It’s part of the Writer’s Helping Writers series. The series includes a number of thesaurus covering different aspects such as character traits or settings. The aim of the books are to help writers find the words they need to make the impact they want.
They also have developed an impressive web-app (https://onestopforwriters.com) that’s described as a library of resources and tools to support writers.
What is the book about?
The one I got is on character expressions. It’s a thesaurus about different emotional responses and covers internal and external reactions.
How it works?
You look up the emotion your character is feeling, like lust, confusion, envy, fear, betrayal, etc.
There’s a little description so you can check you understand what the emotion is and make sure you picked the right one.
It then has a list of ways a character might behave if experiencing this emotion.
There are also some suggestions for internal sensations, which is useful for 1st person POV.
There are even some suggestions on how the emotion can escalate or deescalate.
How I used it?
Editing (Ocean Heart)
I used this book alongside the developmental feedback from my editor. She highlighted some points in my story where I needed to amp up the emotions and some places where I had skipped along without any reaction at all.
I looked up the emotion in the book and read the suggestions. I reflected on which reaction was most true to my character, then worked it in.
Future use…
This book will get used time and time again. I’m planning to next use it alongside writing Sky Heart. Hopefully it’ll reduce any feedback from my editor about under played or missed emotions.
Final thoughts…
This is a really useful book and has left me wanting the rest of the series.
It’s more of a resource than a thesaurus and I don’t think there is anything out there quite like this. It is designed especially for writers to aid their craft.
I highly recommend this book.
Do you have any writer resources that you swear by?
So, I set three targets and it’s not gone to plan…
Writing Goal: Finish Sky Heart
Originally finishing Sky Heart was my main goal for Camp NaNo. I always struggle with writing endings so I knew this wouldn’t be easy.
Kiely was a 2nd viewpoint in an early draft of book 2. In that draft Mariah was the MC but Kiely’s story took over. Then I cut all Kiely’s parts and made a new book in 2018 called Glide. In 2019, it was renamed Diamond in the Sky and I added to it but never finished it.
I opened the manuscript and had no idea what was going on. It has been too long. I’m lost.
Instead of working on the ending, I’ve had to start at the beginning, reading the whole manuscript and making notes. The good thing is I’ve already identified parts to improve which will help when I come to edit. I’m now up to chapter 10.
This book has always taken a back seat to book 1. As book 1 is with my editor I thought I could finally work on finishing this but I was wrong. As you’ll see below, Book 1 has demanded my attention.
Book 2 has been renamed Sky Heart and promptly put back in the back seat… maybe next month Kiely.
Publishing: Ocean Heart
I thought sending my novel off to my editor meant my job was done…
No!
Very quickly I realised how much work I have to do to launch my book. As this is a priority, I adjusted my goals to continue working on Ocean Heart.
So far I have:
Written a dedication.
Researched & written my copyright statement.
Researched covers in my genre to identify what I like or don’t and gather the details my cover designer needs.
Planning for a Giveaway.
Researching how to provide ARC copies.
Attend my first ever meeting with my editor (this Thursday).
Got feedback on my Blurb
Still to do:
Finish the instructions for my cover designer so she can start work on my covers (eBook & Paperback). For this, I still need to finalise my blurb and decide on book sizing like trim, etc.
Use the feedback to improve my blurb.
Create a space for my Street Team to access exclusive content and be the first to know my news.
I’ve now reached chapter 9. My little girl is demanding more attention from me now so I get less time to read on my phone during the day, which is when I read eBooks.
I originally set out to write a horror story, but as I was writing it I realized the story elements were leaning towards fantasy, so I went with it. I didn’t initially intend for the overarching theme to be about Nature and its sacred value, but as I did research on magic and fantasy, I recognized my interest in natural magic and mythical creatures, which I think was rooted in a childhood passion for learning about wild animals.
Can you name any similar books to Mystical Greenwood?
That is difficult for me to say. My research consisted mainly of reading books about myths, magic, and Nature-based spirituality rather than works of fiction. However one reviewer not long ago said fans of author Christopher Paolini would love Mystical Greenwood, so perhaps The Inheritance Cycle. It’s also a story of a fellowship travelling together, so you could say it’s similar to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (interestingly, early drafts had many other magical creatures, including elves and dwarves, but they were dropped as it was getting too crowded).
How long did the book take to write from the first idea to publishing?
Oh, it took many years on and off. School was the main reason why I kept taking breaks, as I had to focus on my assignments, and also later on, job hunting. It took many years of writing and rewriting, as well as getting feedback from beta readers as well as through critique groups.
