ROW80 Check-In: 2/23/11

Well, I guess I'm back from my 'hiatus'...really just a two week rut.  No motivation whatsoever and swimming in self-doubt, I just couldn't seem to spend even an hour a day.  I had come up with a new idea and had started researching it, but then I started second guessing that too.  Now I'm not so sure if it's a good one or not...or I guess what I'm saying is that when I get stalled on how to transition the idea from research to the actual story, I just freeze.  So that's something I'm working on, hoping I can work through it in journaling.  That's one positive note...journaling.  I was watching the brilliant mini-series "Any Human Heart" on Masterpiece Classic (PBS) the other night and the main character in the film is a dedicated journal writer.  I was inspired! I have returned to the daily journaling.  Now, I think I'm going to do some brainstorming, decide if I still want to go with this story idea or come up with something else.  I'm also going to spend some of my daily time referring to some of my writing books to see if I can get some tips on transitioning from the research to building the story.  Still aiming for one hour per day.  We'll see how it goes.

On a positive note, regarding ROW80:  without this challenge, I would not feel accountable and old me would have just stayed in the rut.  ROW80 is holding me accountable and that in itself is just brilliant!

Note:  If you share your ideas for what motivates you, I will give you a virtual cookie. =O)  (the image don't lie)

ROW80 Check-In: 2/6/2011 (late)

I've been bad and have not checked in for a week.  I sort of have a legitimate excuse.  I had a bad stomach virus that had me down for a week.  But I also have to be honest and say that I have been less than motivated on journaling and the other tasks I set for myself.  However, during my down time I was watching a documentary and was inspired with a new idea.  I have begun research on it and I have a couple of books to pick up at the library...which I will do tomorrow.  This subject is something that has fascinated me for a long time and I'm trying to determine how best to tell the story without making it a rehash.  A bit of a challenge, but I think I can work it out.  I'm kicking around some ideas and I think my research will help.  So, in the next couple of days, I'm going to pick up my research materials at the library, continue my research on the new idea, and re-evaluate my goals as far as time spent researching and a new, non-fail approach to journaling.  I will have my new 'system' for you on Wednesday. 

Until then, keep on keeping on!

ROW80 Check-In: 1/26/2011

I'm in a rut...the kind of rut you get in when that terrible trait called procrastination rears it's ugly head.  My ideas are all over the place so the research is not going well and I've even started slacking on the journaling...already! I'm still trying to devote an hour each day, but it's getting hard.  I really probably should have waited until we have completely finished moving (yes, we started moving during the holidays, but due to bad weather, we are still moving stuff from old to new digs...ugh) to sign up for a writing challenge, but I really don't want to put my writing on the back burner anymore.  It's like there is this little subconscious cook inside me that is always trying to slide it on to that back burner.  I think I need to fire him!

So...my goal until next check-in is to reduce my daily time to 45 minutes...for the time being.  That will be 15 minutes for journaling and 30 minutes for research, note taking , etc.  We will see how it goes!  

How are things going in your writing world?

ROW80 Check-In: 1/20/2011

So...I missed the check-in on Sunday because I was prepping for my week long read-a-thon.  Not much to report really.  The journaling is going well and I'm knee deep in the research process.  I may not be actually writing the WIP, but I am writing something daily via journaling and that, in itself, is progress!

ROW80 Check-In: 1/12/2011

Oh God...I'm late with my check-in post...again! As I was telling my friend J (365andme), it's twelve days into 2011 and I still have not improved on the time wasting.  I realize that I'm a work in progress, but I still get exasperated when I don't accomplish what I set out to.  This week so far has been pretty unproductive.  The kids have been out of school since Monday due to the weather so the distraction factor is way up.  I'm not going to re-evaluate my goals though.  I still think an hour a day is manageable.  I just have to get focused on some kind of a schedule.  One thing I have been working on is journaling and I think it's helping.  Hopefully, at the next check-in I'll have some more positive news. 

ROW80 Check-In: 1/9/2011

Not much to update.  Still doing an hour a day (6 days/week)  and still in the planning stages.  I'm also doing some journaling during that hour to help stimulate the writing process.  Hopefully, I will have more to report at the next check in.

ROW80 Check-In: 1/5/2011

I tried to do this update last night, before midnight, but blogger was not cooperating.  Anyway, I am still very much in the planning stage and I'm having to re-evaluate the time I had originally planned on.  I'm finding 1.5 hours too much to commit to with everything going on in my life right now.  So I'm still in planning mode, but I'm dropping my time to one hour per day, six days per week.  Also, 365andMe shared some excellent planning/plotting methods on her blog so I'm thinking of giving them a try.  Thanks! I am still very much committed to this challenge...just have had a bit of a slow start.