Hello and Happy September! 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.
I know I'm in a small minority, but I'm always so happy to see summer come to a close. I think I have some kind of reverse seasonal affective disorder, as I tend to become depressed and sluggish every year when summer rolls around. I wanted this year to be different, and had a good start in June, but by July my regular pattern had emerged.
In spite of that, there were some bright spots to the summer so I thought I'd focus on the positives.
- I finished my 5k running program! In fact, running was the one thing I felt great about all summer. I can't believe it, but I now look forward to my runs and I feel out of sorts when I miss one. I'm focusing on increasing my distance and endurance now. I've made it to four miles and am working on getting to five.
- I participated in the August Write... Edit... Publish... bloghop and had a great experience with my story The Last Reunion. I had hit a brick wall while working on revisions for my new Alaska story and was feeling frustrated, so it was energizing and fun to write something totally different. I am now looking forward to the October hop and thinking about ideas for the Dark Places theme.
- Game of Thrones! My favorite show. EVER.
- Reading. I read some great books this summer, including one that instantly became one of my all-time favorites. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is an extraordinary read.
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| A window box in Paris |
I'm struggling with the usual insecurities that come with working on something new and worrying that the ideas will amount to nothing, but I'm determined to push through those doubts and worries. My goal is to have a first draft completed by the end of the year.
What are your goals or plans for the rest of 2017?
You can do five! I was never a running and I've managed to get it up to six miles.
ReplyDeleteGlad that story idea is coming together.
I'm also glad summer has ended.
Thanks, Alex! Your running inspires me. :)
DeleteI enjoy summer like the next guy, but fall is where it's at for me, especially where I live - so many colors, textures, and sounds.💖 Best of luck with those goals! I'm in dire need of getting the book I'm working on to my editor and starting a new project.
ReplyDeleteI love fall too! My favorite time of the year by far. Good luck with getting your book to your editor, I'm sure you'll get there.
DeleteI am exactly the same - I get so excited this time of year, as the nights draw in and the air gets colder. Winter is my favourite time of year; I tolerate summer.
ReplyDeleteGame of Thrones is amazing.
Good luck with your new ideas!
Exactly! I get so excited too. Glad I'm not alone. :)
DeleteI'm not happy when the end of summer rolls around, because I know that winter is coming, but then again, fall is my most favorite time of year. So once I accept the end of summer, I'm usually pretty happy.
ReplyDeleteFall is my favorite too. I don't love winter, but I seem to tolerate better than the summer time.
DeleteI'm with you on summer.
ReplyDeleteYou like GoT? Really? :)
I love the short story idea. Don't forget NaNo is coming up soon, in case that might help with writing the draft or maybe even with a different project.
Hard to believe NaNo is right around the corner! Thanks for the reminder. And yes, I've been know to be a little obsessive about GoT. ;)
DeleteMy husband prefers winter and also evening and night versus sunny days. He's a little bit of an oddball! But I also love fall so I get where you're coming from. I would never want to move South where it's hotter.
ReplyDeleteLOL your husband and I are the same kind of oddball then. :D Oh, I'd never want to move south. I already can't stand the heat and humidity we have here. I am a wuss!
DeleteI'm so glad you're pushing through your insecurities, Julie. I get a lot of great ideas when I'm either trying to fall asleep or when I'm having a tough time sleeping. I love that picture from Paris. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your week!
Elsie
Thanks, Elsie! You do the same. :)
DeleteIt's funny how those untold stories stay with us until we write them down. Happy writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer!
DeleteCongrats on your running achievements... especially in the summertime. Here, it's an "accomplishment" to walk to the mailbox during the heat of summer. :)
ReplyDeleteYour idea to write a short story collection has been waiting on the back burner until the time was right. Since your enthusiasm for it has risen, NOW must be the time! Have fun with it.
My goal? To finish editing the book I'm working on now and get started with book 2 of the trilogy. In reality? Keep putting one foot in front of the other. But not by running... :)
Thanks!! I still can't believe I'm doing the running. Have to pinch myself sometimes.
DeleteI bet you will finish that editing. Good luck!