How many books do you anticipate in the series and is the whole series plotted out?
I’m planning for the One with Nature series to be a trilogy. I wouldn’t say it’s entirely planned out. With the second book right now I have an idea for how I want it to end (I need to figure out how to get there), but it won’t be the end of the story, so that’s what the third book will be for.
Can you share tips from your world building process?
I find the key thing to remember when building worlds is to make sure it feels real to the reader, no matter what genre you are reading. Any one of the little factors that go into world building can be a “tumbling block” if it feels too out of place. Stories with contemporary and historical settings (even fictional historical settings) can begin with research into what life is/was like. With science fiction it’s often a good idea to look at modern science and see where it could potentially go (or historical if you set it in the past). In fantasy settings, perhaps ask first what historical periods are similar and blend them with research into mythology and fantasy. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, it’s best not to overcrowd it, so the reader isn’t too overwhelmed.
To read a blog post I did years ago on world building, click here.
Which mythical or magical animal do you wish was real?
That’s a tough question, but ultimately I don’t think I would wish for any of them to be real. Several could pose a real danger to humanity, and even if they didn’t, all could face the possibility of being hunted down and/or exploited. Besides, they would lose their mystique I think, even those that are the subject of cryptozoology. Where would we be without myths and magic, and imagination? Some things are best left undiscovered, and some in the realm of magic and myth.
What project are you currently working on?
Right now the project I’m concentrating most on is the sequel to Mystical Greenwood. I’m hoping to raise the stakes of the conflict, focus more on aquatic life after having my characters spend quality time in forests, as well as introduce a plot element that the first book lacked: romance.
Where can we find out more and buy Mystical Greenwood?
This is an update on how the first 10 days have gone.
I wanted to start April having already completed my read through. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. So, I spent the first few days getting it done.
Monday, 6 April, I was able to start my editing. Using the feedback from my Developmental Editor. I have managed to edit 4 chapters (about 9k words). The biggest changes have included:
A new scene added to chapter 2
Kya O’Malley is now Kiely O’Neil
Murray O’Malley is now Murray O’Neil
A scene in chapter 4 has been completely rewritten
I am in the World Indie Warriors cabin (now called groups) on NaNoWriMo. On Instagram they’ve set a photo challenge:
I haven’t had time to keep up on IG but my team spirit won’t let me let it go. So, I decided to post my pics every 10 days on my blog.
It feels hard to think about celebrating during a lockdown. I can’t go anywhere and I’m only buying necessities.
It will be something simple like watching a film with my husband and maybe ordering a take away if we are still able to.
Camp Music
I find music distracting whilst writing/editing. The other day I was feeling tired after work and was procrastinating. I clicked on an IG live video by @aquabunart. She was playing her harp. It was really relaxing and helped me get focussed on what I needed to do.
I think I find music useful to get me in the right headspace but not during the task. I also enjoy music whilst plotting or coming up with ideas and have come up with story ideas whilst listening to the radio.
Who inspires you?
Hundreds of authors have inspired me but here are the most notable:
Orchard Tree Books: Yes, they publish children’s first readers. The magic key stories inspired my first stories and awoke my desire to be an author at the age of 5.
Rachel Vincent’s shifter series. I loved the world she built and I wanted to create something similar but my own.
More inspirational people are my granny and grandma. My granny was tenacious and never let anything stop her doing what she needed to. And, my grandma had a big heart and was the first person to believe in my writing.
He danced in the sunlight whilst I lurked in the shadows.
Favourite genre/trope
I love YA fiction, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Low Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Contemporary Romance, Erotica, Chick Lit, and Children’s Fiction (especially picture books).
I mainly blog and write YA Fantasy. But I also dabble in poetry. And, I’ve drafted a picture book. One day I may also write horror, dystopia and erotica.
Your ideal writing space
I have a Pinterest board with images of my dream space. I’d share it but my boards are so messy they need a spring clean.
I don’t have a dedicated space but I’d like one.
The desk would be a bureau that I could fold away all my mess inside so when I return it is ready. It would have a pin board with inspirational quotes and book plans. A shelf to keep my favourite notebooks and resource books. A draw to hide away my stash of pens and pots for my frequently used. The desk will be large enough to spread out all my papers. Ideally, this space would be in a lodge with beautiful views of a meadow, forest or beach.
I would love to see your answers to the above. Let me know if you are taking part on IG or posting somewhere else.
