Tag: writing

writing · writing life

A Week in my Writing Life

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I’ve been wanting to dive a bit deeper lately into what I do. Since switching over to full-time writing again last September (September 2020), I’ve been readjusting to the life and schedule of writing full-time. Previously, when I had a high-pressure job, writing was something that I slipped in on the evenings and the weekends, and occasionally at lunch hour. Side note: I actually really miss my lunch hour writing sessions, I used to go to the food court at the mall near my work and people watch and do some Freewriting and it was so great for generating ideas.

The switch from part-time writing to full-time has come with a change in mindset, to be sure. When I had a day job, writing on the side was something I always looked forward too, something that I couldn’t wait to get back to. Now, writing on a schedule that is generally Monday to Friday 8:30 – 3 (with some extra hours on Wednesday nights and weekends) I find that some days I do not want to write. I want to paint or do some art journalling or junk journalling. I want to take a break from my projects. Writing has definitely become more ‘work like’. And my office has become according messy to be sure. Here is a snapshot of my writing desk, which I really need to sort out.

Don’t get me wrong, I still absolutely love writing and I’m so grateful that I’m getting to do this as my job right now, but like any job, the hours can get long. So, there are somethings that I’ve found to break up what can easily become monotonous and repetitive, because I want my writing to continue to be fresh and fun. This includes breaking my regular day into sessions, beginning with freewriting, then moving to drafting, and in the afternoon focusing on rewriting. Of course, depending on what my focus is at the moment, sometimes I spend a whole day drafting, or an entire day rewriting (which has been what I’ve been doing in the past couple weeks).

This past week, as I’ve been getting closer to By Sapphire Light being ready for publishing, I’ve also been doing a few different things. As a self-publisher, I do many ‘jobs’ that aren’t writing, and this actually brings some excitement into my work. So this past week, I met with one of my Beta Readers over coffee to discuss By Sapphire Light and other books, I contacted my cover artist to kick things off for the cover of Book 2 (which is called By Garnet Glow), and I contacted the editor I use to book my slot for editing. All of this side work helps to keep things fresh. I love doodling little sketches to determine what I want my next cover to look like, and I love moving through the process and seeing the progress on the cover from week to week.

This past week has mostly been a break from my main project (which isn’t BSL). During ‘break’ weeks, I spend some time drafting and playing around with short stories, poems, novellas, and new novels that are in ‘developement’. I try to use some of my open time to generate ideas for new projects that I’m excited for. Next week I’m going to move back into crazy drafting mode, but I think I’ll save that description for another blog post.

All in all, I’d call this rather busy week a success (although somehow I never feel that I’ve gotten enough done in a week, even if I’ve managed to finish a new draft or a rewrite). But I’m trying to change my mind set, because I’m both the worker at the boss, I have to ensure I have reasonable expectations. Now, time to tackle the messy desk, and get prepped for next week.

JEH

Blogging · writing · Writing Goals

How to Write 261,000 Words in a Year: Update #3

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It’s one of those weeks… Even though it’s frigid outside, and blogging has been on my to-do list, it just hasn’t been getting done. Finally, finally, I’m sitting down in my chair to give you all an update on this years, 261,000 words in a year goal.

I got a great kick start on this goal at the beginning of the year, both by writing a lot in September when I first set the goal, and by completing NaNoWriMo. I know I’ve said it before, but NaNo is such a great productivity tool for me. Without it, well, I don’t draft near as much. While it’s been my goal to write 1,000 words a day Monday-Friday, I didn’t succeed at that goal once this week! I’m currently in a rewriting phase for my Work in Progress, so that makes sense, but at the same time I do like to spend some time continuously drafting something new.

The good news is that I’m still really far ahead in my annual goal (see, writing really hard for a money helps!). You can go slow and steady (tortoise), or you can sprint (hare). I am a hare, but I’m trying to teach myself to be a tortoise. I feel less stressed when I slowly and consistently draft something, but do have a difficult time with the motivational aspect!

For the next two weeks, I don’t anticipate a lot of new drafting, but in March I do expect my word counts to increase again (hopefully steadily). I guess you’ll see what happens when I update next!

Meanwhile, look for some new content on new hobbies coming tomorrow!

books · writing · Writing Goals

Welcome to Writing in 2021! This Year in the Blog.

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Hi all, I know it’s already been a few weeks, but welcome to 2021! I’m trying to not get my hopes up for this year, but I am crossing my fingers that I’ll be able to get out a bit more in 2021 and do some writing in the cafes.

