A Matter of Time and Time Matters

After years of not punching in and out on a time clock, I'm back on the clock! Using Klok Personal Time Tracking software has made time tracking EASY and has tripled my writing productivity.

I have added other tasks to track, such as blogging, decluttering, etc. There's a timesheet view, to check progress, as well as a chart view that depicts time each day and time spent on each timed project.

One of my favorite features is a drag and drop of the current project starts the timer for working on the project. When you finish a session, click the red stop button and the timer stops, so it's that simple to keep up with time spent on individual project tasks.

In the week view, I can see how much time I've spent on various task each day, with a total of how much time during each day worked.

Utilizing this software provides a means of accountability that has worked wonders for my schedule and for my progress, and the amazing thing is, I am accomplishing more writing-wise and otherwise.

Klok is an awesome tracking tool, one which I would definitely recommend!

Balance in a Topsy-Turvy Writing World

This past week, I  learned that I can edit and pace up to five (5) chapters per day. *IF* I don't take time to shower or cook and limit bathroom breaks. Never mind the shoulder muscle aches and the headache, or the throbbing wrists and blurred vision. Or that nothing else gets done. "Really, Alexa," I ask, "what kind of life is that?"

 "Nope," Alexa says. "That's no life at all."

In this busy, busy day-to-day world, I have been experimenting and learning about REALISTIC goal setting.

Sure, I can edit and pace five (5) chapters per day, but, really, if that pace causes physical effects, burn out, and exhaustion, is that any way to write?

I used to work. A LOT. Days, nights, weekends, holidays. During one holiday season, I worked 90 hours the week of Thanksgiving. I had no life. I was so exhausted that, although I tend to be positive and enthusiastic, I no longer enjoyed the life I was living. Er, not living my life, since all I did was work.


This past week was one doing and stepping back to observe as I have been doing. Now I know what I am capable of during a week, and I know what I am able to realistically produce in a day.

So, instead of barreling through, racing, and charging to the finish line, I need to spread out my goal to a more realistic time schedule.

So, instead of 5 chapters edited and paced per day, a more realistic goal would be three (3) chapters, with breaks every hour and a half or so, even if only a bathroom and stretch break. With this realistic schedule, I would have time to do other things, other than writing activities, and still accomplish grounded-in-reality writing goals.

Another thing I discovered, that even though you set unrealistic or over-reaching goals, not reaching them can be discouraging and affect short-term goals going forward.

For instance, edit/pace 5 chapters one day, but then be too exhausted to even finish two the next day. Or, set a goal of four, then due to the difficulty of the chapters or distractions, only do one or two...there's no way to play catch up if you over-schedule up front.

Realistically, by setting more reasonable, reachable goals, I will get more done in the long run, because I won't be overwhelmed, exhausted, or self-sabotaging by not being able to catch up.

So,  Schedule 5 days of reasonable tasks, then build in two days for roll-over work from the previous 5 days. Realistic. Doable. Feasible. Did I mention doable?

For the next 7 days:

• Edit & Pace 3 Chapters Per day (5 days)
• Roll-Over Editing/Pacing days (2 days)
• Work on/Enjoy Non-Writing Activities (7 days)

Then, after that, review goals, and drill down Quarterly goals (October, November, and December), then break down the goals into monthly, weekly, daily tasks.

All writing, everyday--morning, evening, and night--makes Alexa a dull girl and much less productive; therefore, it's time to set my topsy-turvy writing world right side up.

Ready for Tomorrow

Although, today has been a productive satisfying day, writing-wise and otherwise, I have decided to forgo daily progress reports... The time spent logging how I spent my writing time takes away from the actual progress.

Perhaps, I'll try weekly reporting...

Today, I made it to the keyboard by 7:00 a.m. Played catchup with emails and blog visits from yesterday.

At 9:00 a.m., I reviewed mentor/coach's comments for Chapter 10 again. (One thing I am noticing is that the comments for the first draft are incisive and minimal. First things first, I address the comments, then start working down the list of items on the Revision Checklist.)

