Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Ups & Downs, as Expected

Here we are, Day 5 of the New Year, Day 2 of my New Schedule. How's it going, you ask? Well...

There are Ups: Yesterday I worked for 2 hours on my children's chapter book and made real progress.

There are Downs: Today I realized that while I know how it ends, I don't quite know how to get there. Also, all of my writing today in general was disappointing. My Inner Creator was napping, apparently. My Inner Editor was awake, though, and cranky! Maybe she'll wear herself out and take tomorrow off...

There are more Ups: Yesterday, I started reading One Year to a Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer's Art and Craft by Susan M. Tiberghien, and I didn't get all the way through Chapter 1 yet because every other page or so, there is an exercise. I love that! I thought that it would be read-the-chapter-do-the-exercises-at-the-end, which would have been fine, but practicing as I go is a way better choice for me.

The first lesson is about journaling, a thing I admit I do not do on a regular basis. What?! you exclaim, How can you be a writer and not keep a journal?! Well, I suspect that has something to do with not believing that I know how, and, being Me, I just didn't do it, rather than risk doing it wrong. Funny thing (and you probably know this), the only wrong way to keep a journal is to not keep a journal. But yesterday I wrote an entry (about what tools I'd like to have to help with my writing) and I chose an image from that entry (a space of my own) and I expanded on that image (including windows with sunshine and a door that closes) and I drew a mandala of that expansion:
(I am not an artist...)

I am looking forward to finishing the chapter today.

I can't think of any more downs. Except maybe I need more time allotted for housework. But an hour is 60 minutes more time than I had been doing so I think I'll keep it for now.

How are your resolutions going?

4 comments:

septembermom said...

Bel, sounds like you're motivated and determined to write. Don't worry about the downs. They come and they go. I also have avoided doing a journal, for whatever reason. You're giving me something to think about here. I need to start brainstorming or just purging my brain to get more creative each day. I haven't made any formal resolutions yet. I think I should start putting down some goals too.

Shannon said...

Sounds like you're off to a good year! Keep up the great work. =)

As for me...still working out my schedule. I'll figure it out soon.

Charmaine Clancy said...

Most of my writing days are waffled crap, so don't be harsh on judging your first draft - you write it down clumsy just to get the direction, then you'll rewrite it beautifully in the edits :-)
60 minutes is more than enough housework in one day (ick!) - I'm raising a crew of Sea-monkeys, and when they are big enough they can do my chores for me.
2011 rocks already!

Maria Rose said...

I think blogging counts as journaling

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