Time to reflect...

There are several things going on in my life right now.

I'm about to have my first book published. Whoohoo! Exciting and scary.

I want to become physically healthier. This requires I lose more weight. I'm not an advocate of extreme anything. I'm not comfortable at my current weight. I dislike struggling with things like bending over to tie my shoes. I want to be healthy.

In order to lose weight, I have to change the way I think about my eating habits. The rules for losing weight - eat less and exercise more - are clear in my mind. Being allergic to bran requires I adapt my eating. What everyone else considers healthy isn't for me, like whole grains.

Using my food allergies as an excuse for not becoming healthy is no longer acceptable. I may have been born this way, but God has a way for me to work within the natural laws to become my best self. Hopefully, I've reached the point where I'll no longer stand in my own way.

The new adventure starts today.

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself" - Jim Rohn

Unexpected revelation...

A few days ago, Jimmy Thomas, creator of the Romance Novel Center, gave some very sound advice to independent publishers: Invest in a professional cover for your book. It sparked quite a conversation between two camps: It's-worth-the-investment and I-can't-afford-it.

I learned covers are available for between $45 and $100. When I was thinking of going indy, I hadn't been looking forward to dealing with creating my own covers and had worried about the cost. I hadn't made it as far as finding a professional editor when I chose to work with Desert Breeze Publishing. One of the smartest decisions I've ever made.

When I finally threw in my two cents, I think it was more for me than anyone else.

Why?

I learned something I didn't know about myself. I didn't know I felt this way, or at least, I'd never said it out loud quite this way.

Here's my reply:

Jimmy really needs to stop spouting good business sense. Actually, please keep it up. It's helpful. This discussion has re-affirmed several of my decisions. Thank you. What I've learned over the years: You invest in what you care about, time, energy, and money. Excuses are just that: Excuses. Each person must decide what their priorities are. It's okay to say, "My family is more important than my writing." No excuses about the cost. Writing is not cheap, and it isn't lucrative but for the very top earners. If you're writing for the money you're going to make, stop now. Find something you're passionate about and do it instead. If that something else is your family, awesome. I'm married to my writing, going on a year and a half, after a "courtship" of about nine years. It has been horribly difficult, but I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. If Jimmy's intelligent business advice, based on experience, is offensive to you, maybe it's time for a gut check. The writing industry is brutal. If you can't take a bit of tough-to-hear honest talk, how will you handle your editor telling you that your favorite passage in your book has to go because it doesn't move the story along? I freely admit: I'm a marshmallow, but I'd rather write than breathe.

Update: After the editing this week, I learned I cannot do without breathing. However, I truly would rather write than sleep, and did.

Taking a deep breath...

I enjoyed a delightful chat with a dear friend this morning. Thanks, God.

My thoughts are few and scattered. It's like that after meeting a deadline, even a self-imposed one.

There are other projects to work on for a day or two, and then it will be back to completing stories. Characters are clamoring for attention. Ignoring them only makes them testy and shout louder. :-)

Working on revisions...

I'm almost half way through the book. Different word choices, adding, cutting; more adding than cutting, but now I have more leeway. This time, as I read through I think in terms of what I want to be there, without thought of pleasing anyone else. The book is about 260 pages, so this hasn't been a bad day's work at all. I'll be back at it, tomorrow.

Other projects were also worked on, as set by my own deadlines. I'm currently on top of things. All I can do is keep moving forward, one day at a time. I'll be turning in earlier than usual, but I think it's for the best, today.

All is in God's hands.

Day Twenty-Eight of NaNoWriMo...

3992 total ~ 49076 Wow... One day of trying the new method, and I doubled the number of words, in the same amount of time. Everything came so much easier. I knew what came next, and what had to be shared. It was fun. One day at a time. Besides the current WIP, I also added to some other things I was working on. I don't know if I've ever had such a productive day. This is so thrilling. Whoohoo! Thank you, God, for bringing into my life people that are such blessings. Please, help me to be a blessing, too.

Day Twenty-Six of NaNoWriMo...

1724 total ~ 45084 For the first time, I'm more than half way through my manuscript with no idea how it's going to end. Really. I do know what comes next, and that's enough. It's been interesting to notice that my stories struggle, until I write the material that is related to my work toward becoming healthy. Until this week, I considered all my writing interchangeable, by all accounts and purposes. It isn't the manuscripts are interlaced in ways I never expected. Taking a deep breath, and releasing, and turning all over to God. All is in His hands.

I'm slow...

...which is frustrating. I did manage to rewrite a chapter of the WIP. The original, again, was from several POV, so I had to re-work it so it made sense. That's always more of a struggle than I like to imagine it will be, as I don't want to lose what's there. Sometimes, there's nothing for it but to cut what doesn't work anymore. And sometimes, it requires writing it from a different POV, but that also means making sure that the POV will work. I also did some scene re-arranging and a bit of research. Other projects were worked on, as well.

This is fun...

The rewrite is starting to move along. I started on page nine and finished on page twenty-four. I've made up for all the stuff I've cut by adding new material that I hope works for the story. I have a clearer idea of where the story is going, and the hero and heroine meet much earlier, maybe not early enough, but one step at a time. A few other things were also worked on, today. It feels good. I'm thinking and considering a number of different things, and turning much of it over to God. Prayer is such a comfort.

