I took notes and jots when inspiration did hit, but most of the time I just stayed at the task and wrote, wrote, wrote for hours – usually about four hours a day. Inspiration didn’t always hit when I was ready to write, but I had to push through. It’s so quiet in my new neighborhood – no sirens, no L – that my brain starts to ring. I needed to be in my own head to write, but hearing no sound is too much. It’s called Classical for Studying Radio. Music Matters. Ronny led me to a new favorite station on Pandora.And when a third friend posted gorgeous pictures of her new baby girl, I could not resist. And when another was celebrating the second birthday of her adopted daughter, I did again. Yet when one friend said that she was a near victim of gun violence, I did. But I wasn’t responding, most of the time. So, I did break, but it was very limited. I did opt to stay off Facebook for the month because it was chewing up more of my time then I wanted. Limit Social Media. I continued to post to my Instagram account because I’m a picture gal and it wasn’t distracting me.for a long time, check out what I do here. Getting up earlier than my family has been my m.o. I find that the best way to do this is to get up at least 30 minutes earlier than the rest of my household.
Fifteen to twenty minutes should do the trick. The exercise is to dump what’s running through your brain onto the page so you can make way for your book’s content versus what you’re having for dinner. No judgment, you just flow and get out what’s in your brain. How my friend explained it was that you spend the time thinking and writing about whatever comes to mind. Brain Drain. Another great start of the day is what a very good friend and fellow writer of mine calls Brain Drain.I practice hot yoga, I cycle and I run … all of these exercises work. I know that if I start my day off with a workout, it clears my brain and lessens my anxiety. I feel like this is an obvious one, but it’s because it’s so effective.
Believe me, I’m not about to share it here! Much much work is needed yet!īut the first draft is done!! And I did it! I’m pretty proud of myself that I set this goal and completed it. There’s this November writing challenge and I told myself, use this as motivation to write the novel. I have a taken a hiatus from teaching and with the girls at school all day, I was afraid the days could pass without ample progress on the book. Yet I needed some fire under my feet to write chapter by chapter. I knew there would be 20 + chapters involved.
I brainstormed, I free flowed, and I got to know the characters. In September and October, I outlined the book, wrote characters sketches and scenes, and jotted down a handful of dialogues. There’s a case to solve and I’d call it a bit of a caper.Īt the end of last month I set a goal to complete the first draft of my book in one month, the month of November. This goal wasn’t from go because I had done some leg work, but this would be the heavy lifting.
I’m working on a middle-grade chapter book. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Seven Things That Got Me Through the November Writing Challenge