Digging out the ruler.

After spending a few months on a writing forum that will remain unnamed, I have noticed a lot of measuring going on. Many people seem to be caught up in how many words others are producing in a set amount of time and trying to figure out how they measure up.

While aspirations are undoubtedly a good thing I can't help but feel drawn back to school where I would listen to the guys I hung out with talk about who had the biggest dick.

Now much like the measuring contest of yesteryear writing measurements don't tell us a whole lot. There are extreme cases like where a writer does only ten words a week that we could compare to a 1 inch penis but for the most part writers will write however much works for them.

I'm not going to say I never have the urge to whip out the ole yard stick and see how I do compared to others, but people like Lori or Scarlett would just give me an inferiority complex and the writers version of erectile dysfunction (also known as writers block). This hardly seems constructive.

Instead I concentrate on my own writing and set my own goals. For me I will be content to write, edit, polish, and submit one novel a year. Other people would cry if they couldn't finish one in a month. There is nothing wrong with either of those goals as long as the writer picks one for themselves rather than force it upon themselves because they feel inferior otherwise.

I could probably bang out many thousand words in a day but I prefer to put out words that make sense when strung together and that takes time for me.

I also have to wonder how much time writers loose to wangsting about poor output when they could be using that time to actually .... you know.... write words.

Of course I coudl be writing words instead of wangsting about wangsting but, I'm a special case.

The letter C

So haven't had any new entries in mt smexopedia lately.

I'm a slacker get over it.

The letter C is next in the alphabet and for this one I bring you Dane Cook

picking but not packing

So I have been picking away at Sariel but not making nearly as much progress as I would like. Out of the progress I have made far too much of it is in red ink.
For those of you not acquainted with my anal retentive nature, red ink is place holders. Mark sets the table while chewing Miya out. would be an example. Now the prose sucks but I know what has to go there and it allows me to move on. Well in theory that's what it does. In reality all it does is give me something to wangst over while I try to write the rest of the story.

Blender (my short) is moving along much better and I think I have a better feel for where I want to go with it now. All I need now is my own computer so I can get more writing time on it.


I have the ferry booked for July 23rd so that is the day I am moving off the island. I am SO not ready. Insurance still has all my stuff and I have painting and whatnot to do before the move as well.

Today will be my last day at work. Still have yet to figure out how I am getting home from that one as my van is in the shop.

My brother is flying in tomorrow to help us with the move. I am going to have to find some time to ignore him so I can write. He is pretty supportive of my writing though so that shouldn't be a problem. I also pick up my last cat from the kennel tomorrow.

Is it August yet?

Got bored

I was bored and blog stalking Lori when I found this. Seemed like a good cure for my boredom so here you go. Now you too can be bored out of your skull while you read it,

1) Where do you write?

Couch, van, work, bed, and at the computer desk. I think I may have consistency problems.

2) When do you write?

Usually when I should be doing other things. Between customers at work, When my son is occupied with video games, and when I want an excuse to be antisocial

3) Planner or Pantser?

Pantser. Complete and utter pantser. It is all outlined in my head but I have been known to scrap 90% of it.

4) Coffee or tea?

Coke (cola not contraband substances)

5) Pen and paper, or computer?

Pen and paper. It sucks for speed but my OCD can't handle my abysmal typing skills and still make progress.

6) What gets you in the writing mood?

Reading good books, watching good movies, and getting bills in my mailbox.

7) What pulls you out of the writing mood?

Having people touch me. Seriously I am not a touchy feely person and it messes with my mojo.

8) What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever read/heard/received?

"That's what first drafts are for." is right up there with "It's only words, you can change them later." .Wow sounds really lame when you write it out.

9) Got muse?

No but I have a cat does he count? I have a lot of inspiration but I think we all do the difference is what we choose to do with it.

10) Who is the biggest supporter of your writing?

My husband, brother and mother, and myself of course. It seems silly to list myself but without the faith in my own abilities I would never get anything done. Other people having belief and faith is not what allows me to take the leap and potentially waste hours/days/weeks of my life I am never going to get back. It is believing in myself that gives me permission to do that.

11) Sound or Silence?

am pretty sure silence is an urban legend. I have heard of it but never experienced it for myself.

http://emilymurdoch.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/got-muse-a-writer-to-writer-meme/

The end is in sight

Not on either of my WIPs (that would be too much to ask for) but insurance will be settled up from the fire sometime this month (15th at the latest). Personally I think 5 months is a ridiculous time span but it will be behind us soon.

With all things insurance related slowly winding down the move is looming before me. I don't really want to move as I hate it with every fiber of my being and would rather give myself a home lobotomy but it is happening in three weeks anyways.

Now writing must start ramping up as well.

I built myself a wall when it came to writing and it took me almost a month to realize it. As Sariel grew I began to feel the story was rapidly outpacing my writing ability. Nine years away from the writing game suddenly seemed like a lifetime and with every word I felt as if rust was flaking off the gears.

I would write in a frenzy and then throw it all away because it sucked. Well it really did suck but I realized I was not giving it my best and that was why. If I never finished the thing then I could not be rejected or ridiculed and THAT was starting to look like a winning proposition.

When quitting started to look like an attractive option I knew I had a serious problem. I have walked away from projects before but never one I had invested so much time in. I had a million excuses (husband, son, work, insurance, getting ready to move) but no real reason for my abysmal writing performance. In an effort to self correct I actually broke down and outlined. OK so it is only eight lines scribbled on a cash register receipt but it told me where I need to go next and I have no excuse for getting off track now.