exercises. Do you like them? Are there any in particular that you can tell me about? I'd love to hear about any that you've found especially fun, challenging, or productive.
Cheers all, and happy Cinco de Mayo!
There's something about writing when other people are expecting results that helps to motivate me. It's an accountability thing. If I don't get my story done, the CWC crew will give me a hard time. If I don't get other things done, well, they just don't get done. Yes, I have to have 50 pages for the gang when my turn's up, but it doesn't automatically have to be 50 pages of anything specific. Anyhow, having the clear expectation and clear deadline is a good kick in the pants for me.
I'd challenge you to do something similar this month. Find someone who knows your writing and ask if they'd be kind enough to give you homework. It can be anything you want, but I'd recommend some kind of writing exercise instead of something that specifically relates to your current work in progress - this is more about shaking up your routine than just getting a few more pages written.
Alternately, I'd love to get some audience participation here. I had so much fun with the writing prompts at the meeting that I'm wondering what you think of writing prompts/exercises. Do you like them? Are there any in particular that you can tell me about? I'd love to hear about any that you've found especially fun, challenging, or productive.
Cheers all, and happy Cinco de Mayo!
Went Over Like a Lead Balloon
I have to confess, I totally bombed my April goal. My idea of getting in four solid hours of writing on Oracle came out to not writing any Oracle at all. The 1.25 hours of writing I did get in were all on other things. About half an hour of that came from the CWC meeting and responding to writing prompts. The rest came from working on our May CWC homework - expanding one of the prompt responses into a whole story.
The good news is I've got a new short project to work on, which is fun. It's also still pretty low stakes writing, since it came from a game and I have to get it done quickly.
For May, I've got lots of things going on and though it'll be a different type of busy than April was (i.e. no ton of end-of-semester grading, no finals, etc.), it'll still be plenty busy. So, I'm going to think small scale...
The good news is I've got a new short project to work on, which is fun. It's also still pretty low stakes writing, since it came from a game and I have to get it done quickly.
For May, I've got lots of things going on and though it'll be a different type of busy than April was (i.e. no ton of end-of-semester grading, no finals, etc.), it'll still be plenty busy. So, I'm going to think small scale...
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