With short breaks through the day, the steps on the Revision Checklist for tomorrow include AutoCrit Analysis, Pacing, and Dragon NaturallySpeaking Reading the chapter aloud.

Tomorrow should be another productive day, with finishing Chapter 10 and diving into Chapter 11 (formerly the last scene of Chapter 9).

Today is the Day: Tuesday - September 3, 2013

With longer appointments than expected, today was a bust revision-wise.

However, Dean Wesley Smith has completed 50,000+ words of a novel in 12 days.

Inspiring and exciting!

So much so, I signed up for Dean's 3-week Your Strengths and Weaknesses: A Personal Workshop beginning October 7th.

My upcoming doctor's appointments are October 7th and 8th, so I have much to look forward to...hopefully leading to less fatigue, better focus, and and improved writing skills.

BTW, Dean's advice is when you have an off-day of writing, tackle your goals the next day, don't play catchup, and keep moving forward.

Therefore, Chapter 10 will welcome me to the computer in the morning.

Today is the Day: Monday - September 2, 2013

In attempt to help with my focus and concentration, which is skewed due to dratted health issues, I am blogging each day as to my writing/revision progress.

Writing-wise, a slow day yesterday, yet I discovered I need more accountability of my time away from the computer and am experimenting with shorter stints.

TimesUpKidz software is assisting in keeping me from working hours and hours without breaks by spacing computer sessions enforced breaks of at least 10 minutes throughout the day.

Up until midnight last night, I made it to the computer at 8:00 a.m. I started this blog post first thing and will add to the post throughout the day.

One thing I did late in the day yesterday was sign up for Savvy Author's Revision Hell, which begins on September 9th and runs through September 22th and is described as: We'll split you into hellacious teams and motivate you through two grueling weeks of revisions. Finish your draft and report to Hell on time. (I am not sure what I've gotten myself into, but desperate times of focus and concentration calls for desperate measures.)

During the first session, I blogged, reread the chapter, and opened up the necessary files, such as the Revision Checklist. For the first break, I made breakfast and ate, then by 9:30 a.m. dove back into revising Chapter 9.

Half way through the session, Hubby let me know the hummingbirds were truly swarming around the feeders on our front porch.

Spurred on by the hummingbird's activity, I returned to the keyboard and started working on the revisions listed on the Revision Checklist.

By 1:00 p.m., I abandoned the 1-hour time limit per session. Today, at the 1-hour mark, I felt as if I was just getting started.

I then listened to a meditation about Write the Feeling by Mark David Gerson. Next, I focused on the character's feeling at the beginning of the chapter. Once I connected with the character's emotion, the rest of the process listed on the Revision Checklist began to flow.

NOTE: Go back and connect more deeply with characters emotions in Chapters 1 thru 8.

2:30 p.m., enjoyed BBQ Ribs in a late lunch with Hubby, then dove back into revisions.

From 3:30 to 5:00, I expanded Chapter 9 with my putting-in tendencies (sparse first draft, then I fill in and layer emotion, setting, etc.) to become two chapters. The second part will fit into the story a little later as possibly Chapter 11.

Took a quick 15 minute break.

5:00 p.m. - After running Chapter 9 through the AutoCrit analysis and adjusting pacing of the chapter, I listened as Dragon NaturallySpeaks read the chapter, then added the chapter to the working file. Revision of Chapter 9 complete at 7:00 p.m.

A non-writing project looms this evening, with an early morning appointment tomorrow. Today's method was much more productive.

So, tomorrow, not limited time on the computer, making a conscious effort to take spaced out breaks, and I revise Chapter 10.

Not bad for my second day of Today is the Day routine.

Today is the Day: Sunday - September 1, 2013

Inspired by Author Dean Wesley Smith, who's at it again with a year-long Public Writing challenge, I intend to maintain a daily writing progress journal. Right now, due to continual health issues, keeping a daily tally of my writing and revision, may be just what I need to provide self-accountability and encouragement.

