Front cover of True Life Romance #3 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A fine morning here in Fringeland. I did the mama thing, then came home to take a fresh look at the story I finished yesterday. I have to tell ya, I’m not being hard on myself, there’s some major suckage in there. I corrected some glaring instant-humiliation-if-I-drop-dead-and-someone-goes-into-my-Word-files mistakes, and then closed the file. I realized two very important things. One, I meant what I’ve been saying. It’s just fine to have written a crappy story, it was an exercise in forcing myself to write again, and write fresh. I’m shocking myself with how true that feels–especially since I also spent some time lurking on the writers’ forum, reading a thread about the best short stories ever written. Two, low sodium Wheat Thins taste like crap.
I then opened the file of the romance I started a while back. I’m not sure I remembered I had three completed chapters. And you know what? I like it. And I was able to get right back into my heroine’s head. I always forget how much fun it can be to read or write a light romance. And I think this is exactly where I should be right now. So, how come I’m not writing at the moment? Oh, that pesky life thing. I have a dog to walk in an hour, and then I have to pick up Flower Child an hour after that. I’m also hoping the jackhammering going on across the street will be finished for the day by the time I sit down. With a little luck and a lot of self discipline I’ll be able to block everyone and everything out later this afternoon. I need to do a little more outlining before going further with the story.
I know some can just pick up their pencils, or open their files, and write whenever they’ve got a spare 20 or 30 minutes. I’m not that disciplined, and need at least a two hour block of time. Trust me, it isn’t a wri-tah thing for me, I can’t get into the right head to exercise either if I’ve only got 20 minutes.
In case anyone was wondering, Little Incredibly Dumb Dog is still filthy, and Big Senile Dog is back to counter surfing. He drank Husband’s coffee yesterday, and I had to drag both of them away from a smooshed rat when giving them a walk this morning. I wonder why no one writes a cookbook for roadkills of the city?
NYC Rat (Photo credit: zacklur)
mrsfringe 
At least you’re writing your blog! And I do understand where you are coming from re block time. If writing is my guilty pleasure all the chores need to be done first which today included doggy doo doo clean up, cleaning up for the cleaner, food shopping (Mr C wants butcher’s chops), staying in to make sure the cleaner does her full 4 hours, getting worked up because I don’t think the cleaner is going to do her full 4 hours and now I’m too stressed to make anything up. At least it’s almost wine time this side of the pond.
LikeLike
Eek! Waiting until all the chores are done is my excuse for not writing 😉 Sounds like you’ve already had a full day–definitely time for wine. Or whine. Whichever you prefer 😉
LikeLike
When does a water change come into play?
:ducks and runs:
LikeLike
Ummm, errrr.
Owait! Should be some interesting water changes in the manuscript–working title, Frag Hag 😀
LikeLike
Your first sentence made me smile. 🙂 And getting back into romance and liking what you already started? Really like it. You really needed a good day in Fringeland, and I hope you get more of them, whether or not one dog stays stinky and the other one makes the counter leftovers and/or sidewalk rats his midnight snacks.
There’s a bit of a paradox here not sure if that’s the word) …waiting till the chores are done to do X, but it’s gonna take a minor miracle to get them done. :O
LikeLike
😀 Thanks, SnapIn!
And yes, it’s true, the chores are NEVER going to be done, there will always be laundry in the hamper, and we will always be sleep deprived. Sounds like a recipe for creativity…sorta 😉
LikeLike
Creativity or insanity? Or are they the sorta the same thing after a while?
LikeLike
Like everything else, it’s a balancing act 😀 Or a see saw.
though I suspect see saws were banned by the time you were on the playground. 😉
LikeLike
Lol how much younger than you do you think I am? I would be nice if I was… but no, see saws were definitely around, and REAL jungle gyms, and this thing that was like a giant bell that swung around a tall pole and was fun, unless it swung sideways and you smashed your fingers between the hand rail and the pole. And slides you really could fall off. 😀
LikeLike
tee hee Those old jungle gyms were scary. I’m not familiar with the pole/bell thing, but just reading your mention of the slides gave me a sensory memory of burning my legs on the metal. 😀
LikeLike
Yes!!! And hanging upside down on the jungle gym and the sky never looking bluer than it did from that angle. 🙂 Of course, that could have partly been due to weird circulation issues…
LikeLike
bwahahaha!
LikeLike
Even though I’m not a writer, my Paper That Isn’t Going to Write Itself also requires at least a two hour block of time. Actually, more like four. Or six. Why is it so freaking hard?
I think it takes that long to get into the trance. Or Flow, as Csikszentmihalyi calls it. Alls I’m sayin is, I bet folks that gets into flow frequently don’t have children.
LikeLike
Spot on! It can be hard enough to get into the zone, let alone when there’s a young person needing…something.
Plus I spend at least 25% of my writing time pacing. I don’t know why, but it’s part of it for me. 😮
LikeLike
Low sodium Wheat Thins do taste like crap! I know that visual arts and writing use different “muscles” but creativity is creativity – I had an art professor tell me to take 6 months and work on a discipline – drawing, painting, photography – whatever – and do that discipline for 30 minutes every single day. Even if what you draw is crap, keep drawing. I remember looking at my work at the end of a semester and I saw huge strides. I started doing that with my camera 2 years ago. Shoot every day even if it’s just an exercise. I would think that writing would be the same even though it might take a longer block of time to be productive. It must be good to exercise those muscles.
LikeLike
Exactly, and I believe it’s the same. The more you do it, the better your eye/phrasing, and the less time it takes to get into the zone. 😀
also, your agreement on the Wheat Thins made me lol, literally!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Hey, I think I know that rat…
Hmmm. Light romance sounds delightful. Doesn’t it just suck when life pushes its way into one’s plans? Can’t wait to read your next installment. Happy Writing!
Low sodium Wheat Thins are a waste of chewing. For real brain power, try a Little Debbie Honey Bun. No worries about the damn sodium!
😉
LikeLike
LOL, I haven’t had a honey bun in years–who needs Hostess? :p
Yes, this whole life thing definitely makes the writing schedule trickier. I’m grateful I was never one who waited for my “muse” to strike. For all the navel gazing I’ve done recently, I haven’t seen her in there once!
LikeLike
Like your idea of a Roadkill Cookbook in the city. Maybe your dogs could be the main characters. I love that Big Senile dog is back to counter surfing. He is a hoot. Your hubby probably not so happy!
LikeLike
😀 That coffee should have been mine, anyway 😉
LikeLike