Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartMission #6: Pages 16-20 and Finding Time to Write
Mission #6: Pages 16-20 and Finding Time to Write
Here we are, Mission #6 of a 9 week Operation to get those manuscripts ready to submit for the Maggie contest. If you’re like me, you are very far behind and scrambling to catch up. If you are like some of the wonderful readers of this blog, you might already be done with your submission and just waiting for May 1st so you can mail it in. To all of those people, I hate you… grin… Just kidding. I commend you. You have really kept your goal in mind and your focus on the end prize. Kudos to you. I really do wish you the best.
For those people like me, it’s okay. We still have a few weeks until the deadline and some of “us” (okay, me!) actually work better when we’re under the wire…grin…. My biggest excuse for being so far behind is finding the time to write. Most of you know my schedule and many of you are just as busy or busier. This one piece of ourselves tends to get pushed to the backburner far too many times.
I know I keep pushing my dreams and goals farther in the future. I have a tendency to say “when I’m finished with XXX, then I’ll have time for XXX. After I XXX, I can start XXX.” Whatever it is, it keeps moving forward whith each step I take. It’s almost like I’ve put my writing time on the end of a stick, much like the donkey and the carrot. If you leave that carrot out there without giving the donkey that occasional taste, then he gives up. Just like with that poor deprived donkey, I become extremely grouchy when I don’t “allow” myself that little bit of writing time now and then. I find myself becoming frustrated with both my writing and whatever I’m tied up with at the time.
I guess what I’m trying to say in a round about way is to try to live more for today. It’s good to have goals you strive for, but don’t forget that life is what passes you by when you focus on only those future goals. Eventually you will achieve them, but you’ll look back and see just how much you missed out on that you can never get back. Just my own thoughts on this subject and something I’m trying to work on myself.
Okay, I leave you with a couple of neat YouTube videos from writers who struggle with just this kind of thing. I hope you enjoy them!
Don’t forget to scroll up and read the previous post by Marilyn about the very cool new Group novel, Aspen Expose’, we’ve put together for you. Not only is it entertaining, but there is a very cool prize that can be won.
Happy writing everyone!!!
Tags: Mission #6, Operation: Maggie Readiness, Tami Brothers
About the author
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Tami Brothers | http://www.tamibrothers.com I’ve always wanted to live a fun, sexy and exciting life. But when my clumsiness left me with an aversion to high heels, my fear of wardrobe malfunctions cut out those plunging necklines, and my skydiving instructor politely suggested I take up golf; I decided the only way to keep from breaking my neck would be to write about such a life.
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April 26th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Hey Everyone. As you can see from the double posts today, we’ve been hard at work with other Writing Challenges. Don’t forget to come back and see what some of us PFandHT bloggers put together during a writing exercise!!!
I’m on page 8 of my WIP. How are you guys doing??? (I won’t even talk about the synopsis!!! grrrrrr)
April 26th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Tami,
Great job…the writing is going well. BTW, loved the videas. Nice touch.
Keep working hard, you’ll make the deadline for the Maggies!
Sandy
April 26th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I’ve been mostly MIA on the blog lately. Internet connection problems! Ugh. Anyway, my page count slowed waaaay down week before last when I hit a snag. I did some plotting/planning and got going again.
This last week has been better. I ended up with 17.5 pages, which brings my total for the challenge to just over 62 pgs.
Mind you, I’m working on 4 WIP’s and none of them are long enough to quality for the Maggies.
But hey, I’m writing! VBG