Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Starts and Stops


Whereby the Tart proves she is possibly insane.

Why do things sometimes flow super smoothly, and sometimes there is this productivity constipation... this inability to GO. It happens with the WRITING, it happens with the DAY JOB, it happens with the TYPING.... and, erm... It happens with the BLOG.


Cozy Update

I have finished chapter 14 (of 20 0r 21), in a burst of speed—2000 words Monday night. 1500 last night, after writing nearly NOTHING over the weekend. See... my Sunday evening I ended up lounging by my neighbor's pool (I know, life is rough). Like I said... fits and starts. I am on target though, for the WRITING. It is the TYPING, I am having trouble getting done (maybe it is the evenings typing up three blogs instead of typing... but I suppose it gives me a couple nights of very LITTLE blogging in the next few, so I should be able to make up for it.


Reading List

It is REALLY growing somehow... I am almost done with The Watchmen by Brian Freemantle—a decent book. Next up is my read of Ted Cross's fabulous book—I'm excited to read it, though my purpose is feedback—hoping to help him spot the strengths and weaknesses from another reader's perspective. THEN, I have a stack... from the library, from my birthday.... I'm excited to read ALL of them, but find myself WRITING instead.


The EDITING

Don't you DARE ask me about editing! I have a MAJOR stack to get to. Erm. Someday.


Querying

Haven't done it since JANUARY. Because of that editing stack.


And the BLOG PLAN! HA!

I can make plans. Remember. I'm good at making plans. It is FOLLOWING plans I am bad at. Tomorrow is adequately delusional. Friday I am participating in The Rejectionist's Blogiversary—you all should to: a simple essay in any form themed “What Form Rejections Mean to Me”.


So what are YOU up to?  Are you progressing well, or having trouble pushing it?

16 comments:

Ted Cross said...

Don't worry too much about my book. I say if you have the writing bug, go for it! I get it so seldom that I would never want someone to pass up the chance to get writing done just to read my book.

Hart Johnson said...

No worries, Ted--I read and write at totally different times (I tend to read while I commute and I COULDN'T write then), and I just got started and am enjoying your book!

TreeX said...

So basically you walk to work with your nose buried in a book. You know they put cushions on the lampposts in London a couple of years back to protect people that text while walking, yes? :)

lisahgolden said...

Coming out of lurk mode to finally comment. I am finally able to see the end of my first draft. Well, the first draft after cutting out a whole character and plot line and rewriting the whole dang thing. I estimate it's going to take me another six thousand words to finish.

Which is just about the time I find cleaning out the garage or going into town to buy cat food or reading this Ayelet Waldman book I just picked up at the library.

I should get out of my own way.

I'm pulling for you that the productivity spigot will turn back on and soon!

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Yes so frustrating. Why can't every day be fully productive? This must be the source of that term "spring fever" only I get it every season of the year, it comes unexpected and unbidden and it is SO frustrating! But don't worry-- soon you'll be back in over acheiver mode!!

Sarah Ahiers said...

i'm in a bit of a dry phase with my blog right now. I think it's directly related to how busy i've been with the day job.
ah well, it will pass. It always does

Old Kitty said...

Yay!!! Well done you for your mega writing inspirations on Monday and Tuesday - that is brilliant! I think you just needed to chill over the weekend to get your writing muse up and running! Well done you!

Oh and I won't ask about the edits!! :-)Good luck with that!!

I love the LOL'd pics - especially blog kitty!

take care
x

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Love that commenting kitty!

Um. Well, I lost 5 pages of Memphis book 3. So that's been a major setback because I can't remember what my train of thought was and it's the murder scene. This is why I try NEVER to write on paper. Grr.

Hart Johnson said...

Joris-that's EXCELLENT! I love that Londoners walk around reading (and yes, that is what I do--walk and read)

Lisa-Welcome! Ack! Yeah--that home stretch can be rough, but PLEASE don't debate cleaning garbage cans! (or at least save it for the querying stage when it will look REALLY good): YAY for the productivity spigot! (spigot is a pretty good word, isn't it?)

Karen--definitely be nice to have every day be a good day! Sort of HAVING to have work be productive at the mo... deadlines... so little blog reading--hmph!

Sarah-that probably has a HUGE amount to do with me too... normally I can do my day job and come up with blog fodder at the same time... right now? not so much.

OK--not sure if it is inspirations, so much as knowing where the plot is going... I can definitely see some of the stuff that will need REwriting at the end, but I need to get the whole thing OUT first. Thank you, though!

Elizabeth-I'm so sorry! I've done that a couple times--if it's any consolation, I think USUALLY the rewrite is better, but it is still really frustrating!

M.J. Nicholls said...

I had to stop following the Rejectionist. I found the stink of smugness overwhelming. Or maybe an I had an irony/sarcasm blowout. It happens. I'll take a look at this Blogiversary thing.

LTM said...

STEALING your lolcats! The yawn... :D NOT Barton Fink. That movie gives me the itch. (JRM on the other hand loves it).

I'm not even going to bore everyone again w/my laments over never getting to write since it's summer. At least I get to visit w/you online~ :o)

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I really enjoyed your cat pictures. And all of us sometimes seem to be teetering on the edge of sanity some days.

I am trying a 24HOURS type experiment on my blog. It's something different that will either entertain or prove I am completely insane -- or both.

If you can find the time, please come check it out. As a courtesty only :

http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2010/07/chapter-one-living-in-crosshairs.html

I, like you, have too many good books waiting to be read, too many revisions to do, and, of course, that pesky day job that insists I actually do work to get paid. Roland

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad you're excited to read Ted's book.
I'm writing every day, but it's slow. Maybe 500 words a shot.
Funny cat pictures! Keep that last cat away from my blog.

Hart Johnson said...

MJ--it can be that way over there--I have a hard time reading comments, as everyone seems to be trying too hard, but the author herself cracks me up much of the time.

Leigh--glad I get to see you too! I think in summer, the at home parents have it ROUGHER than the rest of the year, where for ME, my kids are gone a lot more in the evening, so it is easier.

Roland--will head over as soon as I get home from work (leaving shortly)

Alex--yup, VERY exciting! I look at 1000 is my minimum on days I really WRITE, but some days I PLOT and then I am lucky if I hit 250--tonight is a plot night.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

LOL!!! Love the kitties. And I'm mostly on stop right now.

Ella said...

Fun pics, really gets the point across~ I lost my voice, not literally, but I really was blocked.
I started an other creative outlet and it helped.
Do you paint, sew, take pic, music, dance...just
do something else and you will soon have relief~
Art in any form has it's ups n' downs, fits and starts, surges and blocks. This to shall pass...