Weekly Progress Check-In

Welcome!  This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA chapter's weekly progress check-in.

Did you meet your writing goals last week?  What do you plan to accomplish this week?

Ah, Distractions

Current Project: Editing Highland Song
Status: Haven't started but will soon

Source: Uploaded by user via Chris on Pinterest

I am fortunate that I no longer have little children or older children to find other things for me to do. I babysit my granddaughter twice a week and I plan on not accomplishing anything those days. So, if I'm able during nap time to blog, write, or otherwise become productive I count that as a plus. 


So what is a distraction? I think blogging detours me from my writing but unfortunately if I wish to make some money from my books, I have to promote which means getting my name out there in cyber space. I have learned a lot by seeing other peoples blogs. Gosh one I was on recently had over one thousand followers. Whew... how on earth did she accomplish this? Time, creativity and promotion I would assume. 


I wish I could be as organized as Paty. I can't seem to say this time is for this and this hour is for that etc. If I could do this, I know I would be more productive. I believe one of my distractions is my exercise program. When I run in the morning, I'm so exhausted I can't seem to sit at the computer and put words down.


So my question to all of you is---drum roll please--what distracts you from writing? And what puts the fireworks into it?

DISTRACTIONS--CAN WE USE THEM TO OUR ADVANTAGE?

Current Project: LEGACY series
Status: Editing finished on book #3; time to edit book #4!
Posted by: Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel

I think most people have heard the quote, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results."

I've become more aware of this cycle in my own life recently, and am trying to change what I'm doing or at least how I'm thinking.

How can this apply to distractions?

Like Paty mentioned in Wednesday's blog post, I also have trouble saying "no" to family. Yet if I didn't set parameters, I'd get very little done. So I've hit a time limit compromise with family (and other distractions) by saying "I'll be writing for an hour, then we can go do…"

This can also work for distractions like e-mail or checking blogs--big distractions for me. I limit the time spent on e-mail to, say, half an hour, then switch over to writing. This has also made me faster at checking e-mail and less likely to follow links and get distracted on the Internet with what could be endless articles or videos.

Promotion is also a big distraction for me. Yes, I need to let readers know my books are available. However, if I don't take the time to write another good book, I won't have readers for long. So this distraction has taught me to become even more organized and to find a balance between writing and promotion. 

To paraphrase another familiar saying, distractions don't have to be problems, they can be opportunities!

Man can I relate...

Current Project: Logger in Petticoats
Status: 48,000+ words

To the topic this month: Writing with distractions. Holy cow!  I have had them in spades this year. And next year isn't looking any more promising.  My daughter from Alaska and her three will be returning in January until the end of March.  I love them and enjoy spending time with them but they drastically cut into my writing time. They don't mean to, but with an open air loft that I write in and three small kids playing. quarreling, and having to see what Grams is doing really makes it hard to write.


Then there's the part of me that can't say "no." I tend to do more things than I should. But I'm getting better at saying the "N" word. It's easier to do than shut out family. 


From now until Christmas my goal is to write hopefully two chapters a day. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. I have to finish this book. I want it ready to do final revisions and editing the first week of January. Which means I have to get 30,000 more words written between now and then.


So wish me luck... and quit distracting me! ;)


Paty


www.patyjager.net
www.patyjager.blogspot.com


*Note: Those are not caged animals they are my grandchildren. Who really do need a cage.  8^)

Weekly Progress Check-In

Welcome!  This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA chapter's weekly progress check-in.

Did you meet your writing goals last week?  What do you plan to accomplish this week?

Distractions Getting You Down? What Are You Afraid Of?

Current Project: Revisions Blindsight
Status: 25% complete

I’ve come to the conclusion that distractions are in the eye, ear, mind, etc., of the beholder.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that insisting on a ‘perfect’ environment for writing is one way to not write. We often view obstacles as roadblocks when we are afraid. After we work through our fears, we view obstacles as problems to be solved. 

Then we find solutions.

So if you find yourself distracted to the point of non-progress, take a step back. What are you afraid of?

Although I can tune out visual distractions fairly easily (like a messy desk), I have a hard time tuning out auditory distractions when they reach a certain decibel level. Since my husband’s hearing is deteriorating, but he likes to watch TV and hates closed captioning, this has been problematic. I don’t like to isolate myself in my office when he’s home in the evenings, but that’s when I write blog posts, catch up on email, etc. 

All summer, while I felt overwhelmed by visiting grandchildren and by the revisions waiting to be done on two manuscripts, I kept asking my DH to turn down the volume, although I knew he wouldn’t be able to hear and would have to turn it up again. Then a few weeks ago I realized that if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got. 

