Busy

So far, this has been quite the busy month. Going back to work after the Christmas holidays also meant going back to an entirely new computer system. It hasn't been easy to learn and every day has been filled with frustration. Pair that with a thorough deep cleaning of our house, my mentorship and scores and scores of editing and it's not hard to understand why I spend most of my free time thinking about sleep.

Still, there's something to be said for being busy. The winter months are flying by and I'm really enjoying the sense of purpose my mentorship, and all the editing that came with it, has given me. I can feel myself stretching as writer, as well as becoming more disciplined and thorough. As Martha Stewart would say, "it's a good thing".

The hard part is trying to carve out a little relaxation time so I can recharge. One of my favourite ways to relax is to go for a steam, so I'm thinking I might have to find some time this weekend. I found a place with private aromatherapy steam rooms I'm dying to try. Of course, if I'm going to reward myself, I better earn it. So, the game is on for the rest of this week. I have to buckle down so I can enjoy it, guilt free.

What about you? What's keeping you busy these days? How do you find time to relax?

Work and Edits

Last week was my first week back at work after the Christmas holidays, and it was... trying. Being off for two weeks, although hard on the wallet, was excellent for morale. I edited my manuscript every day, read several books and slept a lot. But now that I'm back at work, things are more difficult.

I know, that's not a surprising revelation. A full time job makes other goals difficult. Duh. I was prepared for having less time to allocate to editing (although still determined to give it as much of my attention as allowable), but I wasn't prepared for the large bite it would take out of my patience, my sense of self worth and my ability to receive constructive criticism... well, constructively. I managed an hour of editing every evening all week, but on Saturday morning when I sat down to look at my mentor's edit notes, I kept taking everything personally.

Eventually, I had to walk away, shake it off. I took a nap, read a book and let the edit notes settle on my brain. And, after some time away I was able to see that her thoughts were accurate. But it took some time. I had to step back for a bit. After a week with an entirely new system at work and all the criticism that came with trying to master it, I just wasn't in any shape to hear more and especially not about my writing.

Now, I'm in my second week of work and determined not to be burned out by the weekend. It means spending more of my energy caring about my writing and less caring about the new system at work. The new system will take time and patience, but I can't let it get to me the way it did last week. It just isn't worth it. It requires only a small portion of my concern, while my larger, more important goals require more. It's just that simple.

The Party

I'm exhausted. It's been quite a month. I haven't done anywhere near as much editing as I planned on, but I do have a pretty good excuse. This Saturday is my mother in law's 60th birthday party, and she enlisted my help with both the decorations and the food, so I've had my hands full with all of the preparations.

I should note that by "enlisted my help" I really mean I forcefully volunteered my services. One, because it's her birthday party, so she shouldn't have to worry about anything, she should just show up and have fun. But also, I love party planning. I really do. Both my sister and I jump on any opportunity to throw a shower or a party. I can't explain why I love it so much, especially since I'm usually not much of a people person, but I do. And my favourite part is always the decorating and the food.

So, I spent the past month shopping, crafting, scouring pinterest for ideas, baking and planning. Hopefully this Saturday my efforts pay off and there's a fabulous party to show for it. Unfortunately, my writing efforts have thoroughly suffered, so starting December 1st, it'll be operation get back on track. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll try to post some pictures of the party next week so you can judge my success for yourself.

Editing and the Return of TV

Well, the summer of no TV ended midway through October, with the first light dusting of snow. The snow only lasted a day, but I spent that day nestled on the couch with my husband, blasting our way through the first two seasons of Episodes. (Great show by the way.) It felt amazing, the perfect way to relax on a Sunday.

However, now that November has arrived I've decided to throw myself into editing and that means figuring out how to balance work and relaxation (aka TV). With the weather getting colder and the desire to stay in and snuggle getting stronger it's getting harder and harder to focus on work. After all, I'm really enjoying the editing process but it's so hard to resist the chance to wrap up in a blanket with my husband and catch up on the shows I've missed.

So, to combat my natural inclination to be lazy, I've created a schedule. I make sure I always use the time when my husband's at the gym or out with friends to edit, when temptation is at its weakest. I also find it easier to edit and write in the evenings on weekdays, when my brain is already geared towards work, and allow myself the indulgence of sleeping in and lazing on the weekends, only working as much as I'm in the mood for. I find I need to give myself permission to just go with the flow on weekends, that way I have something to look forward to and it makes it easier to work on weeknights.