Annabelle is your second published book but the first book you self published. Why did you choose to self publish?
I self-published Annabelle because it’s a novella, and getting a traditional publisher to consider a novella is…well, rather difficult. Only later did I decide to self-publish all my books. Part of that decision was born of impatience. Traditional publishers take months, sometimes even a year, to get back to you, and only accept about 1% of the manuscripts submitted to them. It can take years to get a book deal. So, while I was wasting time and energy on query letters and five different synopses of different lengths for each manuscript, along with one sentence summaries, summaries of varying page lengths, and all manner of other things (formatted differently for each publisher or agent) to even submit…All my work was gathering dust. Since I write quickly, the manuscripts were also piling up. So I did some more research and found that self-publishing would be a better fit for me. Having creative control and the final say on each step played a huge role, as did the fact that most of the marketing (a.k.a. the part I really wanted a traditional publisher for) is up to the author in traditional publishing, unless the author is already famous.
Annabelle by Elexis Bell (Blurb)
What genre is this book and can you name any similar books?
Annabelle is a bit of a hybrid. It’s a thriller, specifically a vigilante justice story set within a western. I’m terrible with comparisons, but one reviewer said that fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn or The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins will like Annabelle.
Please share a snippet or teaser from Annabelle?
I walk along the main road of another dirty western town and sashay past the saloon, knowing my prey follows close behind. My silken yellow dress and all of its lace flows behind me, trailing in the dust.
I can hear him getting closer but pretend to be so absorbed in the folds of my parasol that I don’t notice. Really, I’m checking over the mechanisms concealed within it, making sure that everything is in working order.
I turn down a bare alleyway as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. He follows. Still, I pretend not to notice that anything at all is amiss. A smile spreads across my features.
Where did you come up with the idea of a weaponized parasol?
Annabelle was originally inspired by a statuette made of starched doilies, which actually became a gift for someone else. I was looking at it as I boxed and wrapped it, and just imagined it coming to life, twirling its delicate little parasol. But my mind doesn’t really leave things…delicate. It very quickly morphed, becoming something much darker. For the time period, a parasol was a perfectly acceptable thing for a girl to carry, making it a perfect concealed weapon.
What do you want readers to get out of your book?
The courage to speak up. Now, obviously, I don’t endorse serial vigilantism. But victims of sexual assault need to speak out, and people need to take it seriously. Victim blaming NEEDS to be a thing of the past, as does sexual assault. But neither of those things will ever happen if people keep ignoring or hiding or minimizing the problem.
If you could have any super power what would you choose and why?
Either flying or teleportation. I’ve always wanted to be able to fly, but the idea of not having to spend days in a car or hours on a plane to travel is pretty appealing.
Tell me about a typical day in the life of author Elexis Bell.
Usually, it starts with me posting to my author pages from the passenger seat as my husband drives us to work. Then, I spend the day brainstorming while working in the factory. Repetitive work, mostly comprised of muscle memory, is great for thinking through story arcs and world building. After work, I do chores around the house and watch an episode or two of one of our shows with my husband. Then, somewhere between midnight and 2am, I start writing or editing. I don’t usually go to bed until 5 or 6am. On days off, I just start earlier on my book stuff.
Where can we find out more and buy your books?
My website has information and links for all my published works, as well as little tidbits about my WIPs. My blog is chock full of (blunt) writing advice and updates on all my work. www.elexisbell.com
This a summary of the highs and lows of my writing this month.
Sick
Eugh! February did not start out good. I felt incredibly tired for three days and then felt better for two days. Then I was very sick. Followed by my son being very sick. Followed by my husband being very sick. And, I literally mean sick! Luckily, my daughter did not get sick and she kept our spirits up.
Sadly, her turn came later in the month when she caught a bad cold and couldn’t breathe due to a blocked nose. It was the worst night ever. I sat up cuddling her and couldn’t sleep for worrying. Then, the next day she cried over every little thing because she was tired. Even though I wasn’t ill, it took its toll on me.
Story Seller Academy
The end of last month I won a place on this content rich course by Pagan Malcolm. So far I have done Module 1 which is about mindset. I thought I had a good mindset but she called me out on some fears I had been ignoring but are definitely there and holding me back.
I need to figure out a way to fit this course into my life as I can tell it is full of information I am going to need in the coming months.
Website New Look
When I bought my site last month I discovered the theme I use is no longer supported. So, this month I updated to a new theme.
This also prompted me to review my site pages. My home page is now ‘my books’ instead of my blog. My home page also features my three most recent book reviews!
