One of these days my friends I am sure I will check-in and actually achieve all my goals. Like I used to....remember those good old days? Well this week hasn't seen much more success through one reason or another. On Monday I sat down and wrote 279 words and that is all I have written this week. Many reasons why, I won't bore you with them now but getting into the habit of daily writing is proving hard at the moment.
I have thought alot about why I am struggling to make myself sit down and write and yes work is busy but it is only going to get busier. I think it is because I am heading towards writing The End and I kind of know I am rushing it as well as heading into my first ever time editing something which terrifies me.
But I have a plan.
I have two more weeks of School and then a week off (side bar - when my niece or nephew is due!) and then after that the first few weeks of school are all consuming with reports to write for each child, sports' day to organise and practise for, parents evenings, new children visiting amongst other things! Therefore after said week off I am no doubt going to struggle to write but doesn't everyone say once you write The End you should leave your WIP alone for a while? So really that would be a natural break. So really I need to finish my WIP in the next three weeks.
I am DETERMINED to do this!!
It seems mad since my writing has been so patchy but I am putting it out there, declaring my intent and I know you will all be supportive and I really feel like I can do it!
So, my slightly changed goals (note the lack of exercise.....)
1)
By 11th of June have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2)
Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3)
Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge (or as much as I can!).
4)
Review one book a month.
I am reading book 36 of the year and technically should be finishing book number 40 today so a bit behind but still in the game!! I was thinking of reviewing Insurgent for my May book but I am sooooo worried about accidently spoiling it even if I am careful so I will pick another book.
Oooooh....I just realised it is my blog's first birthday on the 13th of June! Finishing my WIP before then would be a lovely birthday present!!
I hope everyone is fully in the swing of the round by now and I look forward to chekcing out how everyone is getting on!
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Sunday, 13 May 2012
ROW80 13th May 2012
Well there isn't much to say but I thought I should check-in so I don't go completely off the rails!
Recap of goals:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
So...
Monday started well and I sat down and the words poured out so I wrote well above my test mile at 449 words.
On Tuesday I wrote 276 words so still met my test mile. But man, these words were hard to get down and seemed to take me ages but I persevered.
On Wednesday I was out and stayed out much later than expected so nothing was done. Then Thursday I was shattered from Wednesday and had work work to do in the evening. On Friday I was out and yesterday I was out. Gosh that just seems like a stream of excuses.
I must have had time to write as I read on these days but I just didn't. Sigh.
So I did write a tiny bit but not enough and I really am closing in on the end of my WIP so I can't work out why I am not more motivated. Maybe it is the fear of finishing and having to deal with editing. Who knows! But I hope this week I write more, at least my test mile everyday.
I am reading book 35 of my challenge (which is Insurgent by Veronica Roth which may be my book review this month, I am loving it already!) and I should be finishing book 38 today so I am a few behind but there is a lot of the year left!
Exercise. Let's not go there.
So very mixed bag week and I hope to get into a better routine this week.
I hope you have all had good weeks!!!
Recap of goals:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
So...
Monday started well and I sat down and the words poured out so I wrote well above my test mile at 449 words.
On Tuesday I wrote 276 words so still met my test mile. But man, these words were hard to get down and seemed to take me ages but I persevered.
On Wednesday I was out and stayed out much later than expected so nothing was done. Then Thursday I was shattered from Wednesday and had work work to do in the evening. On Friday I was out and yesterday I was out. Gosh that just seems like a stream of excuses.
I must have had time to write as I read on these days but I just didn't. Sigh.
So I did write a tiny bit but not enough and I really am closing in on the end of my WIP so I can't work out why I am not more motivated. Maybe it is the fear of finishing and having to deal with editing. Who knows! But I hope this week I write more, at least my test mile everyday.
I am reading book 35 of my challenge (which is Insurgent by Veronica Roth which may be my book review this month, I am loving it already!) and I should be finishing book 38 today so I am a few behind but there is a lot of the year left!
Exercise. Let's not go there.
So very mixed bag week and I hope to get into a better routine this week.
I hope you have all had good weeks!!!
Monday, 7 May 2012
ROW80 Check-in (late!) 7th May 2012
Not a lot to report again. I feel I have lost my way slightly this round through one thing and another but I am going to get back on track. I REALLY AM!!!
