Yes. Yes, indeed.
Booyah!
More later. I just wanted to let you know that the goal was breached with a little time to spare. This is all God's doing, and all praise goes to Him--and many thanks to you all, too. You are, collectively, da bomb of the friendly support world.
The tricky bit now, of course, is that I have proven that I can do it--and it wasn't really all that hard, frankly. I skipped at least a week of days in there and wrote a short entry on other days. I could, theoretically, match Stephen King's output of 2,000 words a day. Now if I could only match his skill, and his success in getting the things published...
Must run now. I'll provide proof later tonight. I'm still basking a bit at the moment, and have kids to see after, too.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Day Twenty-Eight (Word Count: 40,100)
Have you all given up on me? No butt kicking from the peanut gallery?
It's been a rough slog--not the writing, but the life. Everyone seems on the mend, except for Joanna who has come down with something else this morning. Trying to catch up on missed grading from during the break (when I got far less work done than I would have during a normal work week, thanks to snow and sickness) has kept me up late, so there have been a few missed days in there and a few short days, somewhat made up for yesterday (though I learned the valuable lesson that if you type while you are falling asleep, it does not lead to astounding creative insights).
So I've got four days and 9,900 words to go. It's pretty amazing to be down to the four-digit level, and that works out to about 2,475 words a day, which is eminently do-able, provided that God smiles on me and major disasters don't befall. Pray for me, would you?
It's been a rough slog--not the writing, but the life. Everyone seems on the mend, except for Joanna who has come down with something else this morning. Trying to catch up on missed grading from during the break (when I got far less work done than I would have during a normal work week, thanks to snow and sickness) has kept me up late, so there have been a few missed days in there and a few short days, somewhat made up for yesterday (though I learned the valuable lesson that if you type while you are falling asleep, it does not lead to astounding creative insights).
So I've got four days and 9,900 words to go. It's pretty amazing to be down to the four-digit level, and that works out to about 2,475 words a day, which is eminently do-able, provided that God smiles on me and major disasters don't befall. Pray for me, would you?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Day Twenty-Two (Word Count: 34,001)
I was talking with Joanna the other day and mentioned that I must be taking the stages outlined in the No Plot? No Problem! book either more slowly than average, or in reverse order. Week Two, which was meant to be the difficult and dreaded one, proved to be relatively easy; Week Three, during which the clouds are meant to part and the glorious light of fantastic writing should begin to shine down, is the tough slog for me. I'm feeling at loose ends with the story right now, not in the least helped by the fact that I'm not writing in a linear fashion. Random scenes kept the writing easy, I suppose, because I could always duck out of one that wasn't going well and start up a new one, but that's starting to feel lifeless; worse, I'm having a harder time coming up with new scenes, because they don't seem to be building to any conclusion.
Garn.
I'm 68% of the way through this thing, but that seems less important to me than finding the real story in all this. Now's about the time I'd start really hitting the bottle if I was a two-fisted Hemingway-style writer. Curse the luck that I'm generally free of mind-altering addictions; seems like one of those could really help right about now.
Ah, well.
Garn.
I'm 68% of the way through this thing, but that seems less important to me than finding the real story in all this. Now's about the time I'd start really hitting the bottle if I was a two-fisted Hemingway-style writer. Curse the luck that I'm generally free of mind-altering addictions; seems like one of those could really help right about now.
Ah, well.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Day Twenty (Word Count: 30,273)
Whoo-hoo! Broke the 30,000 barrier. It's a nice round number, and it's also the minimum that Baty sets for heading into the fourth week. 35,000 would be better--and hopefully I'll get close to that by Wednesday, the start of Week 4.
More snow shoveling and more doctor's visits. My brain is starting to melt. These have been two of the roughest weeks of my married life, I must say. The good aspect of that, from the writing perspective, is that if I can get it done under these circumstances, it bodes well for my getting work done in less stressful times.
To answer Kham's question from a couple of posts ago: don't expect to be reading the manuscript that comes out of this any time soon. This thing is a right royal mess and is going to require some extensive editing to even become coherent--a random collection of scenes does not a novel make. Once it's in some sort of semi-sane shape (and I ditch the clumsier alliteration, as seen here), I plan to follow the advice of Stephen King and a number of other writers: I'll send out the manuscript to a small, select group of readers whose tastes I know and whose judgement (and ability to give that judgment honestly, even if it hurts my easily wounded feelings) I trust and get some feedback from them.