I miss writing with people around me. I miss the ambient noise and the fresh brewed lattes in colourful rounded mugs. I miss the sometimes terrible music that clashes with what I’m trying to write (which is why I always pack a set of headphones with me when I head out to do some writing on the go). This past year has brought many changes, but now that the year that shan’t be named is over, I’m looking forward to new things of my choosing.

This year I’m going to continue to blog about what I’m reading, and—of course—the writing life. I’m keeping busy day in and day out at the moment working on a handful of projects, though I still never seem to have enough time to finish them all—let alone for this blog! But, unfortunately for me, the weather turned this week which means that instead of being nice enough to still enjoy the outdoors (somewhere between 0 degC and -10degC), I’m looking at -30 degC temperatures over the next week, so maybe I’ll finally get a few small projects off my list.

So, at this point I’m taking requests. Is there anything that any of you readers would like me to blog about this year? What kind of things are one your mind?

My mind is primarily filled with books—writing them or reading them. I set my Goodreads reading goal at 64 books for 2021, which will be one more book than I’ve ever read in a year (since I began tracking), so I hope to achieve that.

Books on my To Be Read shelf!

And for writing, well, my current goal is write 8 books this year, but I think that’s a bit too high (insert maniacal laughter here). So I may have to reassess that soon—but I don’t want to give up on any of my book writing dreams this year or my project babies! Does anyone else have this problem? How do I keep it realistic??? Just kidding, don’t worry about me. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that at least three of my planned projects will just remain on my virtual shelf for the year and I will imagine them longingly with somewhat regularity.

But…there’s always hope, right?

Here’s to a New Year and Reach Goals, because if you aren’t reaching, then why are you on your tippy-toes?

JEH

Self-Publishing · writing · Writing Goals

The End of 2020 is Nigh: A Writing Year Roundup

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At this point, everyone knows that 2020 was a year for the record books. But I think most of us are unsure what to feel about it. Should we be sad, angry, or motivated for something better in 2021? My personal feelings aside, 2020 was a decent year for my writing work. I shifted from part-time writer back to full-time writer. I finished two new novel drafts and many short stories, and I finally took a poetry class to stretch my wings.

Poetry Composition Book

But…with coffee shops closed or with limited capacity, and the risk of Coronavirus everywhere, I didn’t go out and work. With restrictions for school and childcare I had to do more parenting duty. There was limited social interaction since last March. All of this added up to my writing year not being everything I’d hoped it would be. While I spent a lot of time at home and at my desk, my mind was often elsewhere and my energy was low.

2020 Had More Drive-Thru Coffees than Coffee Shops

But…

I won NaNoWriMo easily, as there was nowhere else to go. I have a lot of new subject matter to consider. My science fiction now feels much less far fetched. And I did finish those drafts.

Currently, of my 261,000 words in a year writing goal (which will end September 1, 2021), I’m at 141,390. That means I’m already over halfway to my goal, and about three months ahead of schedule. I haven’t even drafted anything in new in weeks as I’ve switched my focus at the moment to rewriting.

Starting next week (January 4th, 2021), I’m planning to getting back to drafting around 500 words a day, while my primary focus remains on rewriting. Finishing two manuscript drafts in 2020 means that 2021 will predominately be a year of rewriting. A year of taking the old and making it better (I think this is fair to say that I hope this for every aspect of life, not just writing).

In 2021 I plan to self-publish at least the first two books of the new young adult fantasy series I have been working on for sometime. I’m hoping to get around to the third book, but with other major projects on the go I’m not sure that’s going to be doable. So the third book of that series may have to wait until 2022.

With the coronavirus vaccine rolling out now, my writing life is sure to change again in 2021. My writing life always was going to change, as I planned for a year or two of full-time writing and then heading back to a regular day job for a while. I like to work this way, bouncing between a life where writer-me is out and about in the world gaining experiences, and a life where writer-me is tucked away in the basement, isolated and writing about the experiences I’ve gained.

Enjoying the End of 2020 and Wishing for Good Times in 2021

All in all, 2020 wasn’t a bad year for writing, but I will be glad when the clock turns tonight and we can put 2020 behind us. Here comes 2021, brimming with potential and a lot more time.

Do you have any writing plans for the new year?
Happy quiet celebrations!

JEH

nanowrimo · writing · Writing Goals

NaNo 2020: How’s Your NaNo Doing #2.

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I’m very happy to say that I’ve ‘won’ NaNoWriMo. I finished my 50,000 words the other day, which has pushed me well ahead of schedule in my goal to write 261,000 words in a year (I’m already half way there and I only started at the beginning of September). I’m not done the novel I was working on yet, I still have another 40K or so to go, but getting to 50K is a huge achievement, because once you’re this far into a novel, it has momentum, it wants to keep going, and it doesn’t want to stop.

