Hello and Happy April! Today is the day for the monthly meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh. To view list members and this month's co-hosts, visit the IWSG page here.
Last month I wrote about returning to writing simply for the love of it and I'm happy to be able to say I have been able to do just that. I've been working on a sequel to Polar Night and Polar Day and I have been taking it slowly and enjoying the process. I'm excited about the story and it's been fun to delve back into Alaska as a setting. I am totally enchanted by that place and I hope that I can visit there one of these days.
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| The Ghost Town of Kennecott, Alaska (WIP setting) |
I've decided to only set two goals for myself for the rest of 2017. I want to finish my WIP, titled A Killing in Kennecott, and I want to complete the running training program I've been doing for the past month or so. I am enjoying it and the exercise is good for me both physically and mentally.
I've learned that writing to-do lists and setting weekly or monthly goals or daily word count challenges doesn't work for me at this time in my life and they are demoralizing rather than motivating. So for now I'm simply going to enjoy the writing and enjoy the running and try not to stress about either one.
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| My first A to Z badge (warm fuzzies!) |
To all working on the A-Z Challenge, good luck and enjoy!! Even though I'm not taking part this year I still get the warm fuzzies about the challenge each year at this time. Taking part in my first challenge in 2011 was the best blogging decision I've ever made and I will always be grateful to those who have made this great event possible through the years.
That's probably when we first met - my second Challenge. Not this year though.
ReplyDeleteProbably smart not to start a new site. Just post animal stuff here. We enjoy it.
Glad you're writing for the enjoyment of it. I'm tempted to do that too but I need to learn to just relax and have fun more. That's my big challenge. And glad you decided not to start a new blog.
ReplyDeleteA sequel to Polar Night and Polar Day? Sounds great, Julie!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with A Killing in Kennecott.
Enjoy your writing!
Happy IWSG Day!
Writer In Transit
So happy you've found your center! Still working on that, but there's always hope!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read your next one!!! Sounds wonderful!
Great pic! And congrats on figuring out what works for you at this point re goal setting, etc. I'm cheering you on! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to learn you're having fun writing again and have found a path that's working for you. Adaptability is key. Keep on enjoying your life!
ReplyDeleteHi, Julie,
ReplyDeleteYAY for you! A sequel, getting in shape, and keeping things simple. That is the WAY TO GO! I just my take your advice. Driving myself crazy with guilt, frustration, and anxiety about EVERYTHING is certainly not the way to live life.
So excited about you sequel. Looking forward to it. Let me know if you need any help later on with blurbs or cover art. I just created Yolanda Renee's cover for her new book ,THE SNOWMAN and I just finished the covers for her Steven Quaid novels. Such fun! At least this way I feel like I am contributing something to the writing world.
Remembering to write for the love of it is a great idea. I am trying to do that.
ReplyDeleteI love your setting! That is a perfect image to write from. Good luck. Put those words down and bring that ghost town to life on the page.
ReplyDeleteGood decision there. I'm with you. One blog is enough! A very smart and successful man was asked how he did all the important things in his life, especially as he aged and his energy decreased. He responded, "I do only the most important things, and let everything else go."
ReplyDeleteLove that picture of Kennecott. I would love to visit Alaska some day. And YAY for a sequel! So glad you're enjoying the process.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie - it's great you're going back to Alaska which you obviously love - and I hope you get to visit one day in the not too distant future.
ReplyDeleteLoved the A-Z and meeting so many blogging friends and this probably will be my last year ... but the posts are written and I'll finish up - cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/d-is-for-ducks-dabbling-diving-domestic.html
Yes!! A sequel! Can't wait to read it :-) And have fun with the running.
ReplyDeleteGlad your writing is working out the way you hope. Happy Writing.
ReplyDelete' Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
So pleased you feel inspiried, Julie. And don't worry about changing things until your ready. I adore your picture of the Alaskan ghost town. I'm learning a lot about Alaska by reading Yolanda's novels as well as her A to Z posts this month. I'm starting to love the place too :)Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that your inspiration has returned, and I think it is very clever that you didn't start another website. It would have put you under pressure and taken your attention away from you really wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
Another follow-up story? Yes! I have to read Polar Day yet, but I will. This year!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for knowing that trying to start another site would be too much and it'd be better to let it go. I'm like you, word counts and deadlines don't work for me. I write better when the mood strikes and I can run with it. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great pic! I love Alaska. It's a great setting too. Sometimes we have to simplify to move forward. But the option is always there for the future. :)
ReplyDeleteWe all have to find what works best. I've been trying to figure out how to simplify what I want to do so it's less stressful. I haven't figured out what will work for me yet, but I'm heading toward an idea to try out.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are enjoying the writing and Alaska seems like a great setting!