How are you combating the winter gloom? Do you find it more or less easy to be productive in the winter months? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

The Importance of Editing

Great news, everyone! I have my manuscript back from the editor. And let me just say, wow. Her ideas and suggestions are so thought provoking, so utterly fantastic that I desperately wanted to jump up and down ecstatically for a few minutes when I read her memo. Of course I didn't, because I was at work at the time. And although my coworkers are aware that I'm rather strange (unfortunately it's impossible to miss), it would have required a little too much explanation. But suffice it to say, I have a lot of work ahead of me. Very exciting, thrilling, rapturous work.

Which brings me (in a very roundabout way) to my point. Editing is so important. Every writer on the planet knows they have to edit their work, that no first draft should ever be the last, but sometimes I think writers (especially new writers such as myself) don't realize just how much editing is actually required. I guess that's why I'm still reticent about self published authors. Now, I realize that there are some really great self published authors out there (Wes Funk for example), who have put their work through the wringer to make sure it's as good as humanly possible before it sees the light of day. But there are just so many writers out there who don't realize that they can't be the only editors of their book.

Here's what happens when only the writer in question edits their manuscript (by which I mean, they don't let anyone else read it and give editorial feedback). They may think they're being unbiased, but it's impossible. They will always have a vision in their head of how the story is supposed to go. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's important to be open to new ideas. When I'm done working through the suggestions the editor gave me, my book is going to be a lot different from the one I started with, but so much better. Unbiased readers, especially those with no emotional connection to you, can offer worlds of possibilities you never would have dreamed of. But you have to put in the work.

And speaking of editing, let's talk about the inevitable rejection. If you've written a novel, and you think it's amazing, that's all well and good. But believe me, it's not as good as it could be. Let it go through the wringer. Send it out, and with every rejection (and there will be tons), look for any hint of editorial feedback. If they say the main character was weak, or the plot wasn't believable, don't get angry. Really ask yourself, was it? I know a lot of writers out there are scared of all the hard work involved, of having to go back to the dreaded drawing board (I know I am!) but it's necessary. It's what molds us as writers. Send it out, take it to critique groups, go through a manuscript evaluation service, hire an editor. It's the only way to really grow as a writer and above all, tell a really, really good story.

Editing

I'm proud to say that yesterday I FINALLY got my manuscript off to the editor. It should have been on its way as soon as I got back from Paris, but jet lag, laundry and a broken water heater put a rather large wrench in my plans. So, it's very late and that I'm not too proud of, but at least it's on its way. And that's worth celebrating. (Which I did. With ice cream.)

My work with this book isn't done yet, in fact it's only just beginning, but it's so exciting to see it progress. I've been editing it for a long time, but I've reached a point where I can see it still needs work, I'm just not sure what that work is. That's where fresh eyes (and very talented ones at that) come in. The last Writer in Residence, David Poulsen, was kind enough to make an introduction and the editor in question was kind enough to take me on.

So that's where it is. This is the next step. To make my book as good as it can possibly be. We'll do this next round of edits and then take it from there. But in the meantime, I'm going to put my feet up and read a good book.

Getting Back on the Ball

For some people, traveling to Europe can really screw up their internal clock. Normally, I'd say I was the same, but I will admit that my recent trip to Paris did nothing of the sort. I was entirely jet lag free the whole time and returned to my home time zone with ease. (Amazing, I know. But it's true.)

No, what has been weirdly difficult is getting back on the ball. I can't seem to get blog posts done on time (aside from today's, finally!), I haven't managed to get my manuscript off to the editor when I'm practically jumping out of my skin I'm so excited to have her look at it and getting back on track at work has been an arduous undertaking. Sure, some of that was due to the usual work of laundry and such after a vacation, and true, my water heater did crap out on me as soon as we got home and leaked all over our basement, leaving me without water and an additional large expense when I really didn't need it. But I never post late on my blog! It's a point of pride for me. And not getting my manuscript off to the editor immediately? Say it ain't so! I should be wading around my basement in rubber boots, unshowered as I reread my final draft before stuffing it in an envelope and putting it in the mail.

The only explanation I can come up with, is that I'm still in vacation mode. You know what I mean. That head space where you sleep in, take life slow and stop for a three hour coffee/lunch whenever the mood pleases you. God, I love that head space! And it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have a day job. But I've got to get back to it! So, even though I can't stand to let go of my Parisian attitude, I've got to buck up and get back to work. Because what I really want, (even more than a three hour lunch) is to see my book in print. And posting this on time is my first step.

A Barrage of Updates

I will admit that I'm phoning it in a bit this morning. Last night, my sister and I were at my mother's house making perogies. We made A LOT of perogies, had a lot of laughs and now my freezer is full and I'm exhausted. It's all worth it though. If you've never enjoyed the difference of real perogies versus those awful store bought ones, you really should. It's ridiculous.

