The Pressure of Writing Full Time.

I had suspected, but not fully realised, the awful pressure that comes from deciding to write full time. True I'm on holiday and exhausted from work with numerous little errands to catch up on and the desire to actually get out and enjoy myself. However, having said I would spend this week writing, I have got less writing done than any other week so far (including, I think, when I was sick). And the worst thing is, it's not just the distractions.

Tuesday I slept in, so decided I would spend my day doing all the little things I needed to (for example, the thrilling task of going to VicRoads and trying to get my license unsurrended and my car registered) and then I would spend the evening writing. As I spend most evenings writing, and go reasonably well at it until I run out of time before needing to go to bed, I thought it should work very well.

I ended up also going for a look around Chadstone (largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere, for those of you not from Melbourne), and seeing Total Recall (everyone warned me, but I didn't listen, to my folly. It was as bad as you have heard, and if you haven't heard: it's bad. Though I still think Kate Beckinsdale did a great job). I then went to the gym, and found myself stupidly upset over silly things (largely that I didn't look like Kate Beckinsdale, and I wasn't getting to go away for my holiday). Got home and just couldn't bring myself to face writing. I did my prayers and Bible readings, still couldn't face it. Ended up going to bed at 6.30pm, curled in a little ball afraid of my laptop. So then bargained with myself I could go to sleep then, but wake up around 11pm and spend some time writing then. 

Woke up at 11pm and went back to sleep.

So then told my unconscious self I would get up at 5am and try writing there. Woke up at 5am after a nightmare that probably wouldn't sound all that scary, but left me with that feeling someone was constantly looking over my shoulder in the not good way. Had some breakfast to try and steel myself, and sat down and wrote for an hour. Then went back to bed and woke up at 10am (yeah, don't add up how many hours I slept... and still felt tired. Yes, have considered all the medical possibilities and had blood tests etc., but nothing). Did another hour of writing, but that was it for the day. I did actually stop because I needed to know more about stained glass window making, so then spent a few hours reading up on that as well as who was the English Ambassador to Portugal in 1810, (it wasn't called Ambassador at the time, and it switched over that year, and I don't know exactly when they switched, which is a bit annoying) what did the Cathedral look like (thanks Ben!) and random other facts like that.

Today doesn't count, because I've come up to my parents' house to help direct the removalists and unpack for my aunt and my grandmother who are both moving from Sydney to Woodend (my grandmother to live with my parents, and my aunt to live nearby). On the drive up to my parents'  with my little sister, we did discuss my current story where it was up to and what could be the big bad plot my guy uncovers (this had been worrying me, big bad plots that haven't been done already are hard to come up with). So I did manage to spend some time today writing out where I wanted the story to go, and adding in some of the research I had done the other day. 

So, what I need to find out is how to create a lifestyle of writing, where the pressure of the open day doesn't destroy my soul. Sadly, as much as I complain about it, and it does leave me almost no other spare time, my current method of just writing in rushed blocks between work actually seems to be quite effective. So how to harness that, but allow for more free time? 

I will investigate and get back to you. 

Yours,

Buffy. 

Very Nice Day... Pity About the Writing.

Had a really nice day today, but got almost no writing done. Mum, Jenny and I went to Hepburn Springs' The Bathhouse, and had Devonshire Tea before spending probably two hours soaking in their various specialised pools, spas and saunas.

While I was at home, I also managed to 'borrow' Georgette Heyer's 'The Spanish Bride', which is one of the few books of hers that I haven't actually read. But more importantly, it is a historical adventure/romance set in Spain/Portugal during the Peninsular wars. The book I'm now working on, having finished the prequel which is about the parents and set in Scotland, is a historical adventure/romance set in Lisbon during the same period. Useful, no? Particularly because Heyer is famous for the amount of research she did for her books. In writing this one she read absolutely every personal journal and diary from soldiers in the war that she could find. She's like the SparkNotes version of the Peninsular War!

I did try to convince myself/mum/the universe that I needed to travel to Lisbon in order to help me write this story. But that is the problem with writing a book every two weeks... I'd be finished the book before I actually got there. The final one in the series is set back in England, so that's no use.