I recently learnt that Instagram doesn’t like Link Tree and shadow banned a friend for using a Link Tree link in their profile. I use Link Tree too but thankfully not been shadow banned. To be cautious the link is now to my website.
World Indie Warrior’s Brochure
I have been raising awareness to remind people that if they are an indie creative then they can be included.
I also wrote my first blog post for World Indie Warriors with more details about submissions for the brochure.
My Newsletter
I have been putting together the final touches to my newsletter and sent it on Tuesday, 25 Feb.
Be sure to sign up to make sure you don’t miss out on future emails. A form should pop up on the site to enable this but if you don’t see it, click my link tree at the end of this post and you’ll see a link to sign up.
20 years together
We didn’t get to celebrate as we were ill but we are so happy together. We have our family home, cats, kids and so much love.
Half Term
Tye month included February half term. The week started with Noah having his best friends over to play. And, the week ended in tears due to freezing cold weather at a farm.
In addition, Aria is not sleeping well at night. And, my husband and I juggled childcare around our work commitments. Those that usually help us out couldn’t.
Some days, I felt so exhausted it was an effort to get through the day. Some times I felt I was failing my kids as we didn’t do enough. But, when I asked Noah his thoughts, he told me about cuddling a bunny and bottle feeding a lamb. And, he loved having his friends over so much, he kept his room tidy. I taught him to play cards and, even though he lost, he’s determined to beat me.
Coronavirus
I was starting to feel safe again. I began to convince myself that it is under control and the cases in China were slowing down. But, with the sudden rapid rise in numbers for South Korea and Italy, I am back to worrying.
It saddens me to see how cruel some people are towards those that are suffering. It looks truly terrifying to have an invisible enemy that causes so much heartbreak. My heart goes out to all those affected.
On a positive note though, I am thinking of using all my research to write a Dystopian novel about the after mass of a deadly virus. To stop myself running away with the idea, I will lock the plot bunny in the vault. I must not allow it to distract me from publishing the Soul Heart series.
I can’t believe it has been 10 years since I first wrote my novel. I’ve written countless other novels but this one I felt had potential. This one, I decided to take seriously.
2009 and 2010
It was Christmas 2009 and I was off work for the holidays when the idea for a novel, about a redhead teen with no idea she is a mermaid discovers she has powers, hit me. I wanted it to be like a modern Little Mermaid.
Once I sat at my PC and started to write I was unable to stop. Without an outline, it was like I was possessed, I struggled to sleep, to eat… I felt anxious if I wasn’t writing Drift.
My fiancé got worried. He saw the sudden change in me and urged me to take a break, to visit family.
But, I couldn’t not write. So I lied to appease him. Pretended to go out, then sneaked back once he had gone to see his own family. It was like having a secret wiring affair. But after an intense week, the first 60k words were written.
I share my novel with anyone willing to read it. My novel was on WeBook where I developed a supportive group of fans. They were a huge confidence boost and we had our own little group to chat about my stories!
It is laughable now but I edited my novel in 2010 and started querying. Surprisingly, I did get some requests. It is surprisingly because now I look back at that early version and see how it wasn’t finished. At the time, I thought it was ready.
My fan had some valuable feedback for me, “You can’t end the story like that!” At first, I saw that as excitement for the next book in the series and began writing Wipeout, but slowly it dawned on me that they were right.
Promise and Deliver
I learnt an important lesson. Readers will develop certain expectations of your story and you must deliver on those.
Version 1 ended with Jace winking at Fern and there being the ‘suggestion’ they were about to get together. But, fans had read for 60k words. They wanted to see Fern achieve her happily ever after and a ‘wink’ was not the grande finale they had invested their time for.
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Early 2011, I was distracted by wedding preparations as my June wedding date got nearer. Then, I desperately wanted a baby. We were also trying to move house and the recession meant the value of my home was dropping every month, loosing the equity needed to move.
But 2013, we sold our house, bought a lovely family home and I had my son. With everything falling into place I would like to say I returned to my novel… but my baby boy was the biggest distraction of all.
Stupidly I thought being off work with a baby would free me up to write more but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Noah was not a chilled out baby. I spent his first year keeping up with his hunger, entertaining him and sleeping whenever I could.
Have realistic expectations
Sadly WeBook was no longer the thriving community it once was. All my fans had moved on, possibly grown up, and I had lost them through inactivity. I had to find a new source of feedback. I joined Movella, Figment and Wattpad.