If you're in that group, you are in luck (or out of it, depending on your perspective and willingness to spend large amounts of time critiquing my work and basically pandering to my ever writerly whim); otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the hardbound edition to come out at all the better booksellers.
More snow shoveling and more doctor's visits. My brain is starting to melt. These have been two of the roughest weeks of my married life, I must say. The good aspect of that, from the writing perspective, is that if I can get it done under these circumstances, it bodes well for my getting work done in less stressful times.
To answer Kham's question from a couple of posts ago: don't expect to be reading the manuscript that comes out of this any time soon. This thing is a right royal mess and is going to require some extensive editing to even become coherent--a random collection of scenes does not a novel make. Once it's in some sort of semi-sane shape (and I ditch the clumsier alliteration, as seen here), I plan to follow the advice of Stephen King and a number of other writers: I'll send out the manuscript to a small, select group of readers whose tastes I know and whose judgement (and ability to give that judgment honestly, even if it hurts my easily wounded feelings) I trust and get some feedback from them.
If you're in that group, you are in luck (or out of it, depending on your perspective and willingness to spend large amounts of time critiquing my work and basically pandering to my ever writerly whim); otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the hardbound edition to come out at all the better booksellers.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Day Nineteen (Word Count: 27,675)
Another missed day in there. I'd have to revise the last set of statistics by adding another 3 inches of snow shoveled and another doctor's visit. And we'll be going to the doctor again tomorrow. Whatever has a hold of the boys, it does not want to let go; today was an endless parade of fever and upset stomach, broken by the boys' claiming to feel just fine. The kind of day where nothing at all gets done because you're tending to a kid every five minutes.
I realize these blog entries aren't encouraging any of my single and/or childless friends to jump onto the parenting bandwagon. It has been an ugly couple of weeks, but it's mostly better than this. I'll certainly appreciate illness-free days more now, I must say.
Spring break has not been very springy or break-y so far. Harumph.
I realize these blog entries aren't encouraging any of my single and/or childless friends to jump onto the parenting bandwagon. It has been an ugly couple of weeks, but it's mostly better than this. I'll certainly appreciate illness-free days more now, I must say.
Spring break has not been very springy or break-y so far. Harumph.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Day Seventeen (Word Count: 25,660)
Yes, it has been long and long since I posted here. I was full of shame, for I had not written for several days. I had a really long list of things to post here to explain why that was the case, but you don't have the time in your busy life for such things, nor do you have the stamina or interest to slog through them. So, the short version is this:
Number of sick kids: 3
Number of sick wives: 1
Visits to the doctor in the last week: 3
Feet of snow shoveled: 3 1/2 (5 with berms)
Hours spent shoveling, per day: 127
Number of hours per night baby is sleeping: 3
Number of hours per night parents are sleeping: 1 1/2
Hours available for writing after all else is taken care of, per day: .0046
So it's been tough. Frankly, I was expecting a beat-down from you folks when I wasn't posting--I'm relieved but also a little scared when you're not hounding me, because I tend to hide from trouble and shame when I need to face up to it like a man.
Things look to be improving this week: health is slowly creeping back into my family, and though I have much grading to finish, I have my spring break this week to try to catch up. I'm only slightly off my schedule, and getting out nearly 3,000 words today is a good feeling.
Two weeks and less than halfway to go. God provides a way.
Number of sick kids: 3
Number of sick wives: 1
Visits to the doctor in the last week: 3
Feet of snow shoveled: 3 1/2 (5 with berms)
Hours spent shoveling, per day: 127
Number of hours per night baby is sleeping: 3
Number of hours per night parents are sleeping: 1 1/2
Hours available for writing after all else is taken care of, per day: .0046
So it's been tough. Frankly, I was expecting a beat-down from you folks when I wasn't posting--I'm relieved but also a little scared when you're not hounding me, because I tend to hide from trouble and shame when I need to face up to it like a man.
Things look to be improving this week: health is slowly creeping back into my family, and though I have much grading to finish, I have my spring break this week to try to catch up. I'm only slightly off my schedule, and getting out nearly 3,000 words today is a good feeling.
