ladyn

Progress

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:58:34 GMT

Eleven days...I've got eleven days to rewrite 80% of my manuscript....ah geez.

Priorities

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:38:15 GMT

Okay since it looks like things are FINALLY all in order for the adoption on the 28th I'm not doing any running around and possibly may not even answer the phone today. I have a crap load of rewriting to do and I WILL FINISH ON TIME. *breathe, just breathe*

Kids and Life

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:05:37 GMT

I know I'm really new at this mom business. Barely a year. And chances are that I'm not doing as badly as I think I am. Taking on 3 kids that all have issues stemming from their pasts is not an easy thing, for them or for me. Some days I wonder who it's really harder for. Typically the vote seems to fall almost selfishly on me every time. If I could go back to the mostly carefree life that I had as a child AND still get to be a grownup....I think I would. BUT how would that even been possible considering that being an adult seems to sweep some of that natural easiness away. Or at least it does for the responsible ones from my point of view.

Writing is creeping forward. I'm starting to stress that I'm not going to make my deadline. AND I most definitely need to start learning how to make my own deadlines if I want to be able to meet other people's deadlines.

You either bounce with the ball or run the risk of getting squished...

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:37:11 GMT

Life always seems to get even more hectic when I set a solid goal for my writing. Suddenly all sorts of things pop up that MUST get done and I still must find time to work. Not always the easiest thing with 3 kids and another on the way. BUT there will always be an excuse, an emergency, a tantrum to deal with. I'm finding that squeezing 10-15 minutes in here and there, while now optimal working time, still keeps my motivation high and my progress continuing.

Life Status

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:01:41 GMT

So I finished the rough a few weeks ago and have been working on the revision. So far, so good. Although I'll have to rewrite at least a third of the book at this point, it'll be a much stronger story in the end for it.

Kids are....well how any kids with special needs are. I'm surviving. Some days by my fingernails. The baby bump is getting bigger daily. My little squirt in there gets more and more active all the time. He's actually sleeping most of the night now which is good since I can sleep when my insides aren't getting pummeled. Demar got to feel the kicks and punches for the first time this week. It's all pretty surreal. I'm not sure, even though my waist has long since disappeared, that I'll really believe it until I'm holding little Aiden in my arms in 3 more months.

Loooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg Absence

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:54:59 GMT

Okay, so I took quite some time off...almost a year. In my defense my life has completely reorganized itself. This time last year we had just had Carson placed with us through the Foster system. I was learning VERY quickly how to be a mom as well as dealing with multiple miscarriages in the six months that followed. Then just as things were settling in with Carson we had two more children placed with us, Connor and Baylee. I don't care what anyone says going from zero to three in less than a year has been an experience to say the least. Carson's adoption was final in June and Connor and Baylee's will be final the end of October. We have also discovered proof that yes, the Lord does in fact have a sense of humor. I am now pregnant. As of today I am 20 weeks and 3 days pregnant. MUCH farther than any of my miscarriages. We go to the doctor tomorrow to find out whether will be adding yet another boy to the family or if we'll have another little girl.

I've poked and prodded at my book this whole time though not consistently. Frankly, I think I'm worried that I will succeed. How strange is that? But I have finally decided that I really do want it and yes I'm not going to put off my dreams any longer. I'll be finishing my rough draft either some time tonight or tomorrow. Then polish it a bit before I submit it to Holly Lisle for her to look at. If she takes me as one of her 2 winners than I'll have the HUGE blessing of having her assist me in rewriting the whole thing into finished format to send off to publishers. While working on that, I'll start the second book in the series so that as soon as the rewrite class is over I'll be able to move right into rewriting the second. That hopefully will help with any book deal offers.

So chin up and hunker down. I'm not giving in this time. If there's one thing my kids have taught me in this year it's that stubbornness is not always a bad trait to have.

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:33:19 GMT

A new addition....lol

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:21:30 GMT

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Jackie or Marilyn

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:07:33 GMT

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

* Be direct and clear

* Listen to me carefully

* Don't judge me for my anxiety

* Work things through with me

* Reassure me that everything is OK between us

* Laugh and make jokes with me

* Gently push me toward new experiences

* Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

* being committed and faithful to family and friends

* being responsible and hardworking

* being compassionate toward others

* having intellect and wit

* being a nonconformist

* confronting danger bravely

* being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

* the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind

* procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself

* fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of

* exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger

* wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right

* being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Marilyns as Children Often

* are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn

* are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger

* form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent

* look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel

* are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyns as Parents

* are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty

* are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence

* worry more than most that their children will get hurt

* sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

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Word Count

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:44:41 GMT

51,364 / 100,000
(51.4%)

