to stop writing.
I've decided that before I get to my homework each day, I will write for about an hour-- shooting for around 1000 words. This is not a difficult goal for an hour's writing for me.
The problem is stopping!
Yesterday, I taught then graded. Then I had homework to do until my class and the other class I teach. So I started writing and just fell into Servant of the King. I wanted to write all day! I churned out 1300 words before I could stop myself.
Today I taught and then had a class to go to. I made it back to my workspace around noon and had lunch. Then I began writing again at around 12:30 or so.
1700 words later I just had to literally yell at myself to quit it. So I finally stopped.
Because I have a pile of homework that ain't going to do itself!
Anyway, I just thought I'd share. I really love this story and I really like this character and his world. I can't wait to get the whole thing down.
I'm going to try to have chapter 14 up here tonight. If you are reading this book, I would love to get some comments. Also, feel free to follow and share. I'm a writer; I'm needy.
Showing posts with label homework. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homework. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Reporting on my Monday
I'm back. Yes, I was gone for a few hours, but don't worry. Breathe easy.
So it's late on this Monday night, but I had a goal to reach and I actually did it. Here's how the day went.
Taxes
I got them done in a few hours. There was a lot of data and worksheets and forms and deductions to get through, but I found that TurboTax really is all that it is touted to be. Good news came of it. As I said, I had expected to owe money, mainly due to the large chunk of cash we took out of our refinance.
We are owed a good refund! I was wrong! I love being wrong sometimes, but don't quote me on that.
Anyway, so no worries there. I e-filed and we are all set for the year.
Helium.com
I wrote two articles for www.helium.com today, as I said I would do. They took a little longer than I had wanted: about 45 minutes each, but that was really okay. Here are links to both of them:
http://www.helium.com/items/963713-hollywood-others-hollywood-simply
http://www.helium.com/items/963553-heard-ubiquitous-clubs-found
The first one is a rewrite of an article that they deleted because it was lame and way too short. The second is an article for a contest I am trying to win in, but one of my articles is doing shockingly bad! Sheesh.
Anway, as always, you can see all of my articles if you go to:
http://www.helium.com/users/45690
I rated for probably a total of thirty to forty-five minutes. I also spent a few minutes on the community boards, trying to regain my presence there after a few months' absence.
The Cabin
So I then had my goal for The Cabin. But it was already late. So we got the kids to bed, then I watched the Jazz cream the Wizards on TV. That was fun. I watched Perry Mason, then got to work.
I did 2500 words tonight. It felt good. I really have a strong image of this story. I feel invested in it.
But the lack of investment I feel in The Mars Betrayal seems to be showing through. I got word today that the latest draft is nearly as crummy as the first. I don't actually get it. I really felt good about this latest draft, but then I also felt good about the first.
So I'm a little dumbfounded.
I've been told that I need to get it right, and that I should take the time to do so. They say it won't make it into the first launch, so I guess we're looking at next year probably.
I will do exactly that. In fact, I'm not gonna do a darn thing with it for a week or two. In the meantime I will finish my first draft of The Cabin. I will also try to find a workshop that can help me with my graded reader troubles. I will also try to get a hold of some of the graded readers the editorial team suggested that we read so that we can get an idea of what they are looking for. Clearly I need to be doing more homework for The Mars Betrayal.
That's fine. I still feel like I'm a good writer, despite what this editorial team appears to think. Maybe one of us is right. Who knows, maybe we're both right and I need to adjust my writing more for the graded reader audience. Although I must admit that I probably am more in tune with the audience than any of them, since I have been a teacher of ESL/EFL as recently as seven months ago!
Anyhoo, such is life. I'll do more homework.
As I said this morning, no more mucking about. I will become a good novelist. I will do what it takes to learn. No more mucking about. I'm going to be a bestselling author.
carpe somnium meum
right now
So it's late on this Monday night, but I had a goal to reach and I actually did it. Here's how the day went.
Taxes
I got them done in a few hours. There was a lot of data and worksheets and forms and deductions to get through, but I found that TurboTax really is all that it is touted to be. Good news came of it. As I said, I had expected to owe money, mainly due to the large chunk of cash we took out of our refinance.
We are owed a good refund! I was wrong! I love being wrong sometimes, but don't quote me on that.
Anyway, so no worries there. I e-filed and we are all set for the year.
Helium.com
I wrote two articles for www.helium.com today, as I said I would do. They took a little longer than I had wanted: about 45 minutes each, but that was really okay. Here are links to both of them:
http://www.helium.com/items/963713-hollywood-others-hollywood-simply
http://www.helium.com/items/963553-heard-ubiquitous-clubs-found
The first one is a rewrite of an article that they deleted because it was lame and way too short. The second is an article for a contest I am trying to win in, but one of my articles is doing shockingly bad! Sheesh.
Anway, as always, you can see all of my articles if you go to:
http://www.helium.com/users/45690
I rated for probably a total of thirty to forty-five minutes. I also spent a few minutes on the community boards, trying to regain my presence there after a few months' absence.
The Cabin
So I then had my goal for The Cabin. But it was already late. So we got the kids to bed, then I watched the Jazz cream the Wizards on TV. That was fun. I watched Perry Mason, then got to work.
I did 2500 words tonight. It felt good. I really have a strong image of this story. I feel invested in it.
But the lack of investment I feel in The Mars Betrayal seems to be showing through. I got word today that the latest draft is nearly as crummy as the first. I don't actually get it. I really felt good about this latest draft, but then I also felt good about the first.
So I'm a little dumbfounded.
I've been told that I need to get it right, and that I should take the time to do so. They say it won't make it into the first launch, so I guess we're looking at next year probably.
I will do exactly that. In fact, I'm not gonna do a darn thing with it for a week or two. In the meantime I will finish my first draft of The Cabin. I will also try to find a workshop that can help me with my graded reader troubles. I will also try to get a hold of some of the graded readers the editorial team suggested that we read so that we can get an idea of what they are looking for. Clearly I need to be doing more homework for The Mars Betrayal.
That's fine. I still feel like I'm a good writer, despite what this editorial team appears to think. Maybe one of us is right. Who knows, maybe we're both right and I need to adjust my writing more for the graded reader audience. Although I must admit that I probably am more in tune with the audience than any of them, since I have been a teacher of ESL/EFL as recently as seven months ago!
Anyhoo, such is life. I'll do more homework.
As I said this morning, no more mucking about. I will become a good novelist. I will do what it takes to learn. No more mucking about. I'm going to be a bestselling author.
carpe somnium meum
right now
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