So, today is the day I write AND write about writing.

Behind schedule on Book #2, Series #1, this morning I made it to the keyboard at 7:30 a.m.

For the first 1-1/2 hour session of the day, I read through Chapter 8, and fleshed out some of the movements and dialog.

I took a short break for breakfast and to gather books for donation for our local library.

During the next 1-1/2 hour revision stint, I listened to Dragon NaturallySpeaks software read the beginning, middle, and end of the chapter, and adjusted the pacing of the sections for each section, in line with the overall pacing of the book.

During the next break, I surfed the net, read a few articles, listened to the radio while eating an early lunch.

12:30 p.m., back at the keyboard, I started this blog post and made a few notes of what non-writing tasks I want to accomplish today.

Then, I pulled up the next chapter, addressed my mentor/coach's comments from her earlier first draft review, printed the chapter out, and read the chapter.

Next, item-by-item, I started working through my revision checklist. (I've learned that if I work my way through the checklist the revision of each scene/chapter is well-rounded.)

I received a welcome phone call from a dear friend and took an early break to visit on the phone with her.

The next break, I decluttered my office, boxed up paperwork scattered from looking for hard-copy documents last week, and took a video of the hummingbird swarm on our front porch.

For the next revision session, I continued to work my way through the revision checklist. Items on the list include weather descriptions, visual cues (hair/eye color, height/weight, etc.), senses layering, anchoring the characters in the scene, review of scene aspects, visceral reactions, foreshadowing, AutoCrit analysis, pacing, and copy editing.

Next, I took a break to reflect on what addition work the scene needed and took a short afternoon nap. 15 minutes or so this time of day (between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. seems to rejuvenate me for a more productive afternoon and evening writing sessions. This from a reformed non-napper.)

I made it only part way through the checklist when Hubby invited me out to dinner. A great Mexican meal and a quick shopping trip.

Home and weary, so in a quick overview of today, I see that I did only three (3) 1-1/2 hour revision sessions in which I completed the last part of Chapter 8 and made it 1/4 of the way through the revision checklist for Chapter 9.

Adjustments I need to make tomorrow include shortening the sessions to 1-hour stints, blocking the internet until the chapter is finished, and setting a timer for tasks away from the computer.

In keeping track and making this blog post a method of accountability, I've learned why I have not been completing revisions for two (2) chapters per day. I am also aware that I am definitely battling concentration and focus issues, which is affecting my productivity big-time.

Time to replan and regroup.

Review Time (Writing Full Time & Loving It!)

The journey during these last few months of writing full time has been enlightening and painful, yet satisfying and fulfilling.

In attempt to keep track of when, where, and how I reached self-defined writing goals, I have tracked my journey over the last nine months, to include progress or lack thereof. Health issues have served as stumbling blocks, yet in looking at the dates of launches and completions, I have made steady, if at times plodding, progress.

First Draft of Book #1 in five-book series:


The first first draft of Book # 1 Development Edit and Review. (Majorly developmentally flawed. Back to square one with planning, plotting, and redevelopment of series):


Second First Draft of Book #1:


First Draft Book #2 & Revision of Book #1 (Revision of Book #1 placed on hold):


First Draft Book #3:


First Draft Book #4 (scheduled completion date):


First Draft Book #5 (scheduled launch & completion date):


Revision time-frame for Series #1 (scheduled launch and completion date):


In looking at the time-frames for each book, I am able to see the blocks of missed writing due to illness, as well that when health issues are not a factor, the time-frame between launch and completion of first drafts has tightened.

A five-book series completed in little over a year. (If all goes well, in 14 months to be exact.) Not bad at all!

In September and October, I will draft and revise a standalone book.


Then in November, I will begin Series #2. This go around, instead of first drafting an entire series up front, I will write the first draft in November and revise in December:


My 2013 writing journey all mapped out. Glancing back and looking forward makes me smile; therefore, I must be headed in a positive direction.

