The Quiet Grace of a Forced Reprieve

Last year was The Summer of the Move.  The first part of the year seemed to be shaping up into The Year of the Medical Maladies.  However, (knock on wood) things seem to be settling down a bit, so I am hopeful that the remaining part of the year will be known as The Year I Finished My Novel.

Where I sit and write...or at least thing about writing.

 

While recovering from surgery, I wrote.  A lot.  That is the good thing about writing, even if you are unable to move around much–as long as you brain is fairly clear and your fingers function–you can work on stories.  Depending on the amount of pain medication the doctor prescribed, there may be a bit more revising that normally required, but at least you can work toward your word count.

 

The novelization of The Collector is progressing.  I hate to speculate on an estimated draft date, because every time I do that Life explodes all over my meticulously crafted spreadsheet and then days pass without pen being put to page.  No, it seems that I do better when I try not to tempt fate.  When I write quietly, sneaking in words when no one is looking, that is when I make real progress.

If you notice my relative quiet on Facebook and Twitter, it is because I am adding words towards my story rather than into the ether.  If days, or a week, or even two (ahem) pass without a blog post, it is because a plot point has suddenly become clear, or a character needs my attention.
I go to sleep thinking about the story, and I wake up with snippets of dialogue in my head.  I drive to work plotting out scenes, and I spend my lunch typing them out.  It is a comfortable kind of routine, and it is yielding progress.

However, truth be told, I am grateful for the forced reprieve of the past few weeks.  I am blessed with amazing friends, a good surgeon, and a family that repeatedly humbles me with their love and dedication.  My husband and kids have taken such good care of me, and my mom and dad have surrounded me with love and prayers.  Yes, I am definitely blessed.

Nothing like a cancer scare to make you reassess and prioritize things.

Death by Procrastination

There is the writing I love...the writing that wakes me up at night whispering ideas.  Then there is the writing that helps pay the bills.  Certainly, until I get the novel finished, the two will likely remain quite separate. 

The writing I love is so all encompassing that I scribble notes at stop lights, jots reminders on my arm with Sharpie, and chant bits of dialogue for fear of losing the idea before I can memorialize it.

The "other writing" can be a...chore. At times I feel like a rebellious ten year old, whining in her messy room, spending the day doing anything other than what needs to be done. 

I had no idea that procrastination was so exhausting.

What do you do when there are thing to be done, but you can't quite make yourself do them? 

Keeping Food on the Table

Over the past year, I have had a lot of requests to read short stories, chapters, and entire book manuscripts.  And, honestly, I love reading them, but I realized I was spending more time working on other writers' books than my own.  I also realized that I was having trouble finding enough time to work on my freelance writing. 

So, my desire to keep helping other writers, and to also keep food on the table, evolved into this:  Terri Wallace Freelance. 

It gets better!  If you are a follower of my blog, I will offer my editing services to you through February 28th, 2013, at HALF OFF my regular rates!  If you are interested, contact me at gingerlovinmind(at)gmail(dot)com.

108 Handwritten Pages and Counting

First, I should probably get you up to speed.  I am 108 handwritten pages into my novel.  I have to squeeze my writing time in between a full time job, a family, and, well, life in general.  I write on my lunch hour.  I write when everyone else is asleep.  I jot down bits and snippets on the back of napkins and envelopes.  I am one of "those" people. 

My goal is to write for at least an hour a day.  I estimate that I can get about three handwritten pages out of it.  I don't type it out on the computer because I can steal more writing time this way.  At some point, when I am further along, or perhaps even finished with my first draft, I will type it all out (revising along the way). 

I want to have the book available on Kindle within the year.  The blog title only mentions one year because, quite honestly, "Sometime Under One Year Until my Book is Available on Kindle" is a bit cumbersome to type and doesn't sound nearly as appealing (albeit more truthful).

So, here is where I will mark my progress, vent my frustration, and (hopefully!) garner some encouragement.  You will find out more about the books subject matter.  I might include rough ideas, character names, and snippets.  I will also keep you updated on when it is finally available!