Goals are as before:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
Today is a new day and I am aiming to get back on track starting with my 250 words test mile. I haven't written in weeks since I got that bug and was wiped out for a week or so. My laptop is still poorly so good old pen and paper for me which is fine as I was writing in a notepad anyway the last couple of months.
I have read lots though although think I am still behind where I should be for the 100 books in a year challenge. I am currently reading book 33 of the year. As it is already May that seems further behind than I should be! Eeeeek! But there is time :) Must stay positive.
I hope everyone is doing well and I am sorry I have been so absent recently but without a laptop I am struggling as my phone can only do so much!!!
Fingers crossed next time I beg, borrow or steal a laptop I will have more to report!! Have a great week!
Goals are as before:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
Today is a new day and I am aiming to get back on track starting with my 250 words test mile. I haven't written in weeks since I got that bug and was wiped out for a week or so. My laptop is still poorly so good old pen and paper for me which is fine as I was writing in a notepad anyway the last couple of months.
I have read lots though although think I am still behind where I should be for the 100 books in a year challenge. I am currently reading book 33 of the year. As it is already May that seems further behind than I should be! Eeeeek! But there is time :) Must stay positive.
I hope everyone is doing well and I am sorry I have been so absent recently but without a laptop I am struggling as my phone can only do so much!!!
Fingers crossed next time I beg, borrow or steal a laptop I will have more to report!! Have a great week!
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Book review - About Last Night by Adele Parks
From the back cover:
"HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO SAVE YOUR BEST FRIEND?
For thirty years, best friends Steph and Pip have been through thick and thin. Selfless and trusting, there's nothing they would not do for one another. Until a few simple words change everything.
'I need you to say that I was with you.'
Steph, eternally solid and dependable, is begging her friend to lie to the police as she's desperately trying to conceal not one but two scandalous secrets to protect her family. Pip, self-consigned to the role of scatty hot-head, is overwhelmed; she's normally the one asking for help in a crisis.
Steph's perfect life will be torn apart unless Pip agrees to this lie. But lying will jeopardise everything Pip's recently achieved after years of struggle. It's a big ask.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"
The question 'what would I do?' ran through my head constantly as I read this book and even after finishing it I am still not sure what I would do. I found it hard to put it down especially towards the end when the emotions were running high. The story feels a very honest portrayal of many women's friendships covering the love, resentment, obligations and care many relationships involve. What I enjoy about Adele Parks' books is that she doesn't shy away from these more ugly sides to us humans. Who can honestly say they have never resented a friend, been jealous or felt obliged? Because these ugly but real emotions are dealt with often I find some of the characters difficult to like but that makes it all the more real for me. To be annoyed by someone in a book is a wonderful thing to me!
About halfway through the book I decided it would be my April review. From that point on I kept half a mind on why I was enjoying it and what I felt was working so well and I think part of the answer is the detail. Each character has clear characteristics that are sewn in amongst the plot. It makes them more human and allows you to know the characters and visualise them clearly in your head.
An example I like of this involves Steph's father on page 354:
'He never came downstairs without showering and dressing first, not even on Christmas
morning. Steph had never seen him in his pyjamas, except once when he was bed-
bound with a particularly vicious bout of flu. His rule was that once up, you should get
dressed, open the curtains and, ideally, go for a walk; he believed each day should be
greeted with some enthusiasm.'
All these little details and anecdotes make for well-rounded characters and it hit me smack between the eyes that I don't know my characters as well as this and I am nearing the end of my WIP. This is something I really need to work on and I knew it but I was ignoring it. It is all a learning curve though so I am not going to worry! I will save that until the editing stage.
Since publishing her first book in 2000 Adele Parks has published a book a year, how inspiring is that? To me that is the dream. To be focused enough to produce interesting, heartfelt stories year after year. I am so excited that her next book (according to the Bonus Material at the end of this book) is set in Dartmouth, the town in which I live! I cannot wait to see what she makes of this beautiful place.
If you like novels that focus on relationships of all kinds and have challenging and interesting characters you should really check out any of Adele Parks' books. Each one I have read I have enjoyed and they make me think long after I have finished them.
A link to her website can be found here.
ROW80 Check-in 25th April 2012
Well I haven't an awful lot to check in about today as this time last week I had just come down with a horrible bug that wiped me out for a good three or four days. All my best laid plans and motivations went out the window and I spent all my time in bed dozing and watching television. I didn't feel up to reading. Now you know how bad it was! Not only was I poorly but my laptop has been all kinds of crazy and I just finished a two hour restore which fingers crossed has solved the problem!
