Author: staceyjaine

Forgive me, I had a few blog post ideas planned for today but they seemed to have escaped me.

So, instead, I’m going to offer up this little gem, since November is creeping closer.

Develop a writing habit now. Even if you only write one hundred words, it’s one hundred words you didn’t have before.

I know, you’re sceptical, I was too in the beginning, but ten months in, I’ve learnt a lot about my writing an along the way I’ve improved.

So what are you waiting for? Get writing.

And… I’m taking the leap into weekly blogging. I’m optimistic.

So watch this space, and the Wednesday time slot. Exciting things are coming.

Also, with NaNoWriMo coming there’ll be an additional post on Monday, 31st October.

So it’s October which means November is right around the corner and with it comes NaNoWriMo. A daunting task filled with too much coffee and other caffeinated snacks. (I like chocolate)

It’s a time where I sit down and hammer out 50,000 words and when you have a family complete with four kids, it can be tricky.

And so I take it one day at a time, and hope the writing Gods will be kind.

I just finished writing a 250 word sample for a possible freelance article writing job. The pay is minimal and if the sample was any indication the real work is going to be a hard slog.

I have to admit, I’m feeling a little out of my depth on this one. But it’s experience nonetheless.

So I jumped headfirst into the freelance world of writing. Got to pay the bills somehow. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I’m hoping it pays off. The world of retail scares me, quite frankly.

It’s a work in progress. I think the reason I’m not a very good blogger is because it’s easier to post to Facebook, and let’s face it, I do that a lot.

So, in an effort to blog more, I’ve decided to share today’s lyrical inspiration.

The song is If Only by Dove Cameron. For some reason, even though it’s from a Disney show it works as something of a theme song to Dragonsblood. I don’t really understand it, but that’s the joy of Pandora. The ability to find and enjoy songs you otherwise wouldn’t listen to.

Time for August’s word count stats.

10,940 with an average of 352 words a day. I was hoping to hit the 80,000 word mark but didn’t quite get there. Still impressive. Only just over 20,000 words to go until I reach 100,000.

I’m halfway through August, I’ve hit the 3/4 mark of my 100k goal and I’ve realised something.

Since making the leap and committed to writing 275 words a day, every day, the words have flowed easier. I don’t struggle as much and while I don’t feel that I’ve accomplished much now, I’ll probably be better able to look back in December and really see what I have accomplished.

I’ve edited more, and although I’ve read less paperbacks, I do find I’ve read more ebooks. If that makes any sense whatsoever.

Til next time…

SJ

So… July saw me get back into my daily routine of writing after two very dismal months.

I managed an impressive 14,308 words exceeding the monthly goal by almost 6,000 words and averaging 461 words a day and bringing me to within 5k of the three quarter mark of my 100k goal for the 365 Challenge.

It’s progress, slow going, but progress all the same. I can see a tiny speck of light at the end of the long journey that has been this current series.

Until next time…

SJ.

Somehow despite the best of intentions, I haven’t written since April. Apologies, but life as they say, got in the way and I’m still very much in the thick of it, dealing as best I can.

I ended April, true to my wordcount goals, whereas in May I only made 2,500ish words. June was worse. The simple fact being  that depression and anxiety don’t go hand in hand with writing, at least when medicated. It’s still very much a work in progress but I’m happy to say I’m now writing again, and determined to make July’s goal.

June… well that was harder still, and I’ve yet to make mention of it at all really. The simple fact that on the 13th my mother in law lost her battle with cancer. To say it’s been hard, is an understatement. And no matter how good my intentions, going forward, using my own experience as a guide doesn’t seem in anyway helpful.

Therein lies the problem I suspect. In eighteen days, it will have been eight years since my own mother passed away, and I’m nowhere near done with the grieving process. Fact is you never truly get over the loss of a loved one. It fades, but there will always be a gaping hole in your chest where the person ought to be.

T

Well I had planned to post once a month but that went out the window the moment my laptop died on the 1st of March. I’m hoping to replace it before June rolls around, and if not by then before November. Because there is no way I’m participating in NaNoWriMo while having to write on my phone.

As to my #365challenge stats, I wrote 10,299 words in March and February netted me 10,026. So far In April I have written 5,079. I’m aiming for 14,000 so we will see. If I succeed though by the end of April I will have written 50k. Halfway towards my goal.

As for right now, I’m participating in a 5k walk/run/write challenge run by the #10minutenovelist group on Facebook. The walking part is easy, it’s the writing that’s proving difficult. Hence this blog and a thousand other things that I wouldn’t normally write are happening. LOL. Anything to get the words.

I’ll let you know how I did by the end of the weekend. Fingers crossed.