Two weeks and less than halfway to go. God provides a way.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Day Twelve (Word Count: 21,307)
I wrote last night between 3 and 4am while Poncho slept on the couch. Surreal. Sometimes it really is the potential shame that keeps me motivated to produce work even when I don't want to. I spent the day shoveling and blowing snow up to my waist, and my body was not happy. I wouldn't give it up to live in the snowless lands, but it does eat up a person's time.
I've calculated I'll need to crank out 1,500 words a day for the rest of the month to finish on time; if I keep up the 1,700 words a day (which is my intention), I'd finish two days early. Actually, I'm really hoping to rack up some writing over spring break next week. Every time I think that, though, something comes up and it all goes to pieces. So maybe I'll declare that I won't get ahead on my word count; I plan on barely scraping by. Yeah. That'll fool the ineffable forces that stand in my way.
Stupid ineffable forces.
I've calculated I'll need to crank out 1,500 words a day for the rest of the month to finish on time; if I keep up the 1,700 words a day (which is my intention), I'd finish two days early. Actually, I'm really hoping to rack up some writing over spring break next week. Every time I think that, though, something comes up and it all goes to pieces. So maybe I'll declare that I won't get ahead on my word count; I plan on barely scraping by. Yeah. That'll fool the ineffable forces that stand in my way.
Stupid ineffable forces.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Day Eleven (Word Count: 19,551)
Back on track for Saturday. Given, this day was at least as busy as the last and much more exciting to boot. We took the whole gang down the hill so that Poncho and Born Dancin' could see the doctor. This involved digging out of the 2 feet or so of snow we received and trekking down the hill, which took about an hour (as opposed to the 20 minutes it would normally take). This is the most snow I've seen up here at once in a long time. The roads were sheets of snow and people were, as always when snow arrives, insane. We packed a bag in case we couldn't make it back up the hill, even, because the roads were being shut down (even now, busses and big rigs are not allowed on the mountain).
It turns out the kids have nothing more than bad colds, the the course of treatment was just to continue what we have been doing. That's a lot of work to find out that everything was what you thought it was. We had lunch and then began the even longer trek back home. It had been snowing the whole time we were down the hill, and the snow level dropped to about 1,500 feet--kids in Highland were making snowballs, and even some parts of desert San Bernardino had accidents due to ice. We did thankfully make it home, and now we're looking at closer to 3 1/2 feet of snow, which I'm about to set out to blow away (if my much-more-mechanically-competent neighbor can fix the augur). Sadly, I had to miss my last Voicetrax class, because I just wasn't going to get out there again and leave Joanna with the sick kiddos.
And a good thing, too, because Born Dancin' simply did not sleep last night, waking up every half an hour to scream for the other half, and it's been a strange time. I did sneak into the office between 3 and 4am to add a few more pages; they're probably rambling madness, but they add to the word count, so that's enough for me at this point.
Sorry for the long update about the very exciting weather. I'm just off to get back out into it. Hopefully I'll get to post today's accumulation of words (and snow) while it's still today.
It turns out the kids have nothing more than bad colds, the the course of treatment was just to continue what we have been doing. That's a lot of work to find out that everything was what you thought it was. We had lunch and then began the even longer trek back home. It had been snowing the whole time we were down the hill, and the snow level dropped to about 1,500 feet--kids in Highland were making snowballs, and even some parts of desert San Bernardino had accidents due to ice. We did thankfully make it home, and now we're looking at closer to 3 1/2 feet of snow, which I'm about to set out to blow away (if my much-more-mechanically-competent neighbor can fix the augur). Sadly, I had to miss my last Voicetrax class, because I just wasn't going to get out there again and leave Joanna with the sick kiddos.
And a good thing, too, because Born Dancin' simply did not sleep last night, waking up every half an hour to scream for the other half, and it's been a strange time. I did sneak into the office between 3 and 4am to add a few more pages; they're probably rambling madness, but they add to the word count, so that's enough for me at this point.
Sorry for the long update about the very exciting weather. I'm just off to get back out into it. Hopefully I'll get to post today's accumulation of words (and snow) while it's still today.
Day Ten (Word Count: 17,885)
That's right, kids: no words written on this Friday. I knew I shouldn't have mentioned the possibility of taking a day off, because then it would (according to the medieval Law of Sympathy) then happen.