Wattpad became my new favourite. I began editing Drift and Wipeout and shared other novels and created some poetry collections.
For Drift, I changed the ending so Lily (formerly Fern) is asked out by Jace (formerly Sam). I removed the parts by Denny (Jace’s mum) – she gave an outsider perspective of Lily’s unusual upbringing.
Th sequel Wipeout was also told from Lily’s viewpoint and had a few part’s told by Kiara – she was able to show what was going on with Murray. The sequel wasn’t coming to me as easy as Drift had and I was falling in love with Kiara…
2017 and 2018
2017 started with my employer going into administration. I had worked for the company for over 10 years. It scared me, not knowing where my next pay cheque would come from. With bills to pay, I had to find work fast and job hunting became my new priority.
Once I found a job, I felt a little disappointed in myself. I felt I had wasted an opportunity to spend time with my son as I now worked more hours. I realised how I wasn’t prioritising my dream. My profession is a job, not my passion.
Make it a priority
Whilst job hunting, I thought HR and PR work looked appealing but didn’t have the knowledge employers wanted. So in September 2017, I told my employer I was interested in doing the CIPD HR qualification and to my surprise they were willing to support me. I learnt, if you don’t ask the answer will never be yes.
In November 2017, I found out I was pregnant. I was over the moon and in a much better place.
Passing my course, doing well in my job and having a baby were all super important. But, I no longer wanted to treat writing as a hobby. I knew how busy my life would be once Aria was here so I became determined to edit and query before her arrival. My goal was to be signed by an agent by August 2018 (Aria’s due date).
I learnt knew ways to query. I developed my pitch and took part in Twitter events, I found out about Agent 1-2-1s and worked on improving my synopsis. Despite getting requests, I never got offered representation.
In 2018, I edited Drift by removing the parts told by Gwyn (Lily’s mum) – she did some foretelling using her crystal ball. I also decided to scrap Wipeout. I took parts from the sequel and put it into Drift, Glide or cut it out completely.
2019
My goal was to finish editing Drift and Glide. I began by restructure my novel using Save The Cat Writes a Novel. It started off a a way to check my plot and pacing but it soon became apparent that I needed to pull the whole novel a part. It was very intimidating but by the end I had a better novel and a brand new ending. Now there was the highs and lows, romance and I had delivered on the promise of an epic battle. This novel was so different from my original idea of a modern Little Mermaid and I needed a new title, Jewel of the Sea. I also renamed Glide as Diamond in the Sky.
I tried new ways of querying my novel. I pitched on Twitter and in person and got requests but sadly never heard more. Although, I still love the idea of traditional publishing, I have spent the year learning about indie publishing.
I discovered the writing community on Instagram and joined groups like Hustling Writers, Fellow Creative Minds and World Indie Warriors. I also connected with talented authors like Pagan Malcolm and Bethany Atazadeh who share their journey and advice.
Connecting with indie authors gave me insight into their world and processes. No longer did their world scare me, but intrigued me. With their support and encouragement I decided not to spend another decade waiting for someone else to give me permission to publish.
Say yes to yourself!
The problem with querying is you are waiting for someone else to say you can publish. They can say no for countless reasons and rarely have time to explain why. The truth is you don’t need their validation because you can give it to yourself.
You no longer have to traditionally publish. If you are willing to work hard, you can choose your own team and publish yourself. With so many crooks masquerading in the traditional publishing world, it is a mine field to navigate now (I’m sure I had requests from at least three dodgy publishers, I didn’t submit to in 2019 alone).
After ten years writing and querying Jewel of the Sea (formerly Drift), I have decided to Self Publish.
2020
This year is the start of a new era. This year, I am going to publish. It won’t be easy and I have lots still to learn but I’m ready.
Jewel of the Sea is due back this month from a developmental editor. This is my the first step in my big publishing plan.
Celebrate your milestones
To celebrate this new venture, I feel Jewel of the Sea, aka Drift, needs a new name.
I have set myself some strict deadline to keep myself on track but I I won’t rush to publish. I have waited so long for this, I want to be certain my novel is a quality product when I put it out there. I want my readers to love it.
I will blog about my publishing journey, so if you are interested in the process, stay tuned. I would love to hear your thoughts on the new title Ocean Heart.
Today was a non-pupil day meaning Noah was off school, so I had to energetic children to entertain. I decided to also take my niece and nephew out as their mum does a lot for our kids. With a full car of kids, I took them to a soft play centre to wear them out. The older kids were great and helped keep the little ones busy but I was constantly on the go.