I know, I know. Not the best but I am making sure to get a minimum of ten minutes even when I'm not feeling well. Dealing with a sunburn. On a good note, I got to wear all sorts of pretties today. :)

Back in the saddle again

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:47:05 GMT

I once again hit a wall. I'm starting to think that those are pretty frequent happenings for writers. It's what you do when you hit the wall the decides whether you're going to succeed or not. SO I will most likely not make my goal of September 22 for finishing my zero draft but chances of getting it finished by the end of the month are still looking good. Since I am at the half way point for my plot line and the down side is fast ride I'm worried that I'm not going to make the 100k mark. But then I sat down and thought about all the fleshing out and such that I still have to do after this draft is done. I know there are smaller plot lines that have been dropped that I need to pick up and finish. So really, I don't think I'll miss that mark with the finished product even though I might with the zero draft. And I have decided that's okay. There is no right or wrong way to do this. And really I only fail if I give up. SO I'm pushing forward and hoping the writing will continue to improve. Practice makes better as honestly how can it be perfect? :)

48,960 / 100,000
(49.0%)

Yay!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:57:13 GMT

45,150 / 100,000
(45.1%)

I've almost hit the halfway point. Still not making that 3k per day so I'm not really sure that I'll make the deadline. Going to keep trying for it though.

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:13:02 GMT

42,510 / 100,000
(42.5%)

Finally got the fight scene to where I'm happy leaving it for the time being. It needs polishing, but honestly, what doesn't? Anyway, back on track although I lost a couple of days there with messing with it so I've got some making up to do. Which means 3000 words every day this week. That should put me back to where I was before and still make my September 22nd deadline.

A BREAK!!!

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:58:53 GMT

Yes, but there are times when I MUST take a break. Take yesterday and today for example. Yesterday, I was pretty much done with my 2500-2600 new words for the day. Today I still have a thousand words to go. Ugh! Just much harder to pull the ideas out today. Yesterday I couldn't hardly type fast enough to get everything written before my muse was giving me more ideas. I think she's slacking today. Maybe she's just tired. I have written 9001 new words this week which is huge compared to the fact that I have written 41483 new words since the end of May. Not counting all the stuff I've already cut. So yeah, she has worked hard this week. BUT I want 2500-2600 daily words to be the norm from here on out. So she'll just need to get used to it. Exercise those thinking muscles so their big and strong! :D

All of the published authors I'm speaking with say that my daily word count is really, really realistic. SO I know I'm not trying to reach something that isn't attainable. In fact, a lot of them write upwards of 4-5k per day. Once this book is finished, if I write just Monday-Friday I'll end up writing roughly 6 books a year. But that doesn't take into account the revising and editing time frames. So I figure, realistically, it's more like 2-3 books a years since I'm workshopping my manuscripts with my writing group as I go. Which means if I can get a good agent backing me I could be a professional writer in the next couple of years. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!

Okay, my break has been long enough. Must now get back to work for those last 1000 words today.

41,483 / 100,000
(41.5%)

Woot

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:34:53 GMT

39,941 / 100,000
(39.9%)

Tired, going to sleep. But yay another chapter!

Today is a good day

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:43:10 GMT

SO this sitting down and forcing yourself to write really works. I'm feeling pretty confident about my September 22 deadline. Most of the revisions I'll be doing have more to do with fleshing things out and making sure things are clear than anything else. So I really could have it tightened and polished by mid October, maybe sooner. I'd love to have this off to agents by the end of October. That's a bit more realistic for dreaming of getting an agent for Christmas than anything else. What would be even better is if I get my top pick for agent. We'll see. I'm definitely aiming high though.

37,361 / 100,000
(37.4%)

A good pace

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:02:28 GMT

So I didn't get my 3k in yesterday. I was shy about 800 words. But still not bad. If I can continue doing that everyday I will most definitely meet my deadline. I really want to have this cleaned up and sent out to my favorite agents by November. Who knows? Maybe I can get an agent for Christmas? That would be nice.

I really think that my writing is improving because of the mentor/writing course I'm taking from Holly Lisle. She's good to work with and the things she teaches are awesome.

The hubby is home sick again today. He was yesterday too. Miracle of miracles, I'm not sick nor even feeling peakish. That's NEVER happened before. Maybe it's all the prenatals in my system or the excess of baby making hormones left over after my miscarriage. Whatever it is. THANK YOU!