Why was I stuck in a ridiculous rut? Why was writing a chore instead of a joy?

Fear. I was afraid that I’d never get the revisions done. I’d missed several deadlines already.

I gave myself permission to take ‘as long as necessary’ to polish my manuscripts. As an unpublished writer, I can do that. So what if I pitched my book at a conference and got a request before it was polished? At least I had a good premise and presented it well.

My sister and I partnered to help us both get our writing back on track. We meet online most mornings for a couple of hours and report our progress to each other. We’ve both made steady progress and our production has increased over time. I’m on track to finish one manuscript by the end of the year.

Writing is a joy again. I’m feeling happier than I have in months.

And, guess what? A few days ago, I bought noise-cancelling headphones to wear when I work at night in the living room. 

(Bonus: they’re great for webinars, too!  And my DH, God bless him, has made an appointment to see if hearing aids have progressed enough to help his unusual pattern of hearing loss. Ten years ago, they hadn’t. But technology has come a long ways in ten years.)

WINNERS!

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Weekly Progress Check-in for 2011.

Paty Jager checked in every single week (a total of 48 weeks), and is our chapter member winner.  It's no wonder she's been having so much writing success with that kind of work ethic.  Congratulations, Paty!

(Genene Valleau was a close second at 44 check-ins, and I think it's no coincidence that these two members have been extremely productive this year.  A great incentive for the rest of us to participate regularly in the weekly updates.)

Our non-member winner is Annabeth Albert, who got back into her writing mid-year and checked in 26 times.  Send me your mailing address offline (to mail @ barbaracoollee . com) and your prize will be on its way to you.

Congratulations to everyone for their hard work this year.  The weekly check-ins will continue through December for those trying to finish up year-end projects, and then we'll have a new set of prizes available starting in January.

Quote of the Day

On the last day of November, we celebrate our progress in NaNoWriMo:

"Writing the last page of the first draft is the most enjoyable moment in writing. It's one of the most enjoyable moments in life, period." --

Nicholas Sparks 

Weekly Progress Check-In

Today is Monday, November 28, 2011.


This is the final "official" weekly check-in of the year!  Post in the comments how your year went, and let us know if you met your own personal writing goals.

We will announce winners of non-member prizes soon, so check back to see if your name is posted as a winner.

Our chapter members will receive prizes at our holiday party in December.  

Congratulations on all your hard work this year.  We'll post weekly check-ins for the month of December as well, for those who are writing through the holidays.  Be sure to come back the first Monday in January to set new goals for 2012.

Passing Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas

Current Project: Promoting the Highland Series
Status: virtual tour begins November 28th 

Source: Uploaded by user via Chris on Pinterest

Highland Honor is the first of the three books series. I'm truly excited about this tour. Everything about Goddessfish promotions is professional. (No they didn't ask me to do a plug for them) I am hoping to sell a lot of books. I have twenty stops in four weeks. I can't wait to see how this will turn out. It was a lot of work putting together articles and interviews for the tour but it was also fun. I think the hardest part was keeping everything organized. I put one interview in the trash and I thought I sent one back but had not done so. The people at goddessfish are very patient. I would think you would have to be to do this. And did I mention organized? They have to be soooo.... organized. 


Nano is something I have never done. I either sit down and write or I have other projects that have more pressing needs. Although I have challenged myself to write more in other months. Until this year I have been working in November. Now I know some of you work full time and still accomplish the goal of writing your book in a month. It just wasn't something I could do. But I so applaud those who do this challenge whether they succeed or not.


So  Go!  Fight!  Nano!

THE CASE AGAINST NaNoWriMo

Current Project: The LEGACY SERIES
Status: editing book #3
Posted by: Genie Gabriel

Yes, I'm about to embark on a blasphemous path. I'm going to give you some reasons NOT to participate in NaNoWriMo. Please, don't throw rotting vegetables just yet. If you've committed the unpardonable and are struggling to keep up with your word-count goal of National Novel Writing Month, you can probably add reasons of your own to this list. And if you're writing almost 2000 words a day, you probably don't have time to read this anyway.

So, here are my reasons not to join the NaNo craze.

1. Are you crazy? The holiday season is bearing down on us with all the sympathy of an earth-destroying asteroid. Who is going to make sure the retail stores make their way into the black if the entire population is (gasp!) doing something creative and productive? 

