Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Still Kicking, I Swear

Wow...has it really been nearly a month since I posted? That can't be right.

I've been writing, I swear, just nothing that's made it here.

I started writing a post about linguistic misunderstandings and the ridiculosity of certain literal translations, but then I got distracted... but what was funny was going to then turn into something really deep and thought-provoking, too.

Then I was going to jump in on one of these writing prompts I've been seeing on some of my favorite blogs (Hi Natalie and Erica!), but then the fact that I've not been putting enough time in on the novel kept me from starting anything completely new. I've only got so much creative juice and if I spend it all trying to write something worthy of a contest, I've got nothing left for the bigger project I should be working on.

Even so, I then wrote half a post about the crazy parade I attended a couple weeks ago to include pictures of Smurfs on horses, cherry red Porsches, and mischievous witches with Winter curses, but it needed a lot more work before I could post it and the guilt of ignoring the novel shamed me away from finishing it.

So I've been working here and there on that novel, trimming and tightening the opening chapter specifically to read this Friday at a public reading my writer's group is holding. Plus other people need feedback on their pieces, and as the current leader of the group, that's something I want to do in the hopes of spurring more feedback-swapping among members. Then there's all that other life stuff I can't get away from, like walking Murphy and making time for the gym, the endless laundry and dishes to be washed, and attempting to maintain a semi-clutter-free living space so outsiders aren't afraid when they walk through the front door.

This isn't a blog post, I'm aware, but I feel like I have to put something up as evidence that I have not, in fact, fallen off the face of the earth, and that I do miss blogging. I'm just having a hard time juggling at the moment, but I'll find my way back.

So please keep popping by. I promise I'll give you something to read soon.


In the meantime, here's a creepy mob of witches to hold you over.


(I love you...don't leave me.)



7 comments:

  1. I'd never leave! And I do pop back here periodically and was super excited to see a new post today! Your draft posts sound incredibly awesome, so I'm really hoping you'll throw at least one of them up in the future. Smurfs on horses? Ummm...yeah!!

    Oh, and you should do the Moonshine one on the weekends. I just involved myself for the first time this past weekend and it was kinda fun. You can write about anything and you don't have to worry about grammar or even making sense. It's literally just a fun free-for-all.

    Good luck with your reading on Friday! I wish I could be there! If someone happens to video it, you know my email....just sayin'. :)

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    1. I'm so glad I haven't lost you due to my dry spells on here. I'll have to check out the Moonshine one...I saw the button and wondered what it was, but got distracted before I could investigate :) We'll see about the video...I'm considering posting that first chapter here...

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  2. Ah, there you are! I was just about to write you an email to see if you had been carted off by a pack of wild dogs or something, because you've been missed on the interwebs! Glad to hear you're working on the novel, though. Discipline for a novel is tough, as I'm discovering...but I just found a secret weapon that will allow me a few hours to dedicate myself solely to the writing, which I'm pretty damn happy about. :)
    I'm a little jealous of the parades you've been able to attend. I want to live where you live, hee hee.

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    1. I'm glad I haven't lost you, either! (See my comment to Erica for that to make sense.) Are you willing to share your new secret, or will it burst into flames if you speak of it? I wouldn't want to put any source of writerly discipline at risk, especially for someone who writes so well. Thanks for sticking with me.

      So yeah...if I post my first chapter, please feel free to comment openly. After reading it so many times, it's hard to tell if it's any good anymore.

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    2. Ugh, totally understand. It becomes like a child and you lose all perspective - been there! And yes, please post! :)
      Actually, the secret isn't all that ground-breaking - it's called cut-backs at work, and now I have an extra day off a week which I have dedicated solely to writing. Yippee!

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  3. I was wondering if everything was okay as well. I checked to see if somehow you got deleted from my blogroll, but their you were. Good to know you're just noveling. I keep thinking about finishing my second novel, but without having the first in print form, it makes it a little disheartening (although my second novel is clearly more marketable).

    Post an excerpt. We'll be nice.

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    1. Hmmm, you've got me thinking now. I'll be reading the opening chapter at the reading (short, only 6 pages single spaced in a Word doc) so maybe I'll throw that little bit up here. Feedback is welcome, especially from another novelist :)

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