For 2014, I am debating completing Series #2 straight out, as in completing and self-publishing each book as they are completed, or alternating writing each book in Series #2 with a standalone book. (I have two story ideas for standalones that keep surfacing, and I am looking forward to writing each.)

No regrets, no pondering or slogging through what ifs. In review, I am happy with my progress over the past few months, and am looking forward to writing onward. (Yeah, this writer gal is writing full time and loving it!)

SBICAW (Sit Butt in Chair and Write)

Years ago, in a creative writing class at a local community college, the instructor wrote SBICAW on a chalkboard in florescent blue chalk and stabbed at the chalk letters with his index finger. He said, "Sit butt in chair and write, that's how you write a book." At that time, I didn't begin to comprehend the mechanics of writing a novel; therefore, sitting my butt in a chair and writing certainly didn't accomplish much.

However, with the write tools (love that!), such as Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot and Rock Your Revisions, learning mechanics, although I'm always continually learning something new about writing, isn't a key issue, I am now able to apply the enthusiastic instructor's SBICAW advice.

No, I don't wait on some sort of muse or inspiration, I sit my butt in a chair and write.

To me, waiting on the muse equates to waiting for inspiration to strike like a thought lightning bolt, or waiting until you are in the mood, or holding off until your toenail polish dries, or . . . . (See where we're headed here?)

The story I want to write is my inspiration. Finishing my book is my inspiration. The desire to write books for a living serves to inspire me. I have written while suffering from an upper respiratory bug and taking cold medication (now, those were interesting chapters). I have written while suffering from anemia so severe I was unsteady on my feet.

If I waited for THE mood to write, whatever "the mood" might be, I would never make / take / claim time to write. As far as waiting on some sort of invisible muse . . . I write because I CHOOSE to write, in the SBICAW way, fifteen minutes at at time.

Series #1 Status

In reviewing the overall status of completing my five-book YA Paranormal Thriller Series, as of today, March 18, 2013, my progress is as follows:

First Drafted

Book #1 (100% Complete)
 


Book #2: (100% Complete)


Book #3: (75% Complete)
 

Book #4: (Scheduled Start Date 3/25/13)


Book #5 (Scheduled Start Date 4/15/13)


Revised

Book #1: (Scheduled Re-Start Date First Week May 2013)


Onward!

Transitions - First Drafting a Book in 21 Days, BUT....

In mid-June 2012, I left my full-time job to write full time. Shortly, thereafter.... Not THAT kind of writing transition. The life transition I faced involved bringing my work ethic from working for someone else over to working for, well, myself. I thought no big deal, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Juggling work for the company that employs you involves set deadlines. A majority of my work involved proposal submission time frames. To produce a proposal, you follow standard steps, just as you do to produce a book. For a book: brainstorm, plot, character-sketch, generate log line, Story GMC, Scene GMCDs, write the first draft, then revise and repeat. Yet, the time that producing a book was taking...something was off. After all, I finished the first book, didn't I. I'd write the next and the next. I'd get there, some how, some way, some day. SOME DAY?

Yep, it was the set deadline that was missing. In the past fifty (50) days, I first drafted twenty-one (21) of those days. The other twenty-nine (29) days, I revised the first book in the series and struggled with the crud Hubby brought home from his travels. During those 29 days, I did not first draft and did not create new chapters for the series, yet in the 21 days that I actually did write draft material, I finished the first draft of Book #2. (Ta-da!)

Author Dean Wesley Smith's recent blog post, The New World of Publishing: How to Keep Production Going All Year, brought to light the importance of the production of new words. Revise, yes, but in addition to revision or any other writing-type activity, writing new words takes top priority.

To continue to write full time and in order to hopefully make a living doing the same in the not so distant future, I must produce new words. SO, I now I have set deadlines for my writing production, not just, duh, I'm going to write a book, then write another one. My deadlines are realistic and include daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals to reach those deadlines.

