This afternoon couldn’t have worked out better! It turned out so well, we’re planning on getting together again next month. Okay, we visited, we wrote, visited some more, watched the traffic coming to a standstill on the motorway outside the mall window and wrote some more.
Our local group comes up with a 250 word prompt for each monthly meeting. The other two gals worked on theirs while I worked on a scene in my novel.
None of us knew how the afternoon would turn out but in the end, all three of us were extremely pleased with the results.
Looking forward to Sunday afternoon when my laptop and I will be meeting two other gals for a few hours for a “writing” date. Never done this before. Don’t know what to expect. Might spend the entire time chewing the fat and brainstorming and in the end get very little writing done… still, if it gets the ideas percolating it won’t be a wasted afternoon.
The dreaded block has jumped up and smacked me up side the head. Egads! I hate it when that happens. It can be the stupidest of things that puts the brick wall up in front of me and it takes a while to break it down but I eventually get there.
At least I’m writing which is my goal for this year. Might not be working on my manuscript but at least I’m writing… here.
I think I’ll jump ahead to Chapter 9… see what mischief I can get up to there. I was pretty much that far along when I decided to go back and re-write the beginning.
Since having the first five pages of my Sarah’s Gift manuscript critiqued, I’ve taken those comments to heart and have totally re-written the opening.
Now it packs a punch and gets to the “turning point” in fewer pages! Yeah!!! But, I have to keep it off my blog and website because even though I’m the one who wrote it and put it on my “own” page(s), once it hits the Internet, it’s considered published. With all the work I’ve put into it with the goal of getting “my girl” published, I don’t want to prejudice my chances by doing something stoo-pid.
Besides when the good news that I’ve got a contract with a publisher, I will have the news posted at lightning speed! Followed closely by the pop of a champagne cork, naturally.
Well, so far in 2011 I’ve managed to write a little something every day which was the goal I set for myself.
And even though I might not have them on “paper” yet, I’ve managed to get lots of ideas down. To keep from having them disappear completely from the grey matter, I’ve e-mailed them to myself so I can refer to them periodically.
I’m not sure if I would refer to them as resolutions but I have an idea what I want to accomplish this year as far as my writing goes.
1. Learn as much as possible about the craft so I can perfect and sell my novel(s). To that end, I’m registered for a number of workshops and seminars this year beginning later this month.
2. Finish the current draft of my YA manuscript and send it out to publishers.
3. Write every day… whether it’s revisions, new material or even on my blog, get words onto “paper”. This one will be the most difficult since I work full time but it’s not an impossible goal.
Not resolutions as such but goals sounds better. More achieveable, not as daunting and if things don’t go according to plan, I won’t feel so much a failure for not sticking to them.
Well, here it is – the beginning of another year. Wonder what this one will have in store for me?
I managed to still be awake last night and see in the new year, which still has me boggled. I’m usually a-snooze on the couch long before that.
Not feeling very motivated so far. Got a roast into the crock pot for supper and have had my first coffee of the day. Soon will be starting the dismantling of the Christmas tree and removing all the other festive decorations.
And no video clip for the “Death of my Christmas Tree.” Only upbeat things.
2011 has arrived in Scotland and the rest of the UK among other parts of the world but not for about another four hours here. My plan was to watch the fireworks and other Hogmanay celebrations in Scotland via web cam but it wasn’t to be. Too many other people with the same idea. Oh well.
At least my haggis hunting web cams were working so saw a wee bit of the Fireball Festival in Stonehaven and the concert in George Square in Glasgow.
And, horror of horrors, I actually managed to get some writing done! Woo-hoo!!!
Yup, I did. Here he is. Isn’t he cute? He’s soft and cuddly and the dog thinks he’s his toy. Not on your Nelly! My hippo isn’t a toy. He’s an eyeglass holder. You put your glasses in his mouth. And on his tummy, he has a pouch where he keeps a micro fiber cleaning cloth.
Got my nails done on Christmas Eve and let the girl ‘have her way with me’ as far as my new nail design went. This time I got snowflakes and glitter and my French manicure has a scalloped edge and hearts and is on the diagonal.
I think they turned out really well.
My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King
Here we are at the food court.