So my lovely goals haven't happened. They were:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
So none of these happened but it is ok because I was poorly and was experiencing technical difficulties. I have just finished a book though so have read 30 books so far this year!!! I did write a book review last week before everything hit the fan so will publish that after this check-in so I guess I can tick that one off. See, all is not lost!!! It is of Adele Park's latest book 'About Last Night' so check it out.
I hope to be back on the wagon tomorrow atleast with my test mile and hopefully will join in with some sprints. Onwards and upwards!
So my lovely goals haven't happened. They were:
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
So none of these happened but it is ok because I was poorly and was experiencing technical difficulties. I have just finished a book though so have read 30 books so far this year!!! I did write a book review last week before everything hit the fan so will publish that after this check-in so I guess I can tick that one off. See, all is not lost!!! It is of Adele Park's latest book 'About Last Night' so check it out.
I hope to be back on the wagon tomorrow atleast with my test mile and hopefully will join in with some sprints. Onwards and upwards!
Sunday, 15 April 2012
ROW80 Check-in 15th April 2012
Week two complete and all weekly goals met! Hooray!
Recap of my goals.
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
Here is how my week since Wednesday has gone.
Thursday
260 words written
One hour Aqua Aerobics
Friday
286 words written
Saturday
274 words written
10 minutes frantic hoovering (not counting as an exercise but a mini exercise!)
Sunday
266 words written
15 minutes walk (half uphill!)
So goals 2 and 5 ticked off. I have read more than two books this week which is great and I have loved having lots of reading time. I think I am still a couple of books behind where I should be at this point in the year in relation to the 100 book challenge but there is still lots of this year left!
I have decided I am going to review the book I am currently reading - About Last Night by Adele Parks. I am near the end so if I push on I could get this done this week or if not next weekend. I am really enjoying it and am looking forward to seeing how it pans out but I won't say any more now and will keep it for the review!
I feel I am closing in on the end of the WIP which is exciting but terrifying at the same time! I have been writing in a notepad with a pen rather than typing for the last few weeks. I'm not sure why, it just felt right so this will all have to be typed up at some point. The nagging doubts are settling in about whether any of it is any good at all but I am pushing the self-doubt to one side and just ploughing on. I will be back at work tomorrow so my routine will change but hopefully I will be able to join in with some #row80 sprints!
I hope everyone has had a good week :)
Recap of my goals.
1) By end of the round have a finished first draft of my WIP.
2) Test mile - 250 words a day. (1,750 words in a week)
3) Read two books a week for 100+ reading challenge.
4) Review one book a month.
5) Exercise twice a week.
Here is how my week since Wednesday has gone.
Thursday
260 words written
One hour Aqua Aerobics
Friday
286 words written
Saturday
274 words written
10 minutes frantic hoovering (not counting as an exercise but a mini exercise!)
Sunday
266 words written
15 minutes walk (half uphill!)
So goals 2 and 5 ticked off. I have read more than two books this week which is great and I have loved having lots of reading time. I think I am still a couple of books behind where I should be at this point in the year in relation to the 100 book challenge but there is still lots of this year left!
I have decided I am going to review the book I am currently reading - About Last Night by Adele Parks. I am near the end so if I push on I could get this done this week or if not next weekend. I am really enjoying it and am looking forward to seeing how it pans out but I won't say any more now and will keep it for the review!
I feel I am closing in on the end of the WIP which is exciting but terrifying at the same time! I have been writing in a notepad with a pen rather than typing for the last few weeks. I'm not sure why, it just felt right so this will all have to be typed up at some point. The nagging doubts are settling in about whether any of it is any good at all but I am pushing the self-doubt to one side and just ploughing on. I will be back at work tomorrow so my routine will change but hopefully I will be able to join in with some #row80 sprints!
I hope everyone has had a good week :)
Thursday, 12 April 2012
The Sunshine Award and The 7 Facts Tag
As I mentioned yesterday the lovely Shah passed me the Sunshine Award. It is such a happy, positive sounding award. So after I answer the required questions I will tag ten bloggers who make me smile and definitely brighten my days! I am going to kill two birds with one stone so the people I tag for the Sunshine Award are also the people I am tagging in the '7 Facts Tag' that Juliana tagged me in. I don't want anyone to feel pressured to answer all the questions but I also am trying to make it manageable for myself!!