It's taken me a while, but in 2013, I am transitioned, baby!

"And miles to go before I sleep." (Robert Frost)

Fifty days ago, I began my 2nd First Draft of Book #1, Series #1. On Day 50, I completed the draft.

For the rest of the week, I will work on addressing Kat Duncan's chapter-by-chapter writing mentor/coaching comments and suggestions in the draft, then will begin what will hopefully be a close-to-final draft edit next week.

In the meantime, while implementing the updates for Book #1, I will flesh out the plot of Book #2 using the Rock Your Plot methods and workbook.

Next week, I will coordinate and alternate the edits of Book #1 with the first drafting of Book #2. [Plus, I'd like to work in (somewhere in this so-far realistic schedule) the planning and start of a new series that I'm equally excited about.]

There are four other books in the series, plus other series/books I need to and feel compelled to write.

In the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost shares the line, "And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep." In completing Book #1, I accomplished a milestone, with many, many miles left to travel.

"Sometimes it just be's that way."

"Sometimes it just be's that way," is one of my favorite colloquial sayings. Basically the saying depicts that there are times that life and what life throws our way just, well, IS.

Not until my health started to improve did I realize how unwell and sick I have been. Nor that I had been so seriously physically ill for such a long time. Despite suffering intense fatigue, quite a bit of muscle and joint pain, and major brain fog, I kept working and kept functioning the best that I could.

Now that I'm on the path the wellness, I look back and don't see how I managed to keep going at times. Sure, I had to let things go (housework) and had to prioritize to the max to coordinate what I was best able to do (work), but I recall many times that I had my doubts whether I'd be able to continue on.

I have been writing full-time for five months. Beginning June 13 through July and into the first week of August, I completed the first draft of Book #1 in series #1. After an invaluable developmental edit performed, reviewed and the resulting replotting implemented in September, I began the the second first draft in October and will complete the draft on November 19th.

Not the amount progress I wanted, expected or planned during my first five months of writing full-time, and hopefully, the next few months will prove quite a bit more prolific, however, as I did before when I was unwell and didn't realize how sick I truly was, I will continue on.

How much progress will I make and how much will I write in the coming months? I don't know. What I do know is, that as I have done before, I'll keep on keeping on, fully aware that, at times, intentions, wants, expectations and/or plans don't always manifest or translate into reality.

Yet, as I determinedly finish each book in the series and each book beyond that, I look forward to being able to grin and say "Sometimes it just be's that way."

Indiana Jones, Stephen King and Unearthing the Story

In Stephen King's book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, he refers to his stories as fossils and compares himself to an archeologist. He says the story is buried in the earth and as a writer he uncovers the story and commits it to the page.

Mr. King says:

"…Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer's job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground in tact as possible. Sometimes the fossil you uncover is small; a seashell. Sometimes it's enormous, a Tyrannosaurus Rex with all those gigantic ribs and grinning teeth. Either way… the techniques of excavation remain basically the same."

My favorite archeologist is Indiana Jones. Bring the pacing and structure to the Indiana Jones movies to the page as you unearth the story, and readers will read your books, at least this reader will! [I promise Indie and Mr. King, I am NOT your Number One fan (from King's book Misery), although I do enjoy your movies and your books to the extreme.]

In a long, intensive weekend of writing, I plan to unearth the last few chapters of my in-progress story. so if you'll excuse me, I'm heading off to the dig site to dig, er, I mean, desk to write.

Chocolate, Naps and The Good Life - NOT!

"Now that you're not working and writing full-time, you must be living the easy life." Um, yeah, if you call twelve-hour days at the computer, plus writing in my head when not at the computer the easy life, then you betcha, I've got that so-called easy life covered.

Years ago, I presented school assembly programs and entertained in various venues for a living. Later on, as an independent contractor, I had the opportunity to work primarily from home. Since both situations involved self-employment, the self-discipline and effort required far exceeded any show-up-at-work, nine-to-five job I've ever worked. I worked long hours, and I worked hard.