The storm hit Friday, catching my sister and I dragging my truck to the mechanic for its much-needed repairs. The rest of the day held shoveling and the blowing of snow, followed by extended periods of tending to very sick children. Not a great deal of fun, and by the time everyone was down and relatively quiet, I crashed.
The good news is that I don't feel nearly as guilty about this as I might have some days ago. The bad news is, well, I don't feel nearly as guilty about this as I might have some days ago. I'm not going to let this stop the momentum, but it does feel like an odd break in the program.
And yes, this is being posted on Sunday--just goes to show you how little time there was on Friday...
The storm hit Friday, catching my sister and I dragging my truck to the mechanic for its much-needed repairs. The rest of the day held shoveling and the blowing of snow, followed by extended periods of tending to very sick children. Not a great deal of fun, and by the time everyone was down and relatively quiet, I crashed.
The good news is that I don't feel nearly as guilty about this as I might have some days ago. The bad news is, well, I don't feel nearly as guilty about this as I might have some days ago. I'm not going to let this stop the momentum, but it does feel like an odd break in the program.
And yes, this is being posted on Sunday--just goes to show you how little time there was on Friday...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Day Nine (Word Count: 17,885)
A little bit low on the count, but not much. I've actually got permission from the book to take a day off here and there--I don't intend to use it, but it's nice to know that being a handful of words under the mark isn't a tragedy at this point.
We're a house full of sick kiddos here; Poncho woke himself up with coughing, and Born Dancin' is clearly getting the same thing. Gargh. I'm only up now because the boy is.
Today holds the exciting prospect of taking the truck to the mechanic and the onset of a massive winte storm: an auspicious beginning to the dreaded Week 2 of the writing, which the book suggests is the killer week, in which I will be attacked by the hobgoblins of my own little mind. I'm doing okay so far, really, but I'm bracing for the fight.
We're a house full of sick kiddos here; Poncho woke himself up with coughing, and Born Dancin' is clearly getting the same thing. Gargh. I'm only up now because the boy is.
Today holds the exciting prospect of taking the truck to the mechanic and the onset of a massive winte storm: an auspicious beginning to the dreaded Week 2 of the writing, which the book suggests is the killer week, in which I will be attacked by the hobgoblins of my own little mind. I'm doing okay so far, really, but I'm bracing for the fight.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Day Eight (Word Count: 16,470)
Did my writing between 12:35 and 1:25am.
Eyes are burning. Brain is confuzled. Writing probably makes no sense, except for a few good parts that may contain the best individual phrases I've written.
I can see why writers sometimes think getting drunk helps. If you have no conscious control over what pours out of you, every once in a while you find some weird little thing you can latch on to when you're sober again.
Or maybe not. I'm too tired to tell.
But I got the words out, dagnabit.
Eyes are burning. Brain is confuzled. Writing probably makes no sense, except for a few good parts that may contain the best individual phrases I've written.
I can see why writers sometimes think getting drunk helps. If you have no conscious control over what pours out of you, every once in a while you find some weird little thing you can latch on to when you're sober again.
Or maybe not. I'm too tired to tell.
But I got the words out, dagnabit.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Day Seven (Word Count: 14,720)
Hah! Take that, Silverback!
Actually, that kind of goading is pretty much exactly what I need--it's why I'm keeping this thing updated on a regular basis. Having a couple of hours to work in is also a big help.
I'm more and more convinced, though, that a lot of what's coming out at the moment is really pretty bad. This thing is going to take some serious revision. I still think the basic idea is valid, but it's pretty unreadable so far.
Weather report: hailing like a Swedish platypus. Which I'm all in favor of, except that the highway down the hill is still closed, necessitating a drive all the way across the ridgeline. Think of me at 4:30am tomorrow when you turn over and go back to sleep; I'll be on the road.
Actually, that kind of goading is pretty much exactly what I need--it's why I'm keeping this thing updated on a regular basis. Having a couple of hours to work in is also a big help.
I'm more and more convinced, though, that a lot of what's coming out at the moment is really pretty bad. This thing is going to take some serious revision. I still think the basic idea is valid, but it's pretty unreadable so far.
Weather report: hailing like a Swedish platypus. Which I'm all in favor of, except that the highway down the hill is still closed, necessitating a drive all the way across the ridgeline. Think of me at 4:30am tomorrow when you turn over and go back to sleep; I'll be on the road.