First, the Sunshine Award questions. For such simple questions I was amazed at how hard to answer I found many of them but I tried my best!
1) Favourite colour? - Maybe a nice antique rose pink.
2) Favourite animal? - I like dogs (and am scared of cats!) but if we are going outside of the house I often think I would like a chimpanzee :)
3) Favourite number? - For some reason the number ten came to mind.I'm not sure if it is a favourite but that is what my gut reaction was.
4) Favourite non-alcoholic drink? - Coke. I try to drink diet but I just prefer the 'full fat' version. I like it at room temperature rather than chilled and prefer it without ice and lemon.
5) Facebook or Twitter? Tricky, tricky! Facebook is how I keep up with all my school/university friends who are now all over the place but nothing beats twitter for getting to know people and for lovely links to blogs. I also follow several of my writing heroes which I love. Can I have a bit of both?!
6) My passion? Again gut instinct is my friends and family. I am passionate about my job (teaching Nursery children) but friends and family sprung to mind.
7) Getting or giving presents? I am not going to lie, I love getting presents! I do think though, when you have found something you know someone is going to LOVE then it is so exciting to give it to them. Sometimes I find it hard to keep things a secret before the actual giving but I try hard ;)
8) Favourite pattern? I love love love Cath Kidston. She does lovely floral prints and I covet most of the things she sells. Lovely.
9) Favourite day of the week? I think Saturday. It is a non-work day and seems full of possibilities. You get a lie in and you know you might get one the next day too. Saturday is a fun day.
10) Favourite flower? I like sweet peas. I often say if I get married I would have them but they don't last long once cut but they are pretty and they smell divine.
So, now to pick ten lovely people who make me smile. I hope you all get time to answer the questions but if not I just want to tag you anyway! Please do check them out if you get the chance!
1) Newtowritinggirl
2) Nicole Basaraba
3) Lauren Garafalo
4) Nadja Notariani
5) Lena Corazon
6) Marie Andrews
7) Kat Morrisey
8) Juliana Haygert
9) Gene Lempp
10) Claudia Lefeve
Now onto 'The 7 Facts Tag'. Juliana wrote 7 facts about her 'writing life' so I am going to do the same. Some of these lots of you will already know :)
1) I am anonymous in the writing world much to the amusement of some of my ROW80 friends (Lauren and Juliana I am looking at you!). No-one knows what I look like or even my full name. I can't really explain why I am still in the writing closet but I don't feel ready to be 'out there'. It might be a confidence thing but I think a large part is as a teacher I am constantly in the 'public eye' and I like to be able to say what I think and feel without worrying about how I appear.
2) Only one person in my 'real' life knows I am writing a chick-lit book. She too is writing a chick-lit book so of course I can confide in her and it is lovely the support she gives me. I haven't told anyone else because like having a 'secret' hobby and I am waiting until I have actually finished something!
3) I took part in NaNoWriMo last November and won! I wrote a murder mystery book set in Devon before World War II. It remains unedited in a folder on my laptop and I am not sure if I will ever edit it or do anything with it.
4) NaNo helped me through a tricky break-up. I was all set to write chick-lit but I couldn't write about love but I found I could write about murder! It gave me structure, purpose and a lovely community of online writing friends. I nearly met real writers in my local area but the times of meetings never worked for me.
5) I am hopeless at backing up my work. Appalling. And since my laptop has recently packed up I am glad I have a clever brother-in-law who got my files backed up for me. Not that he knows what is in those files....!
6) I got scarily addicted to biscuits when I was writing during NaNo to the point that my laptop keys crunched with all the crumbs scattered around. I couldn't write without biscuits and coffee and it wasn't a god habit. I am now trying hard to not buy them because then I can't eat them. I still drink the coffee though.
7) I cannot write in silence. I tend to put something on the telly that I have seen many times (Harry Potter always works well) and that way I get background noise but I don't get distracted. I sometimes write to Beyonce when I need energy and I once sobbed along to Adele when writing a break-up scene. I think I need to investigate some soundtracks/classical music without words as they can be so emotive.
So there you have it, lots of information all about ME!!!! I hope you are still awake and you go and check out those lovely people tagged above when you get a chance if you don't know them already. They will put the kettle on and make you feel very welcome.