When we got home, Aria napped and I used the time to support Noah with his homework and make important calls.
My husband needs the PC tonight so I am using the time to update my blog on my mobile and read a book.
Sat, 16 Nov
I’m very conscious of the fact that I need to catch up. When my husband took the kids out for a walk I jumped at the chance to get on the PC achieving almost 2k before lunch.
I really enjoyed what I wrote. Chapter 13 overlaps the epic battle from Jewel of the Sea at the end of the book. Where Mariah was unleashing her powers, Kya is at her lowest point. It was fun to write such a powerful scene from such a hopeless perspective and feel anyone that has read Jewel of the Sea will notice the stark contrast making the chapter very different between the books.
Aria was a little difficult to get to sleep and wanted extra cuddles. We think she’s having a growth spurt or teething as she’s extra hungry too but I finally got on the PC and added another 2k.
Sun, 17 Nov
We’ve had a very chilled out day today but this afternoon we discovered Aria has a rash on her body. We think it might be a heat rash so we stripped her off to cool her down.
I also spent a lot of my writing time chasing authors for their bios, profile pics, book photos and blurbs, etc. Back in October, I volunteered to create the World Indie Warriors catalogue to help promote their books to potential customers. I asked for details before NaNoWriMo started so I could finish it before this started but it didn’t happen. I’m really enjoying the creativeness and playing in Canva. It reinforces the feeling I would love to work in graphic design but I have no idea how to get into it.
Mon, 18 Nov
The rash hasn’t gone. So the first job of the day was to get her an appointment. I had to wait for a call back from the GP to decide if they will see her. It left me in limbo, watching my phone, waiting for the call but when they rang they offered 3:50pm. I knew this would be a rush with the school run so we hurried straight there and arrived with only a minute to spare. In my haste, as I leaned into the car to get the changing bag, I caught Aria’s forehead on the corner of the door. At first I thought it was nothing and gave her a kiss as we ran to get checked in. Then Noah needed a wee so i got him to the toilet. Whilst we waited for him I noticed the massive bruise swelling up before my eyes. By the time we got called in, it looked terrible. The GP was lovely and checked her over and gave me advice for head injuries (just in case) although he felt it wasn’t as bad as it looked. Then he checked out her rash (the reason for the visit). It turned out to be an allergic reaction. He gave us a prescription for that – a non-drowsy one because of her bump. Then I explained how she won’t take her chocolate laxative as she doesn’t like the taste so he did her a prescription for the plain which she we tried as soon as we got home and she loves it – yay.
After all that drama, we decided on a McDonalds for dinner. I know its not healthy but… happiness.
Once the kids were in bed, I jumped on World Indie Warriors Facebook page to host my live write-in. We had a great productive social and some people shared some steamy snippets with us. It got me back into my writing.
Tue, 19 Nov
We had a very exciting morning with Noah loosing his first tooth. He went through a kaleidoscope of emotions before becoming excited about the tooth fairy coming.
This then made us late and we were in a mad rush to get Noah to breakfast club and myself to work on time. When i arrived at work, I discovered I had forgot my purse and my stationery. I found a stray pen and my accounts debt showed me how to create a pre-pay card & got my husband to send me his card details so I could buy food.
With no money to spend at lunch, I was focussed on writing and got over 500 words written.
Bedtime was lots of fun with Noah telling his teddies to protect his tooth and only let the tooth fairy take it. Noah was eager to go to bed and agreed to put his tooth in a dish at the foot of his bed as daddy was worried it might get lost under his pillow.
My first job tonight was to email Jewel of the Sea to my editor. Then, I added another 2k to Jewel of the Sea before bed.
Wed, 20 Nov
The tooth excitement continued this morning with Noah waking us up to announce the tooth fairy has been.
Today was my short day at work with no lunch break so I didn’t get to write. I was then in a mad rush to pick up Aria, then Noah.
Noah’s school had a book fair so we had to check it out. I got 7 books for £10 and a percentage from the book sales will go to the school to buy books for the children! Win win!
Aria was in a dangerous mood climbing everything. She seems to be collecting a daily bump or scrape. I’ll be pleased when this stage is over but I fear this daredevil will only get more adventurous – eek!
I couldn’t relax until the kids were in bed. I wasn’t feeling my story tonight but I tried. I tried to encourage myself with chocolate but once the chocolate was eaten I decided to call it a night. I had almost achieved 1.5k so that’s not too bad going.
I ended my day going to bed and enjoy Crown of Conspiracy by Kara A Weaver.