I worked until midnight last night, getting half-way through my next chapter and working on an author website design. Once in bed, the beginning lines of a possible future book kept running through my head, with the first paragraph and book idea following me into sleep. This morning, I slept in an extra hour past my usual get-out-of-bed time and was up at seven.

This morning, I will jot down the potential book idea and the beginning paragraph, then will finish the chapter in progress and write another chapter, then repeat tomorrow, with a goal of finishing the second first draft of Book #1 of Series #1 this weekend, and finishing my Rock Your Plot effort for Book #2 of Series #1 in the first few days of next week.

Writing full-time is filled with deadlines. Self-imposed, but deadlines just the same, since I want to write for a living. For me, despite the long hours and demanding effort, writing full-time is an enjoyable worthwhile experience. Ah, the good life.

Daily Accountability (Kat Duncan's Workshop)

According to Kat Duncan's website: Kat likes to write and teach. She also likes to write about teaching and teach about writing.

Her Savvy Author's workshop, Author Coaching and Mentoring Program with Kat Duncan. The workshop description is as follows: This is a 3-month individualized mentoring program to guide authors through the process of finishing or polishing their target novel.

The level of accountability provided by Kat's workshop has spurred me to focus on writing a chapter a day. The daily check-in factor has worked well for me. Kat's comments on each chapter are insightful and provide valuable guidance for the upcoming edit.

Please check out Kat Duncan's Amazon Author Page.

The Habit of Writing

For the last month, I have focused on writing an average of a chapter per day. Solid chapters, not a rushed get-it-out first draft. Just like checking in and working during the day, writing has evolved into my job. Even with pesky health issues, I do my best to write.

Could I have done this while working sixty-hours-plus weeks? I was fortunate to have the energy to eek out a chapter every week or every two weeks. So, no, I don't think writing productively while in the midst of that degree of work demands was feasible.

Is the twenty-one day theory true? You know, if you do something for 21 days straight, it supposedly becomes a habit.

I don't know, because my focus has been on the day and chapter ahead. One day and one chapter at a time. Write a chapter. Repeat.

The accountability provided by participating in Savvy Author's workshop, Author Coaching and Mentoring Program with Kat Duncan, has increased my productivity and raised the strength of my writing.

Writing has become a habit for me. It's part of my day. A writer writes. I am a Writer.

I Want My Mo!

There's NaNoWriMo, NaBloPoMo, and DigiWriMo. (For those with curious minds like me, these acronyms stand for National Novel Writing Month, National Blog Posting Month, and Digital Writing Month.)

So, the writer/blogger aims for either 1) a 50,000 word novel, 2) a blog post per day, or 3) digital online writing. All to be performed during the month of November. A month (Mo) of writing, toward a specific goal.

With continued health issues, my personal commitment has been to write a chapter per day, for at least five days per week. Once I get a handle on my physical limitations, I want my month of meeting my writing goals. 50,000 words in a month is realistic and doable. Soon, I hope very soon, I want my Mo!

"All magic comes with a price. Now it's yours to pay." (Rumplestiltskin, Once Upon a Time)

Rumplestiltskin, from the television series Once Upon a Time, said, "All magic comes with a price. Now it's yours to pay." Everything, in addition to storybook magic, comes with a price. If it's something we want, then we have to be willing to pay.

As a full-time writer, I've been forced to ask myself: What are you willing to pay? What are you willing to give up? Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to get what you want?

Recently, I unjoined several Facebook Groups, writer support-type groups included. While I welcome the interaction with other writers, I could not justify taking the time to read numerous posts or participate in the group discussions.

Also, to foster a more writing-focused environment, I disconnect from the internet entirely for extended times during the day using Freedom software to block internet usage.

Television, especially coming from a family where the television was constantly blaring, has been another thing I've chosen to give up, except for a few preferred shows, such as Once Upon a Time, that I record, in order to get the time I need to write.

