I did manage another 600 words on QUEST FOR BASHKIM and queried another agent on STRANGE FRUIT. I still have one agent and one publisher reading the YA historical, so things are still happening.
I finally realized that I cannot plan to write. I cannot maintain a schedule (even a flexible one) and I cannot make time to write. The reason – there is no time to make. I’m going strong from 6 am to 8 pm and by the time I get everything done, I’m exhausted.
All I’m doing is worrying myself to death. Sure, I can quit the day job, scrape by on one salary and make the kids drop out of all of their activities. I can ignore everything else in my life and you betcha, I’d be one prolific writer. I’d also be the most hated mom and wife on the planet and one of the most boring people I know. All of these things make me who I am and consequently make me what I write. I will no longer resent not having the time to realize a dream. It is a dream and unfortunately, real life is more important.
What I can do is – steal minutes. Five minutes here, thirty there and ten somewhere else. It sounds crazy, but it’s actually working better than I ever imagined. There are no set times to write (the pressure of a blank page would just bring on a bout of writer’s block anyway), no word count goals, no self imposed deadlines. Just me, my pencil and paper.
The plan is not perfect, nor am I spilling volumes of words on the page, but it is the best I can do right now.
I did manage a bit of writing over the weekend. About five-hundred words or so. I still have about four pages of handwritten work that I’ll get typed up tomorrow. My goal this week is to write about 4000 words.
There are those who question whether or not I’m a writer. I say am even though my writing is not my main daily priority, it is a priority. Sometimes I just have to get creative that’s all.
It’s late and I have to get up early and get the rest of what I’ve handwritten typed.
Okay, I’ve finally worked out a way to keep up with the blog from you-know-where. Much has been going on lately so I’ll recap a bit:
I’ve got four handwritten pages on QFB written and I plan to type those up tonight and update the Word Meter.
I still read my favorite blogs (listed on the right) and I took a piece of advice from one of the NANOWRIMO participants to write first thing in the morning. It worked really well, but I think 4 am is a bit too early. This week I’ll shoot for 5 am.
I got three rejections for two different manuscripts this week. Oh well.
I’m done with watching LOST. If the network can’t get their shit together enough to give me a season full of new episodes then screw them!
I finally drove my new truck to work. The sound system is state-of-the-art and the seat warming function is great for lower back pain! I think I’ll just sit in my truck in the evenings. I still need to figure out how exactly, the CD player works but she’s definitely a keeper. I’ll post a picture as soon as I can.
B2 made the school basketball team. She was the only sixth-grader to make it (as far as I know). Now she’s on two teams. Of course B1 made the school basketball team and he’s also on two teams. B3 and B4 are only on one team and thankfully football season ended before basketball season started.
B2 and B3 are both in the local Nutcracker production, B3 has one more softball tournament in Myrtle Beach next weekend and of course there are still weekly dance classes and piano lessons for both of them.
B1 was home sick yesterday. He feels much better now.
Some of this weekend will be spent working the SDR submissions. I can’t wait to read the new stuff!
My Life in Perspective | Brenda November 30, 2006 | 
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