More re-writing...

I expanded some of the material, and cut more. It's better. I also worked on another project for a while. And PTBW was finished in good order, today. It's been a productive day, though the numbers don't show it. That's okay. I'm learning so much.

Back to Monday...

I re-wrote chapter two, and realized that my hero and heroine are not meeting soon enough, so it's time to rethink and re-plot, a bit. It's a good story. I've learned a lot since I first started it. It's worth saving. Re-writing is necessary for a better story, and I'm fine with that.

Found myself able to go back to book 3, recognizing the need to explode the last scene I wrote. It's amazing to realize my understanding of the process is expanding, because I'm working with several manuscripts at once. Though the stories are quite different, they reveal clues that are applicable to all, the need to explore the inner workings of the characters, the need for details like sight and smell and touch and hearing.

And the project continues. I'm learning a lot about myself. Hopefully, my journey will help someone else.

Several of my friends are doing random acts of kindness, tomorrow. I haven't decided yet what I want to do... actually, I did it. It required a bit of planning, writing a thank you note that will hopefully arrive tomorrow.

Stuck... but not for long...

I was growing frustrated with all the POV problems, so I pulled out another partially finished manuscript. There were only a few POV glitches, and all were easily fixed. I don't know what I'll work on tomorrow. I'll decide when it arrives. I am finding that my writing is coming more easily when I simply allow myself to follow where my thoughts go. I woke up thinking about today's manuscript, and rather than continue to struggle with the one from yesterday, I'm letting it rest (not for long) while I let my brain work through a different problem. The success seems to be multiplying. Then again, I've only been experimenting with the new routine for a few days. We'll see what happens long term. I also worked on a couple of other projects. A good day's work.

The right word...

I didn't add much to the WIP, but I did find some better words. The project had some editing and rearranging done. All is in God's hands. When I feel frantic and out of sorts, I question everything I do. When I turn to God and offer Him my trust, calm permeates every corner of my heart. You would think it would be easy for me to trust God, and yet worry seeps in with annoying regularity. And here is the reason why Jesus teaches to pray always. :-)

Review and edit...

I worked on several projects, including book 3. I went back and read through the last scene I wrote, and did some editing. Then I started working on the next scene.

After the power outage, last night, I'm finding it difficult to concentrate. Lack of sleep is not helpful. Back at it, tomorrow.

Not much writing...

...was accomplished, today. Not necessarily a bad thing. I had a delightful chat with a very dear friend. We spent quite a bit of time talking writing. Sometimes, it helps to talk things through, solidifying ideas and concepts. A lot of my "think" time is spent fleshing out my characters. It may never make it into the story, but helps me recognize what matters in the story and what is extra information.

Other writing was accomplished, which is also taking a clearer form.

God is good.

Another scene...

...completed, in book 3. I worked a little on book 5 as well, and the project. It is such a relief to be able to put the stories in my head on paper. The books I've read over the years have helped me in so many ways, from choosing what I truly like and love and learning how to set boundaries. I'm so grateful for writers who share their stories. I hope my stories help someone, too.

Stormy weather...

Every time I go to open a document, I hear thunder. So, it's late in the evening, and I'm calling it quits. I'll work on book 2, tomorrow. I did a lot of planning for book 5 (I can't seem to keep the hero out of my head), and I started the next scene in my head. I'll type it in, tomorrow. I worked on the project. More thunder, again. So, off I go. I must admit that storms are a bit of a trial. I endeavor to trust God, but memories of my computer processor exploding during a lightning storm are still pretty vivid, and it's been 7 or 8 years.

Editing - done...

The whole of the day was spent finishing the first round of editing for book 2. Whew. Now, I'll put it away for a week or two. Then I'll open the document again and do another edit.

I added a bit to book 3 over the weekend.

Other projects are also progressing.

My brain is fried, in a good way. :-)

Back in the fray...

I worked out a bit of the timeline, and am moving forward once more. I discovered something unexpected: the villain of book 3. I knew he was there, but I didn't know who he was or how he would appear. Now, I know. In truth, I had thought it might be a her, and it's true enough that she isn't particularly pleasant, but she's small potatoes in comparison. A good bit of writing done, today.

Several other bits of writing were done as well. I'm learning so much. When I look at things in the context of what I'm able to learn from them, they take on a different appearance than I ever anticipated. I'm reminded that God's ways are not our ways.

A bit muddled...

There are days, and this is one of them. I spent most of my writing time working on clearing up details, and expanding what it already there. There is a scene coming, and I haven't decided how it fits in, yet.

The projects continues.

Again -- it seems every day -- I wonder what I'm thinking, and then I begin writing, and peace envelops me. All is in God's hands.

Good bit of work...

The writing is coming more easily for book 3, now that the timeline is settling. Of course, there are still changes being made as the characters reveal themselves. And a new character showed up! I had no idea he would be in the story. I don't know if he'll ever have a story of his own, but I do like him. He isn't developed much beyond a couple of sentences, but I suspect he's going to grow in importance.

The project is also moving forward. I was a little worried about where it would go from here, but that question was settled today.

I'm endeavoring to write in my heart that I am God's and I trust Him. I'm working on it.