I keep my goals small and attainable. So needless to say, yet here I go, I don't do a five-year plan or a yearly one. I'm plugging away at my current WIP and that's all I need. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Works for me!
DeleteHooray for ideas coming together! Best of luck with that first draft!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm happy to see summer end, too. But not Game of Thrones...I need more episodes!
Yeah, me too! I am still annoyed the season was shortened. :(
DeleteI hear you about hitting the wall on a WIP. I'm always so afraid that when that happens, I'll never find the end of the story. Keep going. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks! That's how I'm feeling right now but I'm going to just leave it alone for a while.
DeleteI'm glad you've got inspiration for your stories! Woot! And awesome job with the 5K running. I hope to get back to it when the weather cools down. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Loni!!
DeleteI think your new writing project sounds fascinating. Wishing you much success in getting it all together. Congrats on your running project, too. Happy September!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope it continues to come together, I'm excited about it.
DeleteHow wonderful! I can only imagine how inspiring Paris is. I love that autumn is coming upon us. It's my favorite season!
ReplyDeleteMine too! Thanks, Christine. :)
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your great experience at WEP. The 'WEP is one of my highlights and I'm happy to hear that you're working on another project.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia Everything Must Change
I'm so glad I joined the WEP. Such a great hop! Thanks, Pat!!
DeleteOh wow how great you feel inspired to pick up an old project. Sometimes lying away can be very productive can't it? Well done on the running too. Hope the new season is a good one for you all round.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Suzanne! I hope I can stay inspired on this project this time. :)
DeleteIt's great when you get that magical moment when something clicks on a project. Good luck with it! Paris is such a great setting in any case - very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I'm excited about it. Thanks!
DeleteI can't even walk 5k anymore because my knee is so bad...But I'm thrilled for you! I'm sorry you hit a road block on your Alaska story, but it appears you have many interesting things on the horizon!!! Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteAww, sorry about your knee trouble. I am trying to make sure I don't go overboard on the running as I know knee injuries can happen easily. Thanks!
DeleteA Window Box in Paris sounds like a lovely theme for a collection of short stories! I'm excited to hear more. I think you're an amazing writer so I believe in your ability to tackles this project!
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on your walking!
Aww, thanks, Tyrean!!
DeleteGlad you've been getting some stuff done and that you have an old/new writing project to keep you occupied. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy. :)
DeleteI agree with you about summer...I hibernate in the A/C. I love fall and am so happy it's here!
ReplyDeleteYay, a kindred spirit! AC is the best invention ever. :D
DeleteI so agree - Summer - worst season ever! I've never been a sunworshipper or beachy kind of girl. Autummn first, winter second - I love the cool, cold, rainy. I run, too - just ran a 10k that nearly killed me because it was so beastly hot and humid. Good luck with new project - I love the window box concept.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I hope to get to a 10k next year. I can only imagine how hard it must have been in the humidity. I'm lucky I can walk around when it's humid. Yay for autumn and winter!
DeleteCongratulations on your run Julie, that's something I could never do. That window box is gorgeous and I like the idea of a short story collection. I'm thinking of doing the same thing at some stage, but at the moment I'm sending out some of my short stories to competitions and publications to 'test the waters'. I'm also re-working some longer works and making notes for new story ideas. There's nothing like the change of seasons to keep one motivated. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie! And good luck with testing the waters. I'm sure you will have some great successes!
DeleteI am happy for your bright spots and your renewed inspiration for an old project. :) I'm just like you...I'm happy when summer ends, but it doesn't really end here in Florida. lol
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could manage in Florida! I was in Miami in October a few years ago and it was still so hot I couldn't stand it. I hope you are able to stay safe in the hurricane, Chrys!
DeleteGlad your running is going so well. I get out of sorts when I don't walk. Good luck with all your writing projects.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie!
DeleteCongrats on the running and the creativity!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
DeleteBest wishes with your projects. I am working on some flash fiction right now.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
Sounds awesome - good luck with it!
DeleteI never run anywhere, not on purpose. I think your short story collection sounds like my kind of read. Hurry and finish.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I will try my best. Thanks!
