What are one (or two) writing projects you want to
accomplish this year? What will be any obstacles you might encounter? I laughed
when I saw this Round Robin topic for January, because this year I have
committed to writing two books, one for release in May and the second in
October. Will there be obstacles? You betcha!
I have to say right up front that I’m something of a
hedonist, so my first and biggest obstacle is always myself. Yep, given a
choice between writing or sharing a glass of wine over lunch with a friend, the
lunch is likely to win out and writing will be put on the back burner – again.
I often have to put in catch-up time with my writing and
then will go through periods of ‘how-could-I-write-this-drivel’ and then panic
as I equate word count with my time frame. Not the smartest course. The smart
course would be to get the writing done first but I never professed to be
smart.
Another obstacle for me is that whatever my story sounds
like in my head, by the time it reaches the page it’s never the same. Being a
Virgo and therefore something of a perfectionist, I might then write and
re-write the same scene a dozen times before I’m happy enough with it to move
on. I’ve tried just letting it go, I really have but, like sand in a shoe, it
keeps irritating me until I go back and fix whatever it is I think needs
fixing.
Usually the parts that have given me sleepless nights are
the parts that my critique partners have no trouble with, and parts I think are
fine my beta readers will question. I try to get out of my own way in order for
the writing to flow, which I wish it did as easily as the ideas I get. Not
content with working on my two books for this year, I have also committed to a
Christmas themed novella.
That should be easy right? I mean, I have 10 months to
write it in between working on the other two. But winter doesn’t last forever
and then there will months when sunshine will tempt me out of doors, whether it
be for gardening, hiking or just sitting on the deck. There might be a camping
trip or two, and always the movies and my writing group. Ah well. That’s just
me. I always get there in the end.
Visit these fine authors to see what obstacles they come
up with.
Margaret Fieland http://www.margaretfieland.com/blog1/
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-Bm
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Kay Sisk http://kaysisk.blogspot.com
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Hollie Glover http://www.hollieglover.co.uk
Helena Fairfax http://helenafairfax.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/
Oh Victoria, I so recognise that friend's tempting offer. throw a retired hubby, a grandchild or two and some dear elderly neighbours into the mix and it's pretty soon - "Writing? What writing?" Good luck with it all, anne stenhouse
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much better I feel now Anne, knowing that I'm not the only one struggling with the mix!
DeleteI share many of the situations you mention. It's like I can't move on until a solve some obsessive-compulsive driven, occasionally imaginary issue. Plus, like you, those live your own life impulses.
ReplyDeleteIt sometimes bugs the heck out of me that I can get so hung up on a scene. I have one now, and will shortly be opening my file and sorting out exactly where my ship's captain is going to introduce himself.
DeleteI can certainly relate, but it sounds like it works for you and you get their in the end. Have a great year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started writing seriously I really worried about 'rules of writing', until I found there weren't any! Apart from the rules of grammar, which are finite, the way you choose to produce your work is yours alone. What works for one, doesn't necessarily work for another. Vive la difference!
DeleteNeed to get a laptop so you can be out in the sunshine AND work on your WIP
ReplyDeleteHi Victoria, I so sympathise with your struggle to sit down and write. And with me it's not even just sunshine or a nice lunch - sometimes I'll do ANYTHING rather than write. Even cleaning the bathroom seems a better alternative!
ReplyDeleteI hope I do "get there" in 2016, despite everything, and wishing you the same. Best of luck with your projects!