Thurs, 21 Nov
It was my long day at work but I managed to write in my lunch break. After work I was tired and unmotivated to write. In total I wrote 2k. I wanted to write more but the words were not coming.
Week one total
To be on track I need to have reached 35000 so I am behind target. No surprises there.
Finishing the second week my grand total is: 27,471
I’m 8k behind but feely oddly hopeful i can still do this. I somehow need to write 2.5 to 3k per day which isn’t impossible. I’m still pleased that I’m writing and pushing through the tricky parts of the novel.
I had the worst nights sleep. Aria was up every hour – maybe she’s having a growth spurt. We had to wash & sterilise her bottles in the middle of the night as we ran out. We heard Evie have two seizures. And, I had a killer headache, borderline migraine.
In the morning, Rob was going to take Noah to school so I could have a little lay in but it’s hard to sleep with all the noise of people rushing around so I got up. Sadly Evie had a seizure while Noah ate his breakfast. It was the first time he has seen it.l, although we told him she is poorly, it really upset him. Afterwards he claimed he was poorly with a tummy ache and begged to stay home and watch Evie. I let the school know what happened as I couldn’t be sure if he was ill or expressing his sadness, either way he wasn’t going to be any good for class.
I had wanted Noah out the way as we needed to pack for our holiday and help my mum with how to care for Evie and give her medicine. We managed to get it down in time and Noah appeared much better now he had cheered up – phew (he’s usually ill in November).
We arrived at Forest Holidays. Unpacked, ordered pizza, got the kids to bed – Noah was a little tricky to get to sleep as he found the new sounds disturbing. Once they went to sleep my hubby and I enjoyed the hot tub.
Sat, 9 Nov
We woke up after a brilliant nights sleep and our first breast at our lodge.
We headed to the Forest Retreat and got details of the “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!” trail. Noah read the map and lead us through the forest. He answered the questions, wrote down the answers and read us the field facts. I was very proud of him. We then returned to the Forest Retreat to claim our prize – a copy of the book that inspired the trail. We then stayed for lunch.
Aria was tired and fed, making her a happy content baby that agreed to go down for her nap. Once asleep, we let Noah check out the hot tub. He loved it. He was ready to get out just as the timer went off for 20minutes which is the max allowed for safety.
Afterwards, I tried to get on my laptop to write but it decided to do an update! Why does this always happen when you have limited time? Once done, I managed almost 500 words before Aria woke.
We had a chilled out afternoon watching Incredibles 2. We had dinner, put the kids to bed and then I spent time with my husband. I was then tired and read Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver before bed.
Sun, 10 Nov
Both kids slept like angels. I gave them breakfast but Aria was in a naughty mood and made so much mess. While I cleaned the dinning room & kitchen, she headed off to the bathroom to throw toilet paper everywhere and empty the bin. She brought me a dirty nappy she had opened to alert me to the next disaster.
We went for a walk before lunch where Aria threw away her hat – no idea where it is. We had lunch, she slept, Noah and I took advantage of the hot tub.
Now, I’m trying to write but do you think my laptop will turn on? It’s been charging all night and now… playing dead. I’m going to have to write on my mobile. Grrr!
Later, we watched a film, had dinner, put the kids to bed and enjoyed our last night here together.
Mon, 11 Nov
I didn’t want to leave the forest but it was time to travel home. Mum gave us an update on the cats and Evie had a bloody paws. It looked like she’d broken her back claws during a seizure. I rang the vet and as she wasn’t in pain and the blood was dry, we agreed to keep her home as bringing her in could cause more distress. The meds seem to be working.
We unpacked, I did laundry and prepared for work. I knew Ofsted were in so I wanted to double check my plan for the day except… where was my diary. I was in a blind panic, cursing myself for unpacking my handbag to use it for a day at the spa. It took me a full hour to figure out where it was. It was then dinner time, putting the kids to bed and then… going live.
Yes, tonight I finally did it. I logged onto World Indie Warriors Facebook group and did a live write-in. We chatted about our projects and writing and did three writing sprints. Once finished I was excited about my novel again and super proud of myself for braving the camera.
Tue, 12 Nov
Today was my long day at work. It felt even longer with Ofsted in as many people were tense, making sure their lessons were perfect. I think everyone did well and I’m silently confident.
Tonight I added over 1k to my word count. I would have liked to have done better but my neck is in pain (I think I slept on it funny).
