Hail to the Chief!

Okay, not really. Don't hail me. In fact, don't give me any more responsibility than I already have.

I spent the majority of the evening last night preparing for my chapter meeting tonight. It's amazing how much stuff one little group of writers can have on their agenda. Still, I'm quite excited about it all.

Since I'm president and therefore "presiding" (that's a scary word) over the meeting, I have worries that my stage fright will kick in, but then I just remind myself to put on my "extrovert" hat. I have two, y'know - and the introvert gets worn quite often. I'm a writer, remember? ;-)

Alas, no writing done last night, unless you count writing the agenda and making notes to myself on what NOT to forget to discuss.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful group of women in my group and we all have a great time together.

And I just met the deadline to renew my RWA membership - faxed it in today and they received it (yes, even though the fax machine SAID it went through, I had to know for sure so I emailed the national office - yup, they got it - I'm not neurotic at all!).

Still, I sometimes wish that my chapter didn't have to belong to RWA. The reason I say this is mainly because of the cost. Lots of people would love to be in our group, but they can't justify paying the $100 initial fee for RWA and the $75 annual membership fee. For example, my mother is a writer and she would love the support of other writers - but she can't afford to join National and she's not a romance writer. While I do like the fact that those in my chapter are all dedicated to writing romance, I wish I could open it up more to those who crave the accountability and support of other writers.

I'm hoping to get some great feedback at the meeting about my little plot problem. Nope, a solution has not yet manifested, but maybe it will tonight. After all, writers are the best brainstormers in the world!

Monday Stuff

I've put visiting the dentist on my Don't Do list for too long. I finally broke down a few weeks ago and made an appointment. My teeth definitely need attention and today's visit confirmed it. How I hate going to the dentist...

The weekend was good. I visited relatives with my mom that I'd never met before...amazing how much family we have on this end of the state. It's too bad we're not closer to them.

Didn't get any writing done, but I did try and brainstorm my whole plot problem. Even asked my husband for his opinion. He's usually pretty good at helping me sort things out - even talking to him about it will usually spark something in my brain. Unfortunately, that didn't happen this time.

I have to prepare for my chapter meeting tomorrow - my first one as president. I'm excited for the stuff we'll be doing this year.

I also chopped about four inches off my hair - and it's a lot shorter than I'm used to. Just right above my shoulders. But I can't believe how much better I feel with all that hair gone!

Rainy Saturday and the Plot Problem

I woke up to a wet, dreary, rainy day. And I smiled.

I love these kinds of days. For some reason, I feel much more inspired to write. Maybe it's the fact that I don't have to feel guilty for staying inside. Whatever the reason, I wish I had more of these types of days. Especially since it's Saturday and I don't have to work!

Despite the fact that a solution came to me for my plot problem, there is still one other, niggling detail that I need to solve. And I've wracked my brain over and over, trying to think of what it could be. I feel like I'm hitting a brick wall in my subconscious. I really want to be able to just brainstorm a ton of ideas and then see which ones have merit. I'm thinking this is the perfect time for my chapter's "30-Second Brainstorm" section of our meeting on Tuesday. But I'd really like to figure it out this weekend so I could get to work.

What do you do when you can't figure out a plot problem? Do you brainstorm with a critique group or your best friend or...?

Maybe just reading through my manuscript will jumpstart my creativity. It's worth a try. :-)

Bursts of Inspiration

Last night I couldn't get to sleep. Even though I was really tired, my brain refused to shut off. I kept thinking about my novel and my big plot problem.

I ran scenarios through my mind, rejecting each one out of turn. I closed my eyes and just lay there. And then...BAM. There it was. The solution.

Part of me said, "Don't worry about writing it down. You'll remember it in the morning. How could you forget such a brilliant idea?"

Luckily, I didn't listen. Instead, I pulled out my journal and pen that I keep on my nightstand for such purposes and scribbled down my notes. Whether or not they are legible is another question altogether.

I didn't get any other writing done last night. The old stomach was acting up again and I didn't have the stamina to do anything other than lay down and groan. I'm hoping not to have a repeat tonight.

But it's Friday! And that is cause enough for rejoice!

Keepin' At It

Despite the fact that my children were bent on shredding my very last nerve last night, I managed to get a page written on my novel. Of course, that was after they were in bed. Forget anything prior to that!

I couldn't stop yawning as I typed, and I thought I'd only get a few paragraphs done. Luckily, my characters started talking and I was able to write a full page. Hey, it's not much, but I'll take it. With the little bit of time I have in the evenings, anything is good.

Details, Details!

While working on my novel last night, I had to stop for a moment and do a bit of research. Luckily, I have primary sources (my novel takes place at a POW camp, the same one I wrote about for my MA thesis) and I can just look in my files for what I need. It's amazing what tiny details I need and how overwhelming it can be just to find those details.

One detail in particular...I had my hero standing at his window, looking out at the guard tower spotlights searching the POW camp. But when I read the guard regulations manual, I found that the only time they had the spotlights searching the camp was when they saw something suspicious. Otherwise, the fence lights kept the place well-lit.