ReplyDeleteI want to visit Alaska, too. Hubs watches a lot of Alaska-themed shows, so I'm inundated with ideas of what I want to do if I visit. I think you're being wise not to start up a new blog. Conserve your energy. Why reinvent the wheel? Do what you can and what feels good/right for you.
ReplyDeleteMy friends are visiting Alaska this August. I'd love to go there too!!! Congrats on getting your muse back. I can't wait to read it!!! I loved Polar Day and Polar Night!
ReplyDeleteIt's always good when you find that excitement for a story you're writing. Alaska would be such a wonderful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for your new story! And one day, I want to visit Alaska as well. I've been living there a lot in my series. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have all these new ideas for stories, isn't it? I've never been to Alaska, and I expect I never will be. I have too many other places I want to go first.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you on your goals.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on your decision to take it easy and enjoy your life. Life goes by too quickly, and there's no reason to make things harder on yourself. (I just decided I'll release my Alaskan book in October rather than May. Who needs the stress?) Love you & come back to Celebrate when you can!
ReplyDeleteWriting a book is hard enough. Take care of yourself first and blog, or don't blog. In a hundred years will you even care? ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
That looks like an fantastic setting! Blogs are hard to keep at, especially when working on books and with the rest of life. But glad you're enjoying writing for writing again!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that exercising is as good for us mentally as it is physically. I'm so glad you've re-found the joy of writing.
ReplyDeleteThat ghost town is AWESOME!
We all have slow times occasionally. Don't force yourself. Enjoy what works for you and don't push. Our bodies and minds need rest once in a while.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that doing what works for you now will help to inspire your writing. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteWoot woot for the writing! And sorry to hear that the other blog is too much on your plate, but I'm glad you were able to recognize it and not overwhelm yourself. :D
ReplyDeleteYes! Simplifying goals has had to happen for me, too. I really can't do everything I had set in front of me at the beginning of the year so I'm focused on just three goals a month/year.
ReplyDeleteHappy Writing, Julie!
Alaska is such a beautiful setting and I'm sure that your next book is going to be another hit! Maybe you can go on an Alaskan cruise, as some of the cruise ships might have special offers. I've heard that it's a dream vacation. We met during the 2011 A to Z and I also got the "warm fuzzies" from my first time.
ReplyDeleteJulie
I think you are wonderful for returning to your writing and finding the joy in it again, Julie. It is so hard to do, but you did it, amazing lady;) I get what you mean by feeling sluggish when it comes to blogging. I'm there too. Always do what's is right for you. Cheering for you, Julie!
ReplyDeleteHoly frijoles I can see the ghosts and all sorts of nefarious paranormal activity coming in and going out of that place. Cool setting!!!
ReplyDeleteYay for another book in the Polar series! I agree that goal setting doesn't always help. Sometimes it just stresses you out.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot to be said for taking things on at a pace where you can enjoy doing them. Otherwise, what's the point?
ReplyDeleteLetting go your other blog sounds wise. I've done the same in the past, and I'm now glad I have, since I barely seem to have time for my main site anymore!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm super-excited to hear you're working on a Polar Night / Polar Day sequel. Love that series!
I totally understand about the goal-setting being demoralizing sometimes. I need to set daily goals right now or I am going to do absolutely nothing. I let my house go to get some writing goals done, and now I'm feeling buried by the laundry. Balance is important.
ReplyDeleteThat's so hard, right? I keep thinking of all these projects I want to do and then feel like I have no time/motivation to do any of them. I'm in the process of setting up an order now so I can focus on one thing at a time.
ReplyDeleteAlaska would be an engaging setting and make for quite a story. Keep life simple.
ReplyDeleteAlaska is very interesting. A few months ago I heard that there are a lot of people that go missing there every year. I wonder what happened to those people. Anyway, good luck on your WIP!
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