First, the Sunshine Award questions. For such simple questions I was amazed at how hard to answer I found many of them but I tried my best!
1) Favourite colour? - Maybe a nice antique rose pink.
2) Favourite animal? - I like dogs (and am scared of cats!) but if we are going outside of the house I often think I would like a chimpanzee :)
3) Favourite number? - For some reason the number ten came to mind.I'm not sure if it is a favourite but that is what my gut reaction was.
4) Favourite non-alcoholic drink? - Coke. I try to drink diet but I just prefer the 'full fat' version. I like it at room temperature rather than chilled and prefer it without ice and lemon.
5) Facebook or Twitter? Tricky, tricky! Facebook is how I keep up with all my school/university friends who are now all over the place but nothing beats twitter for getting to know people and for lovely links to blogs. I also follow several of my writing heroes which I love. Can I have a bit of both?!
6) My passion? Again gut instinct is my friends and family. I am passionate about my job (teaching Nursery children) but friends and family sprung to mind.
7) Getting or giving presents? I am not going to lie, I love getting presents! I do think though, when you have found something you know someone is going to LOVE then it is so exciting to give it to them. Sometimes I find it hard to keep things a secret before the actual giving but I try hard ;)
8) Favourite pattern? I love love love Cath Kidston. She does lovely floral prints and I covet most of the things she sells. Lovely.
9) Favourite day of the week? I think Saturday. It is a non-work day and seems full of possibilities. You get a lie in and you know you might get one the next day too. Saturday is a fun day.
10) Favourite flower? I like sweet peas. I often say if I get married I would have them but they don't last long once cut but they are pretty and they smell divine.
So, now to pick ten lovely people who make me smile. I hope you all get time to answer the questions but if not I just want to tag you anyway! Please do check them out if you get the chance!
1) Newtowritinggirl
2) Nicole Basaraba
3) Lauren Garafalo
4) Nadja Notariani
5) Lena Corazon
6) Marie Andrews
7) Kat Morrisey
8) Juliana Haygert
9) Gene Lempp
10) Claudia Lefeve
Now onto 'The 7 Facts Tag'. Juliana wrote 7 facts about her 'writing life' so I am going to do the same. Some of these lots of you will already know :)
1) I am anonymous in the writing world much to the amusement of some of my ROW80 friends (Lauren and Juliana I am looking at you!). No-one knows what I look like or even my full name. I can't really explain why I am still in the writing closet but I don't feel ready to be 'out there'. It might be a confidence thing but I think a large part is as a teacher I am constantly in the 'public eye' and I like to be able to say what I think and feel without worrying about how I appear.
2) Only one person in my 'real' life knows I am writing a chick-lit book. She too is writing a chick-lit book so of course I can confide in her and it is lovely the support she gives me. I haven't told anyone else because like having a 'secret' hobby and I am waiting until I have actually finished something!
3) I took part in NaNoWriMo last November and won! I wrote a murder mystery book set in Devon before World War II. It remains unedited in a folder on my laptop and I am not sure if I will ever edit it or do anything with it.
4) NaNo helped me through a tricky break-up. I was all set to write chick-lit but I couldn't write about love but I found I could write about murder! It gave me structure, purpose and a lovely community of online writing friends. I nearly met real writers in my local area but the times of meetings never worked for me.
5) I am hopeless at backing up my work. Appalling. And since my laptop has recently packed up I am glad I have a clever brother-in-law who got my files backed up for me. Not that he knows what is in those files....!
6) I got scarily addicted to biscuits when I was writing during NaNo to the point that my laptop keys crunched with all the crumbs scattered around. I couldn't write without biscuits and coffee and it wasn't a god habit. I am now trying hard to not buy them because then I can't eat them. I still drink the coffee though.
7) I cannot write in silence. I tend to put something on the telly that I have seen many times (Harry Potter always works well) and that way I get background noise but I don't get distracted. I sometimes write to Beyonce when I need energy and I once sobbed along to Adele when writing a break-up scene. I think I need to investigate some soundtracks/classical music without words as they can be so emotive.
So there you have it, lots of information all about ME!!!! I hope you are still awake and you go and check out those lovely people tagged above when you get a chance if you don't know them already. They will put the kettle on and make you feel very welcome.
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