2. Are you crazy? Who would go on a crash diet on Thanksgiving day, with Christmas candies, cookies, pies and other yummy desserts just around the corner? So why draft a book now? Wait until tomorrow or the next day or the next…

3. Are you crazy? I have three books to promote during November and another two to edit. I'm way past the time when my words on a computer can be a crappy draft. Everything I'm writing now has to be polished to a gleaming finish.

4. Are you crazy? Sitting at the computer for eight or ten hours a day does nothing but broaden my fanny and make my back ache. I would be frozen in hunker-down mode and have to be pried out of the chair with the jaws of life.

5. Are you crazy? Why would I want to scale back my writing to a mere 50,000 words a month? I have deadlines to meet! Doggies to feed! A mortgage to pay!

Hopefully you've guessed by now I wanted a chuckle this morning and took it out on you--the blog readers. 

For those in the throes of NaNoWriMo, I wish you luck in meeting your goals. For those who aren't participating, you have 341 days (more or less) to come up  with a reason NOT to do NaNo next year. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you have much for which to give thanks!

Plugging Along

Current Project: Logger in Petticoats
Status: 42,000 words


No one has thrashed me enough with a wet noodle this month or I would be farther along on this WIP.  Something I'm learning from this project is I have to have my heart fully engaged in the story for it to flow smoothly from my fingertips.


Don't get me wrong I love my hero and heroine and I love the Halsey family, but because this premise is my second choice for this book I've had a harder time getting it written. That and outside influences have made my writing feel like I'm grinding my fingers in a meat grinder.


My goal is to have this book finished and polished by mid December. That means I have to seriously dig in and get to writing so once Thanksgiving is over I have to stick my nose to the computer monitor and my fingers to the keyboard and not look up until the dang thing is done. 


Easier said than done this time of year!   


How are those of you on a schedule or doing NaNo coming along? Better than I have?

I received the cover for the final book in the Spirit Trilogy. If doesn't quite match the other two but not a whole lot I can do about it.


Paty Jager
 www.patyjager.net
www.patyjager.blogspot.com

Outlining

Most Recent Read: Destined, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Current Read: Ganymede, by Cherie Priest

Planned Next Read: Magic on the Line, by Devon Monk

I have a confession to make. I have a book so close to having its first rough draft completed. I 'interviewed' characters prior to starting the writing process. Knew where I wanted the book to end. Knew high points I wanted to hit while writing. And then I started writing. One word after another. Straight through. To the end.

Uh, where are the chapters? You know, those minor things with the cliffhanger endings that compel the reader to turn the next page because they have to know WHAT COMES NEXT?

Umm... Going to add in those (minor? MAJOR!) details when I get done with the first draft? Uh-oh.

Yeah. So. Can I forgive myself for not doing it right the first time?

Okay, here's the thing. I have asked so many, many authors this question: what is the right way to write a book? And they have all responded the same way: there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to write a book. You have to figure out YOUR way, that works for YOU. And do it.

So, if I allow that what I did isn't a wrong way to write, then I ask myself, Was this the smartest, most efficient way I could write my first draft? The only answer I have is, No.

Now I have a 10+ foot long sheet of white paper stretched across the living room wall. It has a lovely (pink!) arc stretching from end to end. With tic marks going across the arc. Penciled in are the ending of the book and, going backwards from the end of the paper to the beginning, are chapters, with short notes on what happens in each chapter.

The reason this creative outline is backwards is because of something I already have done hundreds of times, both at home and at my dayjob. Problem solving. Whenever I have a problem to resolve, I look at the problem and ask myself, How did this get here and what do I have to do to fix it? Then I 'back walk' the problem, from step Z to step A, until I arrive at the beginning and can begin moving forward through the steps, correcting as I go, until I arrive at the problem and can fix it. So I decided to apply this process to outlining my book. Why not? It's worked for me on a daily basis for years, and it is something I am thoroughly comfortable with doing. Outlining the book this way is such an obvious answer, I wonder why I didn't see it before.

What kinds of learning experiences did you have, while working on writing your book(s) that helped you become a stronger, more efficient author?

Outlining

Most Recent Read: Destined, by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Current Read: Ganymede, by Cherie Priest
Planned Next Read: Magic on the Line, by Devon Monk

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, November 21, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 40 days left in 2011.

How are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum. Tell us how it's going, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week. A page a day is a book in a year. You can do it!

NaNoRevMo Update

Current Project: NaNoRevMo
Status: In Progress

How’s it going? Hmmm, let’s see:

My goal is to finish revisions and polishing of my last manuscript.