However, obviously, once I've narrowed down the good complete drafts, THEN I should travel to all the places to add the extra details to the stories. Though, it will be quite disappointing if I find there are actually no cathedrals or large churches in Lisbon, because I would then need to think up an entirely new plot device.

An added bonus of this plan is that it encourages me to set my books in as many different places as I can.

But for now, it is just me, in my little apartment, typing away whatever I can imagine up.

Yours,

Buffy.

Just a Quickie

Beginning of a new fortnight. On Saturday managed my 10,000, getting the total for that story up to 60,000 and I think just a chapter or two away from finishing. However, have put it aside, though did spend some time this morning just jotting down dot points of things I want to change and where it's going to go etc.

Spent Sunday practising wordlessness. Managed to almost complete two of my knitting projects (with just minor swearing and undoing of stitches), as well as going to the gym, shopping, managing to put on a load of washing (including changing all my bed sheets - major feat), and cooking Pad Thai (can never get it as nice as in the restaurants, why is that?). Was a very nice day and I think will be a good set up for the week.

This morning started on the next book in the series. Already had the prologue written from years ago. Only problem, I always knew that in this book I planned to have my main character an orphan. However, while writing my last book about his parents I grew to like them too much. So when I read what I had this morning I just couldn't do it, I couldn't kill them off, though it was a wonderful scene. So that is going to be kept for a completely different book that has no prequel and now I have to rework the plot so it's all okay that his parents are still alive and still madly in love.

Am staying the night with my parents, so Mum, my sister and I can have mother/daughters bonding for Mum's birthday. Do not foresee that I'm going to get a lot of writing done. But will then get down and be more faithful than last fortnight.

Until next time.

Buffy.

Day 3: The Family Strike.

Tips for being a successful and comfortable writer as learned today:

1. To be a writer you are going to spend large amount of time sitting (or semi-reclined if you write in bed like me, which I've been informed is very bad for me, but appears to be quite good for my writing) you will very likely get headaches. If you have stretched out all your neck muscles and this hasn't helped much: Stretch your butt. Honestly, stretch out your glutes, your hip flexors and your lower back. The yoga position half-pigeon is quite good for this. It's worth it, and can be quite fun (though not recommended at work or if you are wearing a skirt.)

2. Try killing your family. Unfortunately I love my family very much. But I announce that I'm starting a writing challenge, and the first thing they turn around and say is 'come up to Mum and Dad's on Tuesday.' When I replied 'I can't come, I'm writing', their natural answer is 'Oh, that's okay, we'll come to you.' Seriously? What part of 'I have to write almost every spare hour I have' don't you get? They didn't even wait for me to realise that I would never make it and be looking for excuses not to write. Now if I didn't love them and could kill them off then a) I would probably have a great story to tell and b) would get locked away with all my meals provided and no one would disturb me... much.

As you might have guessed from my little rant, I didn't make my word count today.

I did really well in the morning before work, got 2,700 done (had toast before I started, which I think helped the flow). Then got home from work and got another 2,500 done as well as editing some of the work I had already written to iron out some inconsistencies before I lost the rest of the evening to playing Settlers of Catan. I have to admit I do love Settlers, but still.

I have convinced myself it is not too bad, as I'm not actually doing the challenge based on word count, but rather on completed novels, so since I already had some of this novel written, I've probably got a bit of leeway. However, it is only the third day which is a bit depressing. I thought people would at least give me a week to work out it was too much hard work before trying to tempt me away.

And I've booked in to do something Thursday night as well!  (I had actually booked it in for last week, but they had to change).

There are three aspects to life: social, writing, work. You can have any two, but unless you can compress two into one, then you can't have all three.

I'm aiming to make writing my work, and still have a social life. I have some very nice people at work, but do not think I could cope with the thought of it being my only social life. Way too many migration agents for that.

Sometimes I think I would be happy if writing were my social life, but my friends don't seem to agree. But I would write really nice lives for them. Promise.

Oh well. Life can't be all easy.

Tomorrow is my day off from work, so will try for another 10,000.