Writing Tired

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I’ve just wrapped up another deadline week. Worked a lot of hours and I’m exhausted, but the May issues of the magazines are at the printer.

          Exhausted or not, I still have project deadlines including the one for this blog. No excuses, I have to write my post by midnight.

However, only one of the three lightbulbs in the ceiling light fixture is working. Two were working yesterday. Now the lamp is causing a glare. As I stare at my keyboard I realize I’ve worn down some of the letters on the keys. The N and the M look almost identical now with only the left side up and down strokes visible. The O, C and the G keys are identical—all two thirds of a C. The L and the I keys are also identical as are the E and the F. The T is only a top dash. The H key is a backwards 4. And the A key looks like a funny P.

Weird how I didn’t notice this while in my deadline frenzy, but now that I’m writing for my own pleasure, my tired eyes can’t see anything else as I hit the wrong keys repeatedly.

But, as I mentioned, there are no excuses for not meeting a deadline. I’m hunting and pecking because I don’t want to misspell any words.

As soon as I’m done, I’m ordering a new keyboard. Tomorrow, a taller person than I will replace the burnt out lightbulbs. I bought some IFD, I mean LED ones that last for a decade or more, supposedly. We’ll see.

In the meantime, no excuses. My deadline is met despite the obstacles. Writers write.

My word count for the week of April 16-22 was 10,814.

Reads for Writers: The Writer's Life by Julia Cameron

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I had a very busy week: appointments with the eye doctor, dentist, doctor, and vet on consecutive days. They really cut into my writing time, but added to my reading time.

          As I sat in various waiting rooms, I pulled out The Writer’s Life: Insights from The Right to Write by Julia Cameron. This book at 5” x 4” and 103 pages fits easily into a purse or pocket—and it’s worth carrying around.

          Each page is a complete insight from Cameron’s original book, which I also love, so it’s easy to pick up and put down, but it’s so inspiring you just want to go home and write as can be proven by my increased word count this week.

          I have three copies of this book: one in my purse at all times; one in my car in case I don’t take my big purse; and one near my monthly notebook in case I need some quick inspiration. I have two copies of The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life: one in my office and one in my favorite writing spot. It’s just that good.

          I hadn’t read the book in over two months with all my writing projects going on so it was perfect for this busy week. And while I’ve read it repeatedly, Cameron’s take on writing invigorates me every time. I just can’t wait to get back to my computer keyboard or my notebook and pen—and that's the best writer’s life I know.

My word count for the week of April 9-15 was 10,470.

Following Through

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

Last week I wrote about receiving big ideas while writing routinely in my monthly notebook. I feel these ideas are rewards from my Muse for putting in the time.

Well receiving ideas is only the beginning. You have to follow through with them. So this past week I stopped working on my other writing projects (except filling my notebook a month) to put together my idea for a book proposal—and I did it in a week.

I didn’t sleep as much as usual. I only wrote one article as well as in my monthly notebook while I assembled the proposal. I will need to write more when it comes to finishing the book, but for the proposal I only needed to assemble and organize some of my previously written magazine essays on a multitude of topics, create a Table of Contents, and summarize the rest of the book.

I’m now letting the project sit for a week so I can look at it with fresh eyes. The anticipation is almost as much fun as putting together the proposal.

While I wait, I’m back to working on my screenplay this week because one of the other big ideas I received changed the plot. I’m still filling my notebook a month and completing other writing assignments on deadline. 

Writing begets writing so if you’re a writer, write. Fill an 80-100 page notebook a month whether you have assignments and deadlines or not. (Filling a notebook a month is the idea of Natalie Goldberg in her book Writing Down the Bones.)

 I have my paid writing and editing jobs, my screenplay, my fun writing projects, and now a book. I don’t need to fill a notebook a month to be a writer, but it keeps me motivated, improves my speed, and gives me ideas so this is one writing assignment I’m never giving up.

Word count for the week of April 2-8 was 7,178.

Inspired by Work

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I’ve been writing articles and essays for my job, posting to this blog, working on my personal writing class projects regularly, and filling a notebook every month. In March, I averaged 1,158 words a day. Slowest day, I wrote 329. Busiest, 2,659.

          All of this writing has sharpened my senses. I know I need inspiration for writing so I’m paying attention to my surroundings—conversations and observations—as well as to my thoughts. I’m writing it all down.

          Call it the Muse or whatever you want, but because I’ve been so open to receiving information for months I’ve also had a few big ideas for future projects that I’m now working on. More writing not only begets better writing, but more writing.  

          Write every day. If you already have an idea for a writing project, work on it as often as possible, but write on other topics as well as ideas can come from anywhere. If you want an idea for a project, write about anything and everything as much as possible.

If you put in the time, your Muse will reward you.

         

Word count for the week of March 26-April 1 was 11,806.