I've actually been pretty busy on the home front these days. Aside from epic perogy making, I've been doing a lot of editing on the manuscript, trying to whip into reasonable shape before the current Writer in Residence, David A. Poulsen, finishes his residency. There's nothing like a deadline hanging over your head to get you to work hard. Although, honestly, I think a bigger reason for my current work ethic is turning off the TV. No, I haven't done the official turn off for the summer (I feel like there should be some kind of ribbon cutting ceremony or something), but I have been cutting way back, getting myself used to the abundance of free time it provides. I think the official turn off will come in May when the snow will finally be gone (I'm hoping!) and it's not so depressing to look out my window.

I know some of you have been wondering if I've been keeping up with my French lessons in preparation for my upcoming trip to Paris, and the answer is: yes! I try to make sure I do at least one lesson every day (although preferably more). Could I carry on a conversation in French? Not on your life. But, when I see French signs, or see French phrases in the books I've been reading on Paris, I actually understand a lot of them, which is very exciting. I can speak a few phrases, and there's a slight possibility I might be able to manage ordering in a restaurant, so I'm pretty excited. I still have two and a half months to go, so I'm kicking it into high gear. And I have to admit, I'm loving it. I've never been very good at learning different languages (and that hasn't changed), but my progress is encouraging and I'm having a lot of fun.

Thus concludes this random post of updates. Hopefully everything is going well on your end, as we slowly (oh ever so slowly!) creep into spring. What new happenings has the change of seasons brought into your life?

A New Lesson

This past weekend was a really productive one for me. I edited a few pieces of writing and finished the initial read through of the rough draft of my novel. Now I have a large stack of notes and a manuscript that's waiting for me to get down to business, and I have to say, I'm pretty excited.

I've written novels before. This is actually my fourth time writing the initial rough draft of a book. And as they say, practice makes perfect. (Although I'm far from perfect). My previous attempts all taught me something different. The first time taught me that I could do it. The second taught me about plot, what a story needs to be taken to that next step and how to tell when it doesn't have it. My third taught me about ideas, that they aren't as far away as you might think. And this time, I feel like I have a project worth getting excited about. This plot is much stronger than before, the characters are more developed, and I have all those practice runs to thank for it.

Don't get me wrong. This manuscript still has a long way to go. After intensive editing from myself, I plan to submit it to a manuscript evaluation service. I plan to put it through the ringer as many times as is necessary, until it's ready. Because now it's time for a new lesson, a lesson in editing. And I'm a very eager student.

What about you? Did you spend the weekend chipping away at the NaNoWriMo block? What are you learning through the process of creating a first draft?

Must Submit... Must Submit...

Due to last week's abundance of flash fiction, I'm going to try and keep things a little more real this week. Although as soon as I wrote that, a quote by Ray Bradbury shot into my head. "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." I love that quote. It's on the wall in my office. Nevertheless, I feel it's important to change things up, keep it fresh.

It's been a rather tiring month so far. I've been keeping up with my challenge for Submit-O-Rama, although I'm a little behind. I'll have to submit twice today to be where I should be, and it'd be nice to submit more to be ahead for the week. Between housework, taking care of the dog, a full time job and trying to commit ample time to writing, editing and submitting, it's been a bit much. Not that I'm complaining. This is what I want. This is what I have to do if there's ever going to be a hope in hell of writing being my full time job. (Ah! How glorious that would be!)

And to be honest, I've really enjoyed the Submit-O-Rama challenge thus far. It's really forced me out of my shell. I've had to scour the depths of my writing for good material, had to bend, twist and cut it into presentable pieces and send it out into the world. I've had to research markets, read past issues of possible publications, write queries and pitches. All things I'm out of practice with. After all, the writing is the easy part. It's fun, imaginative and a great source of entertainment and soul searching. The editing, research, pitching and inevitable rejection, those are the hard parts. The parts we all want to avoid. The more I do them, the more practice I get, the easier it'll become. I'll get better at it and (hopefully) increase my chances of success.

I particularly like these challenges in the winter. The weather is already cold and it's just October. These challenges make the months fly by, give me a source of ambition and determination when I'd otherwise just stay curled up in bed, miserable and waiting for spring. I've even been thinking about competing in NaNoWriMo again in November, although in a different way. I've been slowly editing my book since the middle of August, but I was thinking I might use NaNoWriMo as an editing marathon rather than a writing one. I respond really well to deadlines and word counts, especially when they're online for all to see. It might just give me the kick in the pants I need to really give my book the attention it deserves.

But in the mean time, I'm all about submitting. And I plan to finish the month triumphant.