Tuesday, March 06, 2007

You Never Know What You'll Find in the Comments . . .

Like this guy. Welcome Sean Ferrell. Now all you other people, go check out his blog.:) He's got a fun blog. I've already managed to waste a good quarter of an hour on it this morning. He blogs the way that I think authors should blog . . . i.e. not the way I blog. Ever notice how some people sound so intelligent/literary/informed/etc. in their blog? Me, I just tend to look kinda scatterbrained.:) Anyway, go check out his blog and see if it floats your boat.:)

I'm getting back in the habit of writing every day. When you are used to doing revisions on a semi-regular basis it is really hard to have any energy to write anything new. In fact, I don't know anything that sucks your energy more than doing revisions. . . or anything that makes your story better. But it does put a damper on new material. My friend Stephenie is working on two serieses (is that a word?) concurrently and for a couple of months there she was under deadline for both a new book and edits for an already written book. I think that would be really hard. I guess like any other task; you would get used to it, but I think at least at first, it would be difficult.

But then, I know authors who like to juggle no less than three projects at a time.:) I guess I'm somewhat that way too, I mean, I've got several iron in the proverbial fire right now, but I don't like working on more than one each day. Somebody on Absolute Write mentioned a few weeks ago that they have six WIPs and they have a set time period each day that they work on them. He said he writes one page in each and when he gets to the bottom of the page, he stops and moves on to the next book. If he still has time left at the end of the six pages, he picks his three favorites and writes one more page each. Then if he still has time, he writes for the rest of the time on one of the books. That would drive me nuts! When I get going on a good scene, I don't want to stop! And certainly not for piddly things like, oh, eating or performing the Heimlich maneuver on my son. Yanno.:)

Anyway, the whole point was that I am writing every day again. I have a set time in the morning that is computer time. I may use half an hour of that to post, check blogs, check e-mail, etc. (Thus the reason 15 minutes on Sean's site seems so long to me.:)) Then I write.

It's nice to be creating again.

Writing is a habit; one that I don't intend to give up any time soon.:)

Ciao!

5 comments:

Tyhitia Green said...

Aprilynne,
I am beginning the second book in my series today when I get home from work. I was going to begin a couple of a weeks ago, but a close family member went into the hospital and I got sick myself, so; it is quite difficult to write every day because life will eventually get in the way. This just gives me more reason to tarry on instead of finishing what I need to finish.

Michelle Zink said...

I tend to work on one or two projects in the beginning phases of something new, but once I hit about 15,000 words on a WIP I force myself to stick with that one.

It's the only way I can finish anything! Otherwise I'm like Add-Girl, back and forth between too many things as the mood strikes.

And I would, eventually, like to finish stuff, 'cause I think that's typically the way the pubs BUY stuff, right? Finished!

I do have a writing schedule, though. And I know what you mean about revisions. I felt kinda shiftless there for a couple of weeks after I finished my last one.

I had to get back into the groove...

Anonymous said...

Have fun!! It will help occupy your mind during this intense waiting period....

KC

Anonymous said...

Hey April Lynne,
First, thanks for the kind words about my blog. It was very nice of you (and the $20 is in the mail, as promised; another $10 if you mention me again within a week).

As for multiple projects: I try to only have one project I'm currently writing, but often have more than one project in the revision stage. Like you I would be driven mad by writing on more than one project. By writing one thing and revising something else later in the day I can use the different parts of my brain, and I keep my writing habit strong. When I finish with the first draft of one WIP I make sure the next day to hit the first word of the next WIP. The habit dries up too quickly if I don't.

But revisions, they are a monster. Those I work on, then put down and work on something else. Revision is where the WORK is.

Anonymous said...

what's the second seiries that stephanie is working on?