In addition, I don't get out much. Writing is a solitary, singular-focused activity; therefore, I shut myself away and write. (Thankfully, I have a husband who is independent and caring enough to all me that space and to remind me that I haven't been out of the house in a while, as well as a dear friend who gets me out and about for a girl's-day-out occasionally.)

There are tradeoffs. In order to write, these are the sacrifices, along with giving up my day job and not having a spic-and-span house, that I choose to make.

Oddly enough, now that I'm willing to give up other things in my life, I am able to have time to write.

As in most other activities in life, if you want to write a book, there will be a price to pay. (In my humble opinion, well worth the sacrifice and the price.)

Searching for Time

In considering a future potential book title, I've been looking at what kind or types of time there are.

There's time to write, time to read, time to review. There's also killing time and stealing time. What about a time to reap a time to sow? Or work time, play time, doing serious time, having a fun time, etc.

There's also finding time, taking time, and making time.

The last three are what I'm striving toward.

Finding Time

Finding time is an odd one, because if you wait to find time in your busy day to do the things that you really want to do, time tends to be elusive and difficult to hold. My intent to find time more than likely winds up in never finding the time for the things that are most important to me because everything else uses up all the valuable available time.

Taking Time

Taking time tends to lead to situations where you feel as if you are taking time away from other things. Taking time seems to lead to guilt and a struggle to maintain momentum in time slots that belong to other things. Taking, for some reason, leads to guilt feelings associated with stealing time, from others, from other things of importance, and from my day.

Making Time

Making time, to me, means scheduling definite set-aside times to do what's important to you, whether that means exercising, meditation, writing, crocheting, etc. Making time means giving the time for the things that mean a great deal to you priority and respect. A schedule that includes those important things that I don't seem to be able to find time for or take time for, that I follow, with flexible adjustments as necessary, is considered making time.

Finding Time, Taking Time, and Making Time

As far as finding time, taking time, and making time, one of my favorite quotes is:

"You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." – Charles Bixton.

Pulling Back and Holding Back

Book #2 of my thriller series, just as Book #1 did, has intense scenes that involve the mistreatment of those who cannot protect themselves.

I created these characters, they are my story people, even aspects of myself. I care about them and about what happens to them.

With my keyboard on a lap desk, I sat rocking back and forth in short jerky motions and wringing my hands.

"What's wrong?" Hubby asked.

"Bad things are happening."

"That's the kind of conflict you writer's work toward, isn't it?"

"Bad things are happening," I said in a rush. "I'm pulling back from the scene. They are in trouble, they are hurting, and I'm holding back."

First off, how could I write what's happening to them? Secondly, as a writer, how could I not? Worse yet, how could I hold back when such an important event was occurring in their story?

Writing fiction is about characters facing all sorts of external and internal conflicts. Conflict and the character dealing with that conflict is what moves fiction forward.

I owed my story people my best effort and enough respect to see their story journey is written as poignantly and intensely as possible. To do less would mean making them less of the characters they are to become.

With rapid mini-taps, I held my hands over the keyboard, touching, but not pressing the keys.

I closed my eyes. What would the character be feeling? Thinking? Physically experiencing?

Instead of pulling back and holding back, I determined to go deeper, to make things worse, so that what's going on will be the worst possible thing for that character to experience at that moment in the story.

While I keyed in on what my character was experiencing, I took note of what I felt as well. I worried for her well-being. I hurt for what she must go through. I was scared that I could not do the scene justice and that I wouldn't be able to embrace the conflict and let the story, the character, and my future readers down.

Feeling nervousness and fear, I breathed deeply and neither closed off those feelings or pushed them away. With tears gathering in my eyes, the keyboard keys blurry, I wrote.

After I finished the scene, I sat, shoulders slumped and head hanging.

"Still having trouble?" Hubby asked.

"No. My character is suffering."

Hubby patted my arm. "That means you did your job."