Day Six (Word Count: 11,527)
Yes, that's a pretty anemic word count. There are some sick kiddos at home and a confluence of responsibilities and grading all coming together at once: yesterday was our department meeting, for which I am the secretary, requiring me to type up the minutes from the last meeting; I'm also on the scholarship committee and we're in the heat of scholarship season (and you didn't even know there was such a thing, did you?), so I've got about 125 scholarship applications to get through this week; my last Voicetrax classes are coming up this weekend, and these actually have pre-work; my final class at CCC is ending this week; and so on, and so on, ad nauseum.
I've actually called in today, since Poncho has an amazing cough going on and Born Dancin' has a fever and is just generally a grumpster. I'll help out this morning, and hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up a bit this afternoon. I am a bit ahead of my word count, so I've got a little leeway, but I'd really like to get further ahead if I can.
The weather is cooperating by being foggy and damp, with record cold promised for later in the week. God pats me on the head for no good reason once again.
I've actually called in today, since Poncho has an amazing cough going on and Born Dancin' has a fever and is just generally a grumpster. I'll help out this morning, and hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up a bit this afternoon. I am a bit ahead of my word count, so I've got a little leeway, but I'd really like to get further ahead if I can.
The weather is cooperating by being foggy and damp, with record cold promised for later in the week. God pats me on the head for no good reason once again.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Day Five (Word Count: 10,885)
I didn't get much time to write today.
Wait. Scratch that.
I didn't use all my time available today. I couldn't get out of the house, so I had to wait until late in the evening to work; I just finished a few moments ago, actually.
The weird part was that I hadn't checked the word count for a while and hadn't been paying much attention. When I tallied it before popping over here, it turns out that I wrote exactly 1,667 words.
This wouldn't necessarily have much significance, except that this is the exact word count per day one is supposed to have to get to the 50,000 words in 30 days. I'd been aiming for 1,700 a day, giving me a 33 word lead (not a lot, but giving me almost 1,000 extra words in a 30-day stretch). Maybe it's just sleep deprivation, but that seemed kind of kooky to me.
I have yet more stuff to report, but it'll have to wait again--I need some sleeps in me if I'm going to get to work tomorrow. Are you guys tired of this strange writing mush that seems to leak from my brain every time I post here now? I mean, I know you want updates as to word count so as to be prepared with your scourges and whips, but do you want to read this rambling about process and random writing trivia?
In any case, it's nice to know that I've got over 20% of this thing done by now. I'm tired and pleased.
Wait. Scratch that.
I didn't use all my time available today. I couldn't get out of the house, so I had to wait until late in the evening to work; I just finished a few moments ago, actually.
The weird part was that I hadn't checked the word count for a while and hadn't been paying much attention. When I tallied it before popping over here, it turns out that I wrote exactly 1,667 words.
This wouldn't necessarily have much significance, except that this is the exact word count per day one is supposed to have to get to the 50,000 words in 30 days. I'd been aiming for 1,700 a day, giving me a 33 word lead (not a lot, but giving me almost 1,000 extra words in a 30-day stretch). Maybe it's just sleep deprivation, but that seemed kind of kooky to me.
I have yet more stuff to report, but it'll have to wait again--I need some sleeps in me if I'm going to get to work tomorrow. Are you guys tired of this strange writing mush that seems to leak from my brain every time I post here now? I mean, I know you want updates as to word count so as to be prepared with your scourges and whips, but do you want to read this rambling about process and random writing trivia?
In any case, it's nice to know that I've got over 20% of this thing done by now. I'm tired and pleased.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Day Four (Word Count: 9,214)
I worked over at my sister's house today. It's always so strange to me to be in homes where there are no toys littered across all the floors and the sounds are mostly of adult conversation, or--glory of glories!--silence. It's kind of disorienting.
Michael's Writing Process Useless Fact #217: I type in Baskerville Old Face font. It's almost exactly the same size as Times but feels more old-timey and writerly. Every little detail counts.
It's late enough that any other thoughts I'm contemplating are slipping away from my frontal lobes faster than I can catch them. I'll try to give some kind of update on life outside the writing (does that pesky old thing still exist?) soon.
Michael's Writing Process Useless Fact #217: I type in Baskerville Old Face font. It's almost exactly the same size as Times but feels more old-timey and writerly. Every little detail counts.