I am, however, going to slow down my drafting now. I’ve realized over the past couple days that I’m tired from pushing myself so hard and that I’m missing things like writing on paper, rewriting short stories, and working on a diverse range of projects, including a bit of terrible poetry.

Now that I’ve completed NaNo 2020, I’m revising my writing goal back down to 1,000 – 2,000 new words a day and shifting a lot of my writing time over to rewriting. If I miss a couple days of drafting, I’m not going to be upset because I know where my project is now and I’m not worried about losing the plot. I’m also going back to taking weekends off and focusing on reading at that time, because I believe reading is a big part of writing. Also, I have Brandon Sanderson’s Rhythm of War to enjoy this month and I’m super excited for the 4th volume of The Stormlight Archive.

As I shift back to rewriting, I find that I’m actually really looking forward to it. Usually I dread rewriting. I love the rush of writing something new, going places I’ve never been before, meeting characters I’ve never met, but apparently it is tiring for me to do it for too long. And if I don’t ever rewriting the things I’ve drafted, then those things are never ready to be shared with the world, and that is a big point for rewriting!

So, that’s where I’m at. And, of course, I always celebrate when I make a goal, whether big or small. This time my celebration was a bit different because of Covid, because it’s November and it’s NaNo, and I’m still working on finishing my novel so I’m staying in. But, there’s still drive-thru, and sometimes a nice latté is all I need to feel the sweet satisfaction of scratching something off my to-do list.

To Do:

Complete NaNoWriMo 2020

How is your NaNoWriMo Doing?

JEH

writing · Writing Goals

NaNoWriMo 2020 Update: How is your NaNo doing?

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It’s almost halfway through NaNoWriMo 2020. If you decided to join me and many other writers this year and stay home and spend all of November writing a novel (maybe your first, maybe one of many), than hopefully you’re a good chunk of the way in by now.

My NaNo is going great, though I was hoping to get in more marathon days. Take a look at my progress over the past week and bit below:

You can see that I was sidetracked on the third day of NaNo and spent a lot of time writing something that I wasn’t planning on writing but that was calling to me. I didn’t mean to do switch tracks, but I’m terrible at ignoring calls to new work. The good thing it was a short side project and it’s all drafted now, so I’m back on focusing on my main project, BGG, which I hope to have fully drafted by the end of the month, though it will be closer to 90,000 words than the 50,000 word goal that is a regular NaNo (hence my larger than average daily word counts. So, in other words, I still have a long way to go, but things are heading in the write direction!

Now, time for a snack and to get back at it.

JEH

nanowrimo · writing · Writing Goals

NaNoWriMo 2020: Why We Should All Do It This Year

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Happy Day One of NaNoWriMo everyone! If you’ve been a reader of this blog for any amount of time, then you know that I’m an annual NaNo-er. My first NaNo was in 2006 – 14 years ago, and I’m doing it again this year with even more enthusiasm than I’ve had in some other years. This is a great year for NaNo, not just for me, but for everyone. I doubt I really have to spell it out, but I will anyway. Doing NaNo this year is a great way to pass the time while staying home, while trying to decrease the virus load and help end this pandemic sooner rather than later. With the news yesterday that England is heading into another national lockdown, it is a bit disheartening, unless, of course, you’re planning to write a novel this month, because then yes, this is exactly what you need to keep your butt in your chair and writing away madly!

In my fourteen years of NaNo, I’ve written many books. Some of them successufully (and others that turned out to be still uncompleted flops). After finishing my NaNo novels, I’ve gone one to publish many of them, and you can do this too, but you also don’t have to. You can write just for yourself. And let me say that while publishing and sharing my hard work with others is great, the best part is actually living in another world for a full month.

With a load of coffee by my side and left over halloween chocolate, I consider myself ready. I love writing fantasy, which makes my escape all the more distanced. When I was writing Tales of a Red-headed Sea-Witch, the first book my Black Depths series, I loved nothing more than settling into the log house in the woods that my character, Nessa, calls home. For a few hours a day, I became a sea-witch. I casted magic spells, made friends, and fought off monsters. I think we could all use a little bit of that control right now.

If you’ve been toying with the idea of doing NaNoWriMo, let me break it down for you. NaNoWriMo is a promise to yourself to write. You can write about whatever you want, you can make your sentences as short or as long as you want, you can chat with other fellow writers on the forum if you want. The only thing you have to do is write something—and really, if all you write is a title, that’s fine. NaNo isn’t graded. But if you do decide to write a novel this November, what you’ll really be doing is spending a month of your life daydreaming about the kind of world you’d rather be living in right now. Which can be just as powerful as taking a vacation. And heck, if it’s a vacation you really want, why not writing a novel about the vacation you would be on if it wasn’t for Covid-19.