Wed, 13 Nov
Today was my short day at work. It doesn’t mean I get more free time. As soon as I’m home I’m busy with the kids. Tonight, Rob & I we’re busy wrapping presents for Noah’s birthday. By the time always done I had no time to write.
Thurs, 14 Nov
Today, is Noah’s birthday but I had an early start at work so he only had time for one card and present before breakfast Club.
I expected to be visited by Ofsted today as they have not yet seen me or any of my learners but they didn’t. Although, lots of my colleagues were visited. Today was my last day of work for the week so I will find out how we scored next week. However during my lunch break I wrote a few words and emailed them to myself.
I finished work late so when I got home it was dinner time. Noah waited for me before unwrapping his presents and having cake before bed.
I’m conscious that I am falling behind so I made sure I write tonight. Adding almost 2k to my total.
Week one total
Finishing the second week my grand total is: 14,783
To be on track I need to have reached 23,333 so I am behind.
I’m 9k behind so it is doubtful I will catch up in time to make 50k but the important thing is the progress I have made and will continue to make. I’m not giving up and even if I need a few more months, I will finish this novel.
Today’s blog post has been written by G.C.Ramey and when I read it, I was able to relate to every word.
NB: His article is written in American English.
Write for the Sake of Writing
By G.C. Ramey
“Are you ever going to finish writing your book?” my wife asks as she passes by my office, noticing that I am reading Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane for the second time this year.
“I’m hunting for inspiration,” I say, glancing back at her. “I think Neil might have hidden the secret formula in here somewhere.”
I can tell by her face that she is unamused. Her comment had a purpose to it, a purpose that couldn’t have been more obvious if it had been written across the side of airplane and flown directly through our house. Obvious or not I plan to ignore it anyway, but then she says it plainly, “Stop procrastinating.”
Her remarks are well meaning. When we got married, she decided to take on the arduous task of keeping me straight, and in this case I needed just that. Although her comment was brief, the layer of hidden subtext rolled over me soberly and I knew every word that she had left out but meant to say, “Telling people that you are writing a book is not the same as actually writing one.”
That was the not so subtle kick that I needed.
I love writing. It’s the thing that I enjoy most in the world. The only thing that comes even close to it would be reading, but even then, why would I settle for a world created by the hands of another, when I have the power to create my own?
The idea of creation is powerful and even, at times, magical. Maybe it’s that faint desire to be like God— which would explain the typical bouts with pride that most author’s face from time to time— and maybe it’s just the joy that comes from expressing one’s inner feelings in such a physical and intimate way. Regardless, the appeal to tell stories is nearly synonymous with my identity as a person. It is who I am and what I was born to do. Even so, something strange always seems to happen. My identity has the habit of feeling more like a chore and less like a purpose, but why is that?
While I cannot speak for every writer who faces this, I can speak for myself. My current situation is one where I am constantly feeling the unforgiving push of deadlines. Whether it be from graduate school assignments, freelance jobs, or even just volunteer edits for my friends, I feel as if I am always burdened by the pressure to complete things. The part of my passion that suffers from the vice of procrastination is not professional productivity, but instead, my personal creativity. Because I am constantly meeting these professional obligations, I have forsaken my own projects. Of course, I defend myself by rationalizing that it is simply an act of maintaining proper priorities. I mean, deadlines have to come first, right? And my own creative expression can come with whatever time I have left. Maybe that is good in theory, but the problem is that by the time “leftover time” comes around, I feel so burnt out on the process of writing, that writing is the last thing that I want to do. It’s as if the joy is stripped away from it.
It’s quite a sad place to be. It reminds me of a story I heard a few years ago in college. In a small town, there was a baker who worked tirelessly at his craft to make bread for those in the community. Everyone who came to his bakery left well fed, and although he found joy in feeding those who came, he began to grow weary because he never stopped and ate for himself. The demand for more bread continued, and the baker pushed onward. Eventually, he died of starvation, surrounded by plenty of food, all because his professional commitment outweighed his personal need.
With this in mind, I suggest something to those writers who have felt similar pressure. The suggestion is simple, write for the sake of writing. Whether it be a poem, a journal entry, a fun review of a book you love, or even that novel you continually put off writing, just do something.
Get back to the joy of writing for yourself. In this way, you can continue feeding the masses, without dying of hunger yourself.
G.C.Ramey
G.C.Ramey is contributor for a sports news source (thespursupshow.com) and contributor for a sci-fi and horror site (alienbee.net). He is a masters student at the university of New Orleans. You can learn more about him by visiting his blog (gcramey.blog) or Twitter (@gcramey).