34,596 / 100,000
(34.6%)

Procrastination

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:01:21 GMT

I've set a new goal for the rough to be finished by. Since I'm not going to have it finished by Friday. UGH! GAH! SRSLY! I've got to nail my butt to the chair and type like mad. If I can just write 3k a day, which isn't huge, I would even be done BEFORE my deadline. I'm okay with that. So anyway. I'm going to do better. I am. Really. I'm refusing to read another book until mine is done. That alone should encourage me to get my duckies in a row. :)

Life goes on

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:20:29 GMT

So it's been a few days. I'm pretty lax about this whole thing. But in my defense it's been a snarly week or so. My last post I was pregnant. It is not so now. Shortly after posting I miscarried. I do not suggest that for anyone. Srlsy, not fun. So now I'm back with my head and heart hopefully plunking away again. They were stuttery there for a while.

Work is progress on the book. That too faltered but I finally decided that my last chapter ended all wrong so I went back and rewrote it. Not extremely happy with it, but it is better. And hopefully it will allow me to proceed from this point.

I received my signed copy of The Queen's Bastard from mizkat yesterday. I can hear it calling out to me to open it and start but I shall prevail. I'm determined to finish the first draft of my book by the end of the month and I won't if I open that book. She sucks me in every time.

We've got our French student for another two days before he flies home on Friday. He's so looking forward to going home. As he should as he's been in the States for two months now. I don't know that I could send my 16 year old into another country to perfect strangers for months. So we've got to squeeze in a trip to the Museum of Natural History and a trip to the boonies to buy local honey for his dad. AND get a few thousand words written today.

Busy, busy, busy.

Babies and more babies

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:01:48 GMT

OH MY FREAK!!! I'M PREGNANT!!! How the crap did that happen? Well, I know the specifics of how it happened, but seriously WTC? We try for YEARS and dump THOUSANDS of dollars into fertility treatments. I EVEN LET SOMEONE POKE ME WITH NEEDLES FOR MONTHS! And then months after we give up, decide we aren't going to drop one more penny into fertility treatments. I get pregnant on my own. Well, technically there were two of us there but you get the picture. It's funny in a haha, wish we weren't still paying for those treatments. That kind of sucks. But yeah. I even tested twice with two different tests to make sure. There is no mistaking it. I've got my first prenatal appointment with my new doctor on Tuesday. We'll see what she has to say. I'm already on prenatal vitamins. And good grief am I tired. Whew!

I had a long and enjoyable chat with a friend last night who pointed out many ways my writing could be tighter. Hopefully, I remember them all since I didn't actually save the chat log like I thought I had. Bummer.

I'm off to get some writing done, since most of today has been wrapped up in checking and double checking stuff about pregnancy and phone calls. Lots of phone calls.

I've shrunk my word count for what I'm seeing is a much more reasonable book. Later ones may be longer but I don't think this one will be much more than 100K.

31,929 / 100,000
(31.9%)

Fingers are working again...

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:41:13 GMT

I went through about a two almost three week period where I really struggled with one stupid chapter. I finally have it where I like it, partly. Still, I was able to get a whole new chapter written today and hope to keep that going for the next few days.

31,485 / 110,000
(28.6%)

TOO COOL

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:44:19 GMT

Foster Care Situation

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:28:41 GMT

The homestudy is DONE! YAY! And the licenser advised that we aren't going to have any problems with that finally process to actually get licensed. So we may have children in the home as early as two weeks from now. How nice would that be? I'm excited and SO relieved to be at the end of this process and starting with actually having the children in the home.

The book...it's going. I need to get at least 3000 words today. If I'm going to make my goal of having the rough done by the end of the month I really need to jump on top of things. To make my goal I need to write a minimum of 5400 words a day, every day through the end of the month. It's doable. It won't be easy but it is doable. So yeah. Off to work.

Not so bad...

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:25:23 GMT

SO we're almost done getting the house ready for the homestudy. Just a little more switching around of chemicals in the house then basic cleaning. We didn't find any window well coverings. At least not ones I'm willing to buy. $200 a pop is a bit extreme for me. It's welded metal, not granite! So if they tell us we absolutely have to have them, D has a guy that he works with that will help him build them. For MUCH cheaper.

Today is still going to be crazy busy. Need to finish the reorganizing the house, then go to D's work party and then we've got a friend coming over later tonight for fun and games. At least the food is already taken care of for tonight as it is cooking in the crockpot. I just need to throw together a desert. So, yeah. That looks totally doable. Huh. Maybe this won't be so bad afterall. :D

And so it goes...

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:58:08 GMT

So a total of 1685 words today. Not great, but nothing to scoff at either. A complete chapter.

25,736 / 110,000
(23.4%)