It's late enough that any other thoughts I'm contemplating are slipping away from my frontal lobes faster than I can catch them. I'll try to give some kind of update on life outside the writing (does that pesky old thing still exist?) soon.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Day Three (Word Count: 7,349)
Of course I didn't get more than the average done today (at least, not much more). On the more positive side, I've got something of an embryonic plot developing and the characters are taking a bit more shape.
Over the past days, I've discovered that once I've hit a groove, I can get out about 2,000 words an hour. That seems pretty good--as Baty points out, if your output remained constant each hour, you could finish the novel in less than a week. If only...
The weather here has been terrific; today, as I worked at my parents' place, the wind was roaring around the house, driving sleet and snow into the windows, and the fog rolled in and out all afternoon. Sweet. It only confirms my findings that the atmosphere can make a vast difference in my motivation and output.
It's late and there's much to do tomorrow. One day there will be an interesting post here, I promise.
Over the past days, I've discovered that once I've hit a groove, I can get out about 2,000 words an hour. That seems pretty good--as Baty points out, if your output remained constant each hour, you could finish the novel in less than a week. If only...
The weather here has been terrific; today, as I worked at my parents' place, the wind was roaring around the house, driving sleet and snow into the windows, and the fog rolled in and out all afternoon. Sweet. It only confirms my findings that the atmosphere can make a vast difference in my motivation and output.
It's late and there's much to do tomorrow. One day there will be an interesting post here, I promise.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Day Two (Word Count: 5,118)
The word count for today was adequate but not as high as I would have liked. It wasn't for lack of ideas, thankfully--in fact, I think that today was going better than yesterday. It was lack of time what done me in; I only had about 45 minutes to work. I was hoping to do a little more this evening, but kiddos and cleaning and suchlike ate up the time. I have some ideas of what to start with tomorrow, though, so I'm optimistic. Plus I don't teach tomorrow, so maybe I can eke out a fairly large chunk of time and pump up my count.
I kind of started wondering today if I look very strange as I'm working. So far I've staked out spots in a couple of local Starbucks as writing haunts (I'd love to find an independent coffee shop, but there are a dearth of those in culture-free San Bernardino county), and I realized that when I'm on a roll in typing, I tend to sort of sway, as if I'm riding an invisible roller coaster on a very gentle track. It's possible I may be muttering what I'm writing under my breath--I'm not certain. One day I'll have to set up a video camera and try to capture the scene. I'll let you know.
I had best get some sleep in me if I'm to do any useful work tomorrow. Sorry this is not thrilling stuff; all my good writing is going into the novel, see. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway.
Goodnight, all.
I kind of started wondering today if I look very strange as I'm working. So far I've staked out spots in a couple of local Starbucks as writing haunts (I'd love to find an independent coffee shop, but there are a dearth of those in culture-free San Bernardino county), and I realized that when I'm on a roll in typing, I tend to sort of sway, as if I'm riding an invisible roller coaster on a very gentle track. It's possible I may be muttering what I'm writing under my breath--I'm not certain. One day I'll have to set up a video camera and try to capture the scene. I'll let you know.
I had best get some sleep in me if I'm to do any useful work tomorrow. Sorry this is not thrilling stuff; all my good writing is going into the novel, see. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway.
Goodnight, all.
Day One (Word Count: 3,323)
Yesterday began my writing oddyssey, and the good news is that I did exceed my daily quota. I was feeling pretty happy about that, thinking, "Say--this whole writing thing is easy! I'll be done in two weeks!" Then I reread the opening of the NaNoWriMo book, wherein Baty outlines that everybody feels euphoric and powerful when they start, only to crash somewhere in week two. So I'm still optimistic, but trying to be realistic. I'll take Baty's advice and try to get as far out ahead of the minimum as I can this week so I have some breathing space.
I am confused about what I'm writing. I was really excited about the prospect, but I've run into the same bugaboo I usually do: namely, I have what I think are interesting characters and no plot at all. Baty suggests that one will magically appear if I just keep typing, so I'll trust him on that one. Still, he writes as if most people walk in with a plot in mind and just have to find its depth and complexity; it even sounds as though a lot of the writers are writing one chapter after another, which almost never happens with me. I have little vignettes, scenes and images in my head in no particular order. So that's what I'm putting down right now. We'll have to see if they congeal into any useful mass at any point.
