The Birthday Post

I’m already getting notifications on Facebook for my birthday, June 7, even though for many of the IWSG and other readers it’s still Wednesday (and it’s still technically okay to tag this #IWSG on Twitter, right?)

So about my birthday. It could be better, could be a lot worse. I thought I’d have more writing done, and I’ve been “trying to write” a hell of a lot more than actually writing. It’s at the point now where it’s get serious or do something else entirely.

Writing still has an undeniable appeal to me, even through the emotional fatigue I feel now. I’m taking steps to control anxiety and my impulses, and it’s worked – to the point that I don’t feel strongly happy or sad. Based on what I’ve read that’s actually kind of ‘normal’ – depression and anxiety are more likely to take the form of emotional ‘static’ than constant sadness or loneliness.

I’ve had some expensive problems happen lately, too. My car engine needed a costly overhaul, and I had to replace my tires. The family tablet was dropped and has a cracked screen that little fingers shouldn’t touch. We have to figure out something the kids can do this summer without spending too much money.

My writing has taken pen and paper form during these problems. I find myself handwriting more often – it seems to help me work out these issues. It is also very heartening to see the notifications on Facebook. I do appreciate those, and they are making my day much easier.

34591237_10155167507600882_9087500480157843456_n

For #IWSG and others I want to ask:

What do you like to do on your birthday?

What do you write about?

Is it just another day on your latest novel or story, or do you find yourself writing different things or trying different ways of writing?

#IWSG – Writing, exercise, self-improvement

May1

I think I know what this blog will be now.

It won’t be much of a change, just a different approach. I’m looking at ways now to incorporate the exercise and healthy lifestyle changes I need along with writing. I’ll write about the activities and exercises I do to make sure I can write fiction, and about how writing fiction keeps me going back to that exercise.

I’ll write about how I’m addressing the issues in my last post, and share some of the writing that comes from the process.

I finally feel ready to return to writing. The ideas never stop! I have so many of them, and a terribly slow typing speed along with so many other things demanding my time. But I have to try, and I have to get back out to the writing groups that mean so much to me.

I hope readers will find some value as I talk about how I deal with these problems, and how my physical exercise and weight loss ties in with writing fiction.

Keep writing. I know I will.

#IWSG November 2017 – Rethinking my blog and writing

Nov2

A short post for the Insecure Writers Support Group this month, all about my current state of affairs and things I think will be interesting to the neurotic writers who pass by blogs like this every month.

First, if you haven’t seen my guest post on world-building on John Robin’s blog, be sure to check that out – it was fun to write, and I really have to do that more often,

I’m looking at new ways to use this blog

So one big change I’m making now (and a reason for the lack of updates) is deciding what I want to use this blog for. Some of my writing tips have gone over well, and I might go back to doing that weekly. I like the idea of previewing others’ writing like I did for the Launch Pad contest – I could see myself doing little previews of upcoming and released indie works.

One thing’s for sure – I can’t do long updates or too frequent ones. Regular updates, yes, but probably not more than once, maybe twice a week. I need to do more actual writing!

NaNoWriMo

No. Not really, anyway. I need to finish the book I’m working on, not start a new one now. I’d rather devote a set amount of time to working on my current book than set a specific word count. I’ll start with 1 hour per day, and see if I can boost that up a bit.

Anxiety

I’m doing some online counseling (best option I have at the moment) and it will spill over onto this blog in some form. I think my writing and my anxiety interact in many ways, and that some tips to deal with one will also help with the other. I’m on the lookout for other blogs that talk about anxiety and writing – there should be some good links with IWSG I would think!

Anyway, that’s my rambling IWSG post for November. If you have some ideas for content for my blog, feel free to leave comments. I’ll be looking around some of your blogs too!