So, come join me and many other writers doing NaNoWriMo this year. It’ll be a blast.

Next time: more on my new series, The Gemology Saga, and the cover for the first novel. And also, how am I doing at NaNo.

Go forth, fearless writers, and write!

JEH

writing · Writing Goals

How to Write 261,000 Words in a Year: Update #1

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In my last update, I stated my new goal this year is to write 1,000 words every weekday. If I do that, I will have written 261,000 words in one year, or the equivalent of 3 books of just under 90,000 words each. For me, drafting 1,000 words a day is pretty straightforward. I make myself sit down in my cosy armchair and I make my fingers move, without caring whether or not the words are any good. I’ll worry about that part later, during the rewriting process, once I actually have something to work with.

I started a chart at the beginning of September—my favourite time of year to start new goals—so that I can track how much I’m writing and what project I’m working on. Even with taking weekends off, which may or may not be the best thing (but I think I’ll make that a separate post), I’ve been able to meet my goal so far. So where am I at? Take a look at the chart below to see my progress for the past week.

Currently, I’m a bit over 5,000 words above my goal. I’m excited about this, as it means my goal is at the right level. Some days, I can barely manage to squeeze in the 1,000 words, and others it’s easy to double that, and occasionally, as you can see on Wednesday, I have so much other stuff going on that I draft no new words at all (though I try really, really hard to get at least a half hour of straight typing time in every day).

You can see the names of my projects on the right, too. Factor of Safety is the name of my current work in progress, a literary fiction novel that I hope to be able to share with the world one day. Weekend is not a project, just an acknowledgement atet it’s okay that I didn’t write any words that day. You’ll see on occasion other titles cropping up in this column, as I’m always working on more than one project, though at the moment all my other project work is focused on rewriting aspects (an no, I don’t count rewritten words in my word counts, my rewriting I do on an hours per day basis and I don’t currently track that, though maybe I should?).

Are you doing any writing? Is it going well? I hope so!

JEH

Blogging · writing · Writing Goals

My Writing Life: Updates and New Writing Plans

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It has been a long time, a long, long time, since I’ve had real time for the blog. For the past year and a bit, I was working a crazy, busy, but fun day job. I took the job with one main goal: to save enough money to comfortably fund a few full time years of writing time, and I’m happy to announce that I’m finally there, I’ve arrived. I am once more a full-time writer.

It is a challenging thing, to be a fiction writer that makes money. I see it over and over again and if you search, “how to make money as a fiction writer” online, the returns will be full of a general response that sums up to, “you can’t.” I don’t believe that is true, however, it is very difficult when compared to a day job that pays a regular salary with benefits. So for the past year my focus was on buying my own time, and for anyone that wants to writer, I would recommend this path. Not only is it great to be where I am now: sitting in my office writing this blog, it was a rewarding year full of experiences, regular paycheques, and expensive coffee.

However, it was challenging to find time to write, and I didn’t manage to finalize the projects I’ve been working on for over a year now. I hope, however, to have something new out soon, but I have so many different projects sitting around, and one main project that is the focus of all my commitments, that I can’t promise anything. But the fantastic thing about funding my own writing journey for the next couple of years is that I’m free to work on projects as they capture my interest. It’s all just about slow and steady progress, reaching my daily goals, and thinking fresh thoughts.

That said, I have been fleshing out my minimum goals. As a writer, no matter if it’s full-time, part-time, or on the side, it’s always been important for me to have goals. A few years back, my goal was to write 365,000 words in a year (approximately four books). It sounded impossible, but when you break it down into 1,000 words a day, it sounded achievable, and it was, I did it!

So, with it being September and my favorite time to make goals, I decided that I would set a minimum goal of 1,000 words every weekday. In a year, this will come to about 261,000 words! With still taking my weekends off! Again, I believe this is a highly achievable goal, and will still give me plenty of time for the business side of things and rewriting, which will take up a large part of my day since I have some great projects that I want to make better.

I’m also hoping (fingers-crossed), that this will leave me with a bit of time each week to check in on this blog, mostly because checking in here keeps me honest, makes me compare my progress to my goals, and is a reminded to myself of what I’m setting out to do.

Do you have any new goals for the next 12 months? If you do, feel free to share them below, and best of luck on your goals.

See you next week!
JEH