I'll try to post today's update on the actual day; piles o' grading and ending a hyperactive, kind of unpleasant evaluation period have kept me hopping. The good news is that I should be granted tenure this semester; the better news (for me) is that I don't feel nearly as trapped by this as I thought I would.
I've got more grading to which to get. Keep the cards and letters coming in--the staff here really appreciate them. More muffin baskets, too. Later I'll tell you about my new writing totem and my promise to get myself my own for-real laptop if I can publish this beast when I'm finished.
I am confused about what I'm writing. I was really excited about the prospect, but I've run into the same bugaboo I usually do: namely, I have what I think are interesting characters and no plot at all. Baty suggests that one will magically appear if I just keep typing, so I'll trust him on that one. Still, he writes as if most people walk in with a plot in mind and just have to find its depth and complexity; it even sounds as though a lot of the writers are writing one chapter after another, which almost never happens with me. I have little vignettes, scenes and images in my head in no particular order. So that's what I'm putting down right now. We'll have to see if they congeal into any useful mass at any point.
I'll try to post today's update on the actual day; piles o' grading and ending a hyperactive, kind of unpleasant evaluation period have kept me hopping. The good news is that I should be granted tenure this semester; the better news (for me) is that I don't feel nearly as trapped by this as I thought I would.
I've got more grading to which to get. Keep the cards and letters coming in--the staff here really appreciate them. More muffin baskets, too. Later I'll tell you about my new writing totem and my promise to get myself my own for-real laptop if I can publish this beast when I'm finished.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Calm Before the Storm
I've been trying to remember the exact wording of the conversation between Gandalf and Pippin in The Return of the King (the movie) in which Pippin says that he doesn't want to fight, but the waiting beforehand is even worse. Actually, I was just looking for Gandalf's line about them being in the long hush before the battle; that's where I feel like I have been yesterday and this morning.
I'm remarkably upbeat for me, really. I'm quite looking forward to starting off (probably this afternoon), and though I'm a little concerned about my recent lack of sleep--a lot of grading sneaking up to attack me these days--I'm pretty excited overall. Plus the punishments for my failure keep pouring in (Joanna will probably put hers up soon, but they include things like making the boys clean up their own room every night for months and sending her off to expensive day spas), so I've got incentive aplenty. Thankfully, my main motivation at the moment is just the desire to succeed; it'll be in the painful later weeks that I need those threats to keep me moving.
One last thought, and a totally unrelated one: I think I figured out the other day a little piece of why God puts up with us and uses us in His plans. Last week I was making waffles and the boys were "helping." It was messy and took a good deal longer than it would have had I made them alone, but they diligently added ingredients as handed to them and stirred the batter with determination.
So why did I let them help? It would have been much faster and simpler if I had just done it myself; there would have been less flour on the walls and the batter would have stayed in the mixing bowl. But I wanted to teach the boys some things, from following directions to a general sense of cookery. And it was also just fun--I enjoyed sharing the process with them.
God could accomplish His will by fiat any time He liked; however, maybe, like me, He both has lessons to impart and simply takes pleasure in sharing His work with us. That's an encouraging thought.
I'm remarkably upbeat for me, really. I'm quite looking forward to starting off (probably this afternoon), and though I'm a little concerned about my recent lack of sleep--a lot of grading sneaking up to attack me these days--I'm pretty excited overall. Plus the punishments for my failure keep pouring in (Joanna will probably put hers up soon, but they include things like making the boys clean up their own room every night for months and sending her off to expensive day spas), so I've got incentive aplenty. Thankfully, my main motivation at the moment is just the desire to succeed; it'll be in the painful later weeks that I need those threats to keep me moving.
One last thought, and a totally unrelated one: I think I figured out the other day a little piece of why God puts up with us and uses us in His plans. Last week I was making waffles and the boys were "helping." It was messy and took a good deal longer than it would have had I made them alone, but they diligently added ingredients as handed to them and stirred the batter with determination.
So why did I let them help? It would have been much faster and simpler if I had just done it myself; there would have been less flour on the walls and the batter would have stayed in the mixing bowl. But I wanted to teach the boys some things, from following directions to a general sense of cookery. And it was also just fun--I enjoyed sharing the process with them.
God could accomplish His will by fiat any time He liked; however, maybe, like me, He both has lessons to impart and simply takes pleasure in sharing His work with us. That's an encouraging thought.