I have something to confess to you. When I started JumpStartWriMo on June 1st, I also started walked 1 1/2 miles every day. As you know from previous posts, I have found that my creative juices really flow whenever I'm near water, or when I'm walking, and I knew that I would need some creative juices if I were going to reach my goals for JumpStartWriMo.
So far it has worked like magic.
The knot in my manuscript that was preventing me from finishing it was unraveled. Last night I stayed up late jotting down everything that came to me and it smoothed over all the issues I'd had with the thing. I edited three chapters yesterday and I am so ready to keep going today. My kids are even cooperating and giving me time on the computer. It's like everything is in place for me to finally sit down and knock this out of the park. And the added benefit is that I've lost two pounds. Who knows where I'll be by the end of the month, but today, I am feeling optimistic and positive about where my direction is.
How did you do yesterday? What gets your creative juices flowing and are you using it?
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
11 comments:
Sometimes I'll have good ideas when I'm relaxing in bed or settling down on the couch for a nap ... but then I fall asleep and often forget them when I wake up.
I like to walk, too, but I almost always listen to an audio drama of some kind when I'm strolling along, so that's not the time I use to think about my stories. Actually, I don't know where my creative juices flow the best. The only thing I do know that they try to pop up whenever I should be concentrating on something else, such as *looks around in embarrassment and lowers voice* when I'm at church.
I think my best ideas always come to me in the shower. I think this is because this is the only time I have that is (usually) uninterrupted. Generally the babies are asleep or my husband's home to watch them so I can forget everything except my WIP and really work on getting some good ideas going. 2853 words yesterday, plus two character sketches complete and a very bare-bones outline.
Melanie, I have to admit I've had flashes of inspiration for my stories at church as well. I've written them on programs and such and had some guilt feelings. But then I think what better place to get inspiration, right? :) Glad to see I'm not the only one.
Lindzee, I get shower inspiration, too, and maybe it's for the same reason as you! Alone time is a big deal when you're a mom. Congrats on so much progress!
I love days when everything comes together, it always restores my confidence. Walking is so good for the soul, I really need to do it more often!
I get inspiration when I take a nap, or just waking up in the mornings and I get to lounge some in bed (my children are married now *yay*), and I get inspiration when I'm in the shower, and in the bathtub (sans music), and sitting quietly typing. And, yes, I've jotted down notes in a special book I carry in my purse for when ideas come to me in church. I'm pretty sure we all do, and I'm pretty sure we all feel guilty about it, too, but when that idea comes into our minds and we pass up on that inspiration, then we didn't listen to that small voice in our heads that we've been told to listen to over and over again--in church lessons. Huh? In other words, we need to always keep our notebooks close at hand and write when the inspirations come. This is our gift, and hiding it under a bushel is frowned upon.
Ideas mostly come to me when I'm in the car while my husband is driving. And the children aren't with us. I think it's the only time my mind can really wander with no responsibility.
I'll second a lot of these - times when I'm alone with my thoughts. (Sometimes, I'm just alone, though.)
473 words yesterday.
I must not be doing this right. I remember that one of Stephanie's books had this dinner conversation where the MC is trying to extract information from a suspect and it lasts like 14 pages. I have a dinner conversation and I get 2 pages out of it. (Mind you, no suspects are involved here, so maybe it's ok.)
I told my wife last night that I just want to complete the story and if it's only 100 pages, so be it! Gotta start somewhere! It's not like I'm expecting a masterpiece my first time around.
BLEEEEEERG I hate you. (Not really, of course.)(I lost a couple pounds in April, but have gained them back, and now have a scale to verify this. I hate the scale, too.)
Like 15 minutes ago I was sitting here thinking about how I just can't balance everything--I can't be a wife & mom and write as much as I want and exercise and study the scriptures all in one day. SO sometimes (like today, when I have a deadline for crit group and an intensive online class), I just pick one. It's writing. (Poor kids. Oh well, we had a fun day yesterday, and we will Wednesday and Thursday, and today, once the birthday girl wakes up from her nap.)
I love the idea of thinking of ideas at church as INSPIRATION! I have decided to banish guilt if I just write down the ideas on Sunday. If I don't write them down, I'll either forget them (and be upset), or be unable to think of anything else--and that's hardly keeping the Sabbath holy, eh?
After dragging my butt back to yoga this morning, I can definitely say that exercise gives me more energy in the long run. I may feel physically tired, but my mind is whirring.
I also did a one-week carb cleanse--no carbs, notta one in any form--and that got me sleeping like a log and feeling fresh in the mornings. I highly recommend it, although your loved ones will suffer.
I love to go walking and allow myself to just think about my stories. It's one of the only times I get alone time.
I haven't written anything in my YA, but I have done three sweeps on my tech suspense and fixed a boatload of problems and plot holes. With the exception of one more reader read, and a "grammar check" the MS is done.
I realized something interesting today. Both of my finished Tech Suspense are really close in stats. Book #1 is 86,919 words, 306 pages and 45 chapters. Book #2 is 86,729 words, 308 pages, and 49 chapters. I definitely have a "style/consistency" in my writing.
Yay for progress!!!
Post a Comment