November: It's Quantity, Quality Comes Later

I know a lot of writers undertaking NaNoWriMo this month. I'm doing it too. It's my fourth year, because I skipped 2012, although I do participate in Camp NaNo.

I have the feeling I'm in for some serious rewrites when November is over. My project this year is the second book in a three book series. It's paranormal/historical romance about three half-demon brothers trying to keep evil from rising because they learned from their full-blooded demon father that love can change everything.

There's a lot of rehashing what happened in the first book in the first and second chapters. Yep. I'll have to thin that out when everything is said and done. Even at the end of week 1, I'm perfectly happy keeping the trash sentences because they count toward my daily word goal. Later, I'll look back and shake my head at my folly. I'm also keeping track of my word count for the year and I'm in par to finish over 300,000 words in novels alone. It's a big deal for me because I often wonder how I'm going to get from point A to point B of a story.

December for some people is all about Christmas. For a word-crazed author, it's about tying up the loose ends and digging into edits after a caffeine-fueled November! The strong bones of the story are in place and I know it's filled with witty dialogue and most importantly, a great love story. It's just going to need some fluffing later.

Whatever your writing goals are this month, or for the rest of the year, good luck with them!

New Years Resolutions that went all wrong.

Last year at this time I had my first contract and was working diligently through all my edits, getting ready for my release in February.
The days rushed by and before I knew it New Years had arrived.

2013 was going to be my year. I had so many plans. Release my new book on February 16th. Have my second book ready for submission by March and work towards my third by the end of the year.
I had goals.

Well father time was not my friend.

It is the beginning of September and I am three fourths of the way through two books. So close to the end but life keeps getting in the way.

As writers we realize the best made plans can go so wrong so we must be flexible.

If we push, the words won't come, or at least that's the way it works for me.

So I made a list. of ways to stay on track

1.  Set up a calender and mark out time to write.

This gives me a schedule so I can't say I don't have time.

2.  Keep a journal 

This keeps the ideas flowing. If I happen to sit in front of the computer with nothing to write I grab my journal.

3.  Plot my success

I no longer mark out on the calender when I want a book done. I mark word counts. Each scheduled writing time I plot my total words written. 

4.  Set a goal to write one more word than the last word count.

Each scheduled writing time I attempt to hit just one more word than the last. This gets me one more word closer to the end.

5.  Find a tangible prize for each goal you have set.

Mine is a new book. I am a writer, but I have always been an avid reader. 

My goals are still tangible this year, just more towards the end of the year.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated towards your goals? 

I'm off to write more words for today. Like I said earlier it's September and another New Years is right around the corner.

Until Next time

Lynda

www.lyndakayefrazier.com

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

This blog is dedicated to the secret agents who make my life a better place – one butt kick at a time.

Have you ever stopped by the supermarket to buy a loaf of bread, and walked out with something a bit different--like a fifty-inch, wide screen, plasma TV instead?

You've just encountered the power of TEMPTATION.

Let's face it. We're weak at times and a new pair of Jimmy Choos are going to make us feel oh so much better. This momentary lapse of strength can easily filter into our everyday writing life as well.

It's a great day out and (for some of us located in the U.S.) spring is just around the corner. Man, look at those weeds popping up in your flower beds! The mud from last week's rain is still on the walk. Better get out there and clean it up—the writing can wait until later.

WHOA! Time to face down the temptations like the town marshal and win the battle. But how?

Recognize the weakness. Go on…fess up. What makes you weak? Is it the thought of pulling your hair out while working on that synopsis? Perhaps the need for perfection on your rough draft? Maybe you've got the freaken I don't wanna's.

What tempts me, doesn't tempt my critique partners. I could let the house go for the rest of my life without the slightest desire to vacuum again. But I know of someone that prefers her home in order before a single word is written. She and I are just wired differently.

Diversionary Tactics. It's been said that temptation is fueled by emotion, not reason. When the temptation to go off track whispers in your ear, you'll need to divert your attention back to where it belongs—your writing. Even if that means you do some ironing.

Yup, you heard me right. Scrubbing, sweeping, folding laundry—it's all mindless work. BUT we can do these things and deepen our character's POV, work on a plot, or create worlds while our dryer hums and iron sizzles.

Don't become BFFs with your hazard. Don't snuggle up with the very thing that blocks your path. If you're tempted to answer your email every time the inbox chimes, then don't spend hours with the program open on your desktop. Better yet – have a specified time allotted for email replies, set your timer, and stay within that boundary.

If scampering around Facebook is your weakness, then don't log on! The same goes for surfing the blogsites. Stuff those non-productive things away for later. Building your platform and remaining active for your audience is a necessary part of a writer's life. Schedule that block so it doesn't interfere with your writing time.

Time doing one thing is time away from another—and your goal.

Accountability partners. I can't stress enough the importance of a good crit group or circle of friends to keep you on track. You become accountable for your word count and encourage others as well. Make a pact with one or more people. Set a weekly word count goal and agree to strive for that number. Set parameters with your time to reach your goals.

Is that a want, or a need? Needs are the basic necessities of life. Wants are more like wishes. You need to get the laundry done and fill the fridge. You want to go blog hopping and break your old comment record. Don't allow others to set your agenda.

Kicking temptation aside is hard work and so rewarding. It takes tenacity, commitment and, for some, a reliable timer.

Let's talk about WHAT TEMPTS YOU?