Too Busy to write :(

The last couple of months have been extremely busy. Zack is playing Little League (he made the all-star team and we have been travelling a bit), I have taken over as Cubmaster for our Scout Pack (this requires a lot more time than I expected), and we still have our everyday life (Church, home chores, yard chores, maintaining our garden). Suffice it to say, I havn't written much.

I received a note from an old friend asking about my writing which got me to thinking. I need to get back at it.

I received some feedback on the short I completed. Everyone thought I had a good start to a larger story but as a short my project was lacking. Most comments indicated that I needed a bit of work here and there but that overall it was well written. I received several compliments on a couple of descriptive passages that I really thought needed some more work. Go figure.

So now, considering that my proposed short story is really an opening to a larger work I have three projects in the works. Which one to work with? I think I'll go back to my original project Unknown Heritage and begin there. I am pretty tied up today but I am planning some time during lunch to read back over what I have currently written and hopefully, time permitting, expand the story.

Wish me luck.

Project Finished!

I have finished my first project since deciding that I wanted to be an author. I have posted to the challenge forum and I simply have to wait for the results of the challenge and reviews from anyone who reads it.

I liked the story line that I used (it could be used for a longer tale sometime in the future). My characters probably need a bit of development but I have time to work on that. I also had some good ideas for further development of the overall story. Not multiple books but possibly a single novel. I think I'll hold off this for now - a project for a rainy day. This story ended up a bit shorter than I had expected so I don't really know if it was filled out enough, I guess some reviews will let me know.

I was having trouble coming up with a title for this story. That is, until I was working on the last couple of paragraphs and a title simply came to me - MAGE of ASTAN. I tried some of the processes suggested by many others but didn't really have much success with them. I can only hope that finding a title will always be this easy - not expecting it, but hoping.

MAGE of ASTAN is a brief chronicle of how a young boy, upon reaching manhood, finds out that he has been chosen as the first mage of the new born God ASTAN.

Good or bad, I am simply pleased to have finished the project. Right now I am looking forward to the next challenge.

I need to find a Title.

I am still working on my writing challenge entry. I have approximately one-third of the story written. I am currently about 2,000 words so I should easily be able to finish it under the 10,000 word limit.

I have slowed a bit at this point in the story. I am trying to work out how to transition from the last section into the next. I have tried a couple of different approaches but wasn't happy with any of those attempts. I'm not sure if I want to go ahead with the rest of the story and then come back to this or if I should get this in place and then continue. I really think I should get this in place (to make sure that all of the following details still fit the story), but I hate to put off the test I have floating around in my head. I don't know.

I have also been trying to think of a good title for this short. What makes a good title? What should the title convey? I think I need to do a bit of research, try to find some methods for title development that work for others.

Well, gotta get back to work, both at my job and my writing. Later.

Still making progress.

I did not make my April goals of completing chapter 3 and starting chapter 4. I am still making progress. Chapter three is almost complete. I am, however, going to put this project temporarily on hold.

The writer's forum I belong to, Fantasy Writers Organization, has monthly writing challenges. These challanges are usually based on a specific idea or must include certain requirements which gives the Author a basic starting point. I have been thinking about working on these challenges for the last couple of months. The only thing that held be back was the topics for the challenges. I realize that it would be good practice to participate regardless of the topic but I simpy wasn't motivated to do so. This month is different.

The topic is any storing that contains 5 specific elements. The combination of elements appealed to me so I am currently working on a short story (400 - 10000 words) for submission. Through the chain of events my current project is on hold.

I have a good idea for the plot which actually accomodates all 5 elements with substantial usage, not simply a mention. I have started writing and I am actually looking forward to completing a project. My other two projects are substantial in size while this is a short. I'm anxious to see how this turns out.

Wish me luck.

Back at the Grind.

I've been away for a few days. I took a weeks vacation and simply ignored everything - work, reading, writing, reviews. It actually felt pretty good.

I enjoy hunting and it is currently spring Turkey season where I live. So, I spent several days hunting. I didn't bag any game but really enjoyed my time. I hunted alone a few days and the remainder I hunted with my brother. The weather was perfect. I enjoyed my time so much I almost called into work and scheduled a second week off. Almost.

Now I am back at work and I really feel relaxed and ready to go. I am also looking forward to getting back into my current work in progress, Scroll. Writing has been a bit difficult lately. Maybe I simply needed a bit of time away.

Looking forward to making some real progress. Later.

Why so difficult?

Why is writing so difficult?

I know what I want to happen. I know what I want my characters to do. I know how I want things to end. This should make writing the story easy, right?

Wrong.

These are the easy parts... well relatively easy parts. The hard part for me is simply making myself sit down and write. I said making, maybe I should have said FORCING. I FORCED myself to write today and I actually made very good progress. I finished the scene I have been working on and started the next. Why then, when I seem to be able to continue the story with not much effort, must I FORCE myself to write.

This has not been a very good month for my writing. I simply have not FORCED myself to write often enough.

GOAL for April: Finish Chapter 3 (60% done) and Chapter 4.

Spinning my Wheels.

It's been another productive week. Maybe not for my writing, but I have gotten a few things done.

I was able to finish the 3 stories from FWO that I had been trying t complete. I was also able to complete the review of these stories... so I guess that counts as some writing. I completed some of the web updates needed for my Church and our Boy Scout sites. I even finished another Rick Riordan novel and have almost completed a second as well as a Terry Pratchett novel. Writing again, I also completed another section on that technical document I have been working on. I did write a bit on chapter 3 of my novel. I completed a few hundred words.

So I am still reading the Rick Riordan novel, working on another Terry Pratchett novel, and I am also reading another work from FWO to work up a review. I am still working on Chapter 3 of my novel Scroll. I really need to make up some ground on this project. I set my self some basic word count goals (5,000 words a month) at the beginning of the year just to keep myself working on this. However, I am currently about 8,800 workds behind schedule. I really need to focus on this the next few weeks and try to get back on track.

So I am spinning my wheels, and I am going somewhere, but I am not going where I had hoped. I guess I simply need to focus a bit more and not let all the reading distractions pull me away until I have made my monthly goals. This may be the way to work this out. I think I'll try this approach and see how things go. Now :), if I can stick with it.

Have a good weekend. Later.