Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The Insecure Writer and the End of the Year


Today is December's contribution to Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers Support Group.


Why am I an Insecure Writer this month?

Because we're nearing the end of the year, and as usual, I haven't met my writing goals.   

Hey, at least I did better than last year, and that should count for something, right?  The important thing is that I tried.
I tried



So let's tackle this month’s IWSG question:

As you look back on 2017, with all its successes and failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently? 


The answer is probably not too much. I pushed myself to submit something to both my monthly critique groups, no matter how much it hurt, and as a result, I wrote more words this year than ever before. Still not as much as I might wish for, but life insists on getting in the way, so unless I quit my day job, there's a limit to how productive I can be. 

I guess one bad habit is my tendency to take it easy after a really productive writing session. I’ll feel so good about what I accomplished that day, I’ll often take a break the next day, even if I have time available for writing. A couple more days will pass, and before I know it, my slothfulness will have cancelled out my one productive day. I need to follow up a good day of writing with another one, and another one... 

Another big problem was the lack of posts on my blog during the last several months.  Some of that can be blamed on spending extra time working on my story, but part of it was laziness, and that's something a writer like me can't afford. 

Still, I look forward to the beginning of the year.  That's when we all get together and announce our resolutions and writing goals.  It'll be a heady time!


ChemistKen



Friday, December 1, 2017

Seven Writing Links -- Volume 178

https://pixabay.com/en/users/josemanuelbotana-958941/


Writing hasn't gone as well as I might have hoped these last couple of weeks. Part of it has to do with being extra busy both at work and at home, but mostly it has to do with the current chapter.

(That's the ticket! It's not my fault, it's the chapter's)

You see, I've trapped my protagonist inside a building surrounded by the bad guys. She has some special abilities that will help her escape, but it won't be easy.  I haven't yet decided how she's going to accomplish this little trick, especially when I consider the restrictions I put on her powers earlier in the story.  I usually have these kind of details worked out long before I begin writing a chapter, but this time I thought I'd just paint my character into a corner and see how she gets out of it.  

I'm sure I'll figure it out, it's just going to take a while. Unfortunately, this chapter is due for submission to my critique group in about a week. Doh!

Enjoy the links and have a great week! 

ChemistKen 



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