Becoming the writer I want to be

Wrote 514 words today. Added with the 425 words I wrote about two weeks ago, I'm up to 939 words. So close to 1000 words already in the chapter. I'm going to reach 1000 tomorrow and then spend the rest of the week trying to come up with an explanation as to why the main character has gone from being sad in the prologue to being snarky in the first chapter. I think I've got a good idea but can I message it and see what you think @AtomicTango?

Also, I edited and revised two older poems yesterday and had my second article published this morning. I'll be looking to working on a resume today and preparing to apply for an internship this week.

 

@aspiringwriter1997 I heard a podcast the other day where Tim Ferris interviewed Jerry Seinfeld. You might find it interesting! Seinfeld spoke a lot about writing in it.

 

Go ahead, I'll get to it when I can.

 

Hey friends,
Sorry I haven't been here for a while. I'm still writing but mainly just poetry. I've hit a bit of a wall when it comes to my novel. Like I've lived it and its not really exciting me to relive where I'm at now. But I know I must.
I think I'm in a flatline of sorts. Although my badge say no P its still no PMO. I set the bar low because I kept relapsing and having the option to M seemed to help me not want to P or M so I'm still PMO free.

Have been doing quite a bit of work around the house weed whacking long grass and gorse. And splitting firewood.
My brains constantly got poetry or music going through it. I just also am feeling rather burnt out.
I plan on once Christmas is all over. I got my brother to get me a tent for Christmas, so I'm just going to take some blank books and write whatever I want. But hike away into the wild. Be alone for a while.

Tired of waiting for medical stuff. I called the hospital and they are saying I may get in around March, but I'm finally on the waiting list which is great. It is a while. But I can just go bush for a while, a week here a week there. I've been taking cold showers so I'll be used to the rivers and waterfalls.

 

Made it to 1028 words so as true to my word, I'm going to spend the rest of the week to work on the explanation and work out some plot notes and character details.

I'll send you this when I get finished working it out.

 

Its important to remember any kind of progress is still progress. For me its less about streaks and more about the mindset you adopt when on one, the building of discipline and resolve. Obviously streaks are great for morale but even if you were to only ever go to 2-3 days a streak, then relapse once, thats still more days abstaining than not.

Its very easy to not realise you are becoming burnt out until you actually burn out. Best to take as much time off as needed and return to working fresh instead of pushing yourself too hard. I'm definitely going to start taking more breaks because it only hit me a short while ago that up until me starting this two week break I haven't taken more than a week off in months.

I can relate to this, had similar issues in the past. Wishing you well.

 

The first two points you made are so relatable to me and are lessons I'm trying to adapt for the upcoming year. I intend to do some work on a new article piece, but I'm going to sit down and work on my character notes tomorrow and do both an outline for Chapters 1-2 and the thing I told you about this week. I've got to develop a schedule to do as well for when I write because I'd like to be more efficient, but also more capable of resting and developing a strong writing mentality going forward.

 

Wind that cuts and bites.
Clear skies of brightest azure.
Cool winter sunshine.

Standing on the edge.
A moment lasts forever.
Triumph over self.

 

These are beautiful! I've written a new poem that was unexpected but also satisfying and I've got two more poems in mind next week. I've also got another poem I'll be revising and working on soon as well. I've been in a poetry mood lately, but that's okay. It's giving me a chance to rest from the novel writing and contemplate both my notes and the explanation so I win either way.

 

Thank you for the kind words. I would love to read anything you have been working on.

 

Sure! Would you like for me to send some of the poems I've been working on to you via PM?

 

PM me, post them here, whatever works best for you.

 

Horizon scorched pink.
Clouds cleaved through, a sky aflame.
Another day done.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas.

 

Happy late Christmas guys! I hope you guys got some holiday writing in and found time to pluck inspiration from the festive air that was around us. I intend to resume my novel writing tomorrow because I finally sat down and worked on some notes, which I'm hoping to finish up today.

 

Guess who forgot to do the notes and slept in? So it'll be tomorrow before I can write again, but I've got to shake off this holiday laziness and try to get back to my usual writing speed and motivation in the upcoming year.

 

Shards of white fall down,
dust the ground, make it sparkle.
Will soon go away.

 

So how's the novel-writing going? And the haikus?