While it was a minor detail and no one probably would have cared if I kept it the way it was, it still unnerved me a bit. I want to be as accurate as possible, but I know there are certain things I'm going to have to work around. Finding out the minute details of a prisoner's life are incredibly difficult. Although I am working with a diary, he didn't record certain details, like what the barracks looked like inside or what the camp looked like in general. Although I have pictures, I don't have very detailed ones.

But on the other hand, his diary has been of great use to me in both my thesis and this novel. I have found out so much about him that I've been able to use in my main character. It's exciting to write.

I had a moment of doubt last night when I thought, will this find a market? But then I shoved the thought away. It's a good story. And even if it doesn't find a market, I don't care. I want to write it. So I will. :-)

I Can't Think of a Catchy Title

I really can't. I sat here for awhile, trying to come up with something snappy and original. Nothing appeared.

I have been writing, though. A page last night and about three pages on Sunday. I felt like I was getting into murky waters Sunday night, though. Thankfully, Rene helped me out with a quick brainstorm sesson yesterday. Thank you, Rene!!! :-)

I wasn't a happy camper last night. I kept thinking, ugh. Have to get up and go to work in the morning. I don't wanna!!!

It's not that I don't like my job. I do. But I'm very tired of the daily grind. I hate the running around in the morning and having little time at night to do much of anything. I know I've groused about this before, but the fact that it keeps coming up is a warning sign for me. I can't fall into the trap of dreading the next day. I don't want to live my life like that. So it's either buckle down and deal with things as they are right now or find a solution.

At this point in time, I need the job. It's a good job. Afterall, I write all day long! But I hate that my daughter has to be in daycare before and after school and that my stepson has to sometimes stay in the office with me because we live in a different district than the school he goes to and he can't ride the bus home. I'd like to get off at 3 p.m., pick up the kids, and go home. Every day. And then work two hours at home. At least I'd be able to throw in a load of laundry or do the dishes, and my children would be able to have more time to relax. That still wouldn't take care of the morning drive, but it might lessen the stress a little.

I doubt this will happen, but you never know. I might just make the request. It's like the lottery - you can't win until you play. :-)

Feel the Excitement!

I had my board meeting today with the other officers of my local RWA chapter. Since I'm the president, I had to lead the discussion. And I wanted to focus on one thing in particular.

Getting our chapter members excited to write.

I think we came up with some good solutions. When we were finished, I felt energized about our group again. I knew we needed to inject some sort of enthusiasm to help counteract the January blahs and get us focused on our writing again.

What about you? What gets your excited to sit down and write?

Even though I didn't look at my novels today, I did post a new article over at http://villaintuscany.blogspot.com

Check it out if you get the chance.

Housecleaning or Writing?

No writing done last night. Just perused through the latest issues of Writer's Digest and The Writer magazine. Of course, I would have to go and leave my Writer's Digest in the doctor's office this morning! GAH!

I'm excited to write this weekend. Unfortunately, my house looks like a pack of wild hyenas has run through it. Maybe I can ignore it and just write. (insert hysterical laughter here).

I'm planning to submit one of my history articles to another magazine, so should get that done this weekend, too. I sometimes wish that's how I made my living - freelance writing with my history articles and then my novels, as well. Maybe someday.

Back and Forth

Since my stomach was giving me fits last night, I decided to lay in bed with my laptop and write. I opened up the file of my inspirational and started typing. Before long, though, I had an urge to open up my other file, my Regency historical.

I'd type on one for awhile, then switch to the other. It was interesting to see how I adapted to the different 'voices' for each one - one is set in 1945 in America, the other in 1811 in England.

While I feel more comfortable with my inspirational at this point, simply because I've been working on it for a few months now, I've felt a longing to return to the other manuscript because I know the characters so well. I really want to tell their story and I think it's a good one.

It was rather comical last night to switch back and forth between the two - I'd write a sentence on one, then click on the other file and write another sentence.

I'm still struggling with my focus on time periods. After I've been in the World War II period for awhile, I really start to miss the Regency. Still not sure what to do about it, but perhaps this new "method" is a start.

At least I was writing last night, even if it was just a sentence here and a sentence there. I'm finding my inspirational is incredibly difficult to write for two reasons: 1) the spiritual journey is a vital aspect of the plot and must be handled correctly (which is hard) and 2) because the main characters must get to know each other (for the first half of the book, anyway) behind barbed wire. My hero is a German POW and my heroine is an American woman who works as a secretary at the POW camp.

It creates definite challenges. But it's one I'm eager (most of the time!) to take on.

Thank you!

Thanks so much to all of you for offering your get well wishes. It means a lot. :-)

I am back at work, although I wasn't sure I'd make it when I woke up this morning. But here I am, inundated with stuff to do, and feeling relatively...well, blah. The stomach hasn't bothered me too much today, but we'll see how it goes.

Have a wonderful day!

P.S. - I thought we could all use a bit of eye candy today. And what better eye candy than the sexiest man of the year, Matthew McConaughey?