DeleteCongrats on your running goals. A Window in Paris sounds like a wonderful title for your short stories. Best wishes. BTW, I "caught" my grandkids ready Baby Moo. They enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThat should have been "reading" not ready.
DeleteOh, that makes my day! Thanks, Diane!!
DeleteI get a little sad when summer ends, but I think that's partly because I'm a teacher and the prospect of night after night of grading stacks of papers and answering dozens of e-mails from students makes me seriously reconsider my stance as a teetotaler.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can understand that. I'm sure if I was a teacher summer would be my favorite even if I do hate the heat. I hope your new school year gets off to a good start at least. :)
DeleteSummer is not my favorite season either. I adore Fall.
ReplyDeleteWEP produces great prompts to get the writing juices flowing. I've found several story starts there.
That's good to know! I am so glad I finally jumped in with the WEP. Not only because I enjoyed writing the story but it was great to read the other entries. :)
DeleteWe haven't had much Summer this year, in UK. I'm not a fan of heat but enjoy not having to wear a rain coat, occasionally. That's rarely been the case this year. But Autumn is my favourite season.
ReplyDeleteGOT is also my fave TV programme so I'm gutted it comes to an end next season :(
Great to hear about your running! I'm such a sloth so I envy anyone who gets something positive out of exercise.
Shah X
I'm so sad about GoT coming to an end too!! I feel like it could go on forever and I'd never get tired of it.
DeleteWell done Julie - so glad a new book is on its way ... and yes well done on the running - that's brilliant. The book "All the Light we cannot see" was highly praised by Nila ... so it's already in my to buy/to read list ... WEP is also an interesting quarterly writing zone: which I too enjoy ... good luck with your goals - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI think you will love All the Light, Hilary. It's so good!!
DeleteThanks!
All The Light We Cannot See is on my list! Dunno when I'll get to it, though...
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of A Window Box in Paris. My favourite city which I had the opportunity of visiting many, many, many years ago...
Oh, whenever you get to that book I hope you enjoy it. I think you will! :)
DeleteAwesome on the book! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThanks,Nas!
DeleteI have a friend who is the same, Julie. She said she's a winter person. To her, if it's cold you can put something warm on but if it's hot then it's harder to get cold. Me? I get happy at the start of spring and less happy as summer gets too hot.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and good luck with the book!
Good to know there are others out there like me. I feel exactly like your friend LOL. Thanks!
DeleteI do believe there is such a thing as seasonal affective disorder for summer. I usually do worse in the summer, but this one was better than usual, but I am glad fall is coming. That's great the running is still going well. Good luck with your writing! I'll be stuck in the editing cave for the rest of this year.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I didn't know that there was a disorder for summer too. Sorry you also struggle with summer but glad this one was better! Good luck with your editing. :)
DeleteOoh, I adore short story collections, so it would be amazing to see you release one someday. Best of luck with this!
ReplyDeleteAnd wow, your running accomplishments are so impressive. Many congrats!
Oh, thanks, Heather!!
DeleteI'm glad something good came out of your restless night! Paris is a beautiful city and I can't wait to hear more about your book! I'm also impressed with all of your running!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Thanks, Julie! Paris is definitely an inspiration. :)
DeleteI loved All the Light We Cannot See as well. I like the fall because it's easier to focus on writing when the house is empty. I can't be creative with the chorus of "Mo-om, can I have..." in the background. I like the cooler weather as well.
ReplyDeleteLOL I can imagine back to school time is your favorite time of the year. Yay for the cooler weather!
DeleteYou have lots of good things happening Julie. So excited for you.
ReplyDelete5k running and dreaming of Paris? I think you've got awesome priorities indeed:)
ReplyDeleteI love summer, but Fall has always been my favorite! It's great you're running, I've never really been good at it, but it does feel good when you're done!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of window boxes in Paris. Paris is such a beautiful and inspiring city.
I'm super excited you found something great to work on. Awesome about running. I've been using the gym at work. I feel wrong when I don't exercise regularly. I'm not a big summer fan either. I don't like the heat.
ReplyDelete