• Maintaining laser-like focus?
  When I’m writing, yes. But I’m not writing as much as I’d like. Between houseguests, a convention, blog administration, and online training for migrating the RCRW website to MyRWA, I’m not all that focused.
• Write in parallel with a partner?
  This has been happening three days a week. I like it because it’s like I have an appointment to write.
• Making amazingly fast progress on revisions and polishing?
  Nope, but making faster progress than I was before NaNoRevMo.
• Planning to continue?
  DEFINITELY!!!

Quote of the Day

Some quotes for NaNoWriMo from Nora Roberts, an expert at writing well and writing quickly:

"I don't fiddle or edit or change while I'm going through that first draft."

"I generally write a first draft that's pretty lean. Just get the story down."

"You can fix everything but a blank page."

Go With The Flow

Writing isn't easy. It takes discipline to find the time to write, assuming you're not a full-time writer, and then to actually sit your backside in a chair and do it. You can always find excuses to avoid writing and usually they're things most people would find reasonable—you need to clean the house, go grocery shopping, make dinner. And at the end of the year, it takes a near herculean effort not to succumb to the Big Excuses—holiday planning/decorating/meal cooking/gift shopping. I mean, the holidays are already stressful enough and you don't want to let your friends and family down, right?

Wrong. You've forgotten one very important person: You. When you, as a writer, don't prioritize your writing and always (or mostly) let other distractions take precedence, you're letting yourself down. I don't mean your writing absolutely has to come always first, but it should be important enough to come first a fair amount of the time. It's called balance, something we could all do with more of in our lives.

That's one of the reasons why I think NaNoWriMo is great for a lot of people. I'll freely admit it isn't for everyone. But for some people, NaNo has turned out to be the one month of the year they're able to truly prioritize their writing as task numero uno. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because they can point to the website and say, "See? I'm participating in a national event. I just can't do x-y-z until I've reached my word count for the day." Or, maybe it's the feeling of we're-all-in-this-together comradery at the write-ins that spurs people on to continue writing.

It's as if once you start writing, the words suddenly just keep flowing. My advice: Go with the Flow. Make it a habit and keep going. (Surprise! For those who only write during NaNoWriMo, if you keep writing after November the words still flow.)

One note. Don't forget to back up your work! My rule is: Save Early and Often. Turn on automatic saving, manually save frequently, and create an archive back up after each writing session. Since I use Scrivener, I back up my Scrivener project to a zip file.

Another back up suggestion—save your back up file to multiple physical locations, in case of a disk crash. My two favorite "off computer" back up locations are an USB flash drive and Dropbox. If you've never heard of Dropbox, it's a cloud service and it's free for up to 2GB of storage (you can pay for more storage, but honestly I've been using it for months and haven't begun to make a dent in my storage space). You can access it from multiple devices (PCs, Macs, iphones, ipads, other smart phones, etc.) and you can share files with other people, if you choose, using different levels of permission. It's an amazing service.

So, find time to write and write as much as you can (turn off your internal editor!). Save your work frequently and copy your back up files to multiple storage devices. And above all, have fun!

I'm a bit behind on my NaNo goals, but I'm plugging away and writing every day. How's your NaNo journey going?

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, November 14, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 47 days left in 2011.

How are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum. Tell us how it's going, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week. A page a day is a book in a year. You can do it!

Sooo many blogs and sooo...little time!

Current Project: Sharks
Status: one more chapter

Source: finecraftguild.com via Chris on Pinterest

I'd like to wish everyone a very happy and fun fillied Thanksgiving with lots of wonderful food and quality time with families. 


Nano, nano finish the damn, I mean darn, novella. I've never taken so long to finish anything in my entire life. Procrastination did not play a part in the slowness of this project. The demon on my shoulder was the lack of inspiration. As usual though my characters took over and started writing the manuscript. Wow, thank you Lilly and Jacob for deciding what I could not. Thank you for stepping in, poking me in the arm, and taking over, telling me what you wanted. You two are my inspiration. And thank you Bentley for becoming the best bad guy ever.


I do not have the time to write 50,000 words in a month, at least not this month. But I decided to use nano to my advantage. My simplistic goal, finish the book by the end of November. I think it will be completed in the next week and the lead weight sitting on my shoulder will be lifted.


I also decided to try goddessfish promotions as I am rereleasing my Highland series. My virtual tour begins on November 29th and goes to December 23. I have answered interview questions and written articles for 18 different blogs. I am giving away a $50.00 gift card at Amazon to one randomly drawn commenter and a clan MacPherson book mark at each blog to one randomly drawn commenter. Now that most of the blogs are completed, I can sit back and watch. Hopefully I will sell lots of books, receive great comments, and meet new friends.


Any one know a way to make the picture smaller?