In A Slump?

I am digging my WIP. No really, it's awesome. Haven't had a single "uh oh what do I write now" moment yet.

But I did have a strange feeling after a couple of days of nonstop writing. I had grown into a writing slump. What kind of slump, you ask?
Well...
I wrote in my craft room. I wrote in my bedroom. I wrote in my kitchen. I have typed on these keys in every room of my house (except the bathroom...yikes). I needed a new atmosphere, but what do I do?

When I lived in Savannah I practically lived at Panera Bread Co. Unfortunately there is only one I know of around me now, and it's pretty far. So I never thought to go.
But you know what? A slump needs to be...um...unslumped when it can. So I went. And I wrote like my life depended on it.

Check out the amazing pecan roll I devoured. Mmm...

Anyway, my point is if you are in a slump for any reason, try changing your environment. Change rooms, go outside, go to a coffee shop, do something. Because maybe your slump can be unslumped like it mine.

Almost There...Right?

So yeah...still outlining. But I've had a ton of busy stuff this week, so I knew I would be going slow. Plus, in taking my time I changed the first two chapters and I didn't have to rewrite the whole thing, just the outline! Phew, that would have killed me.

But I am to chapter 19, that's 3 more closer to finished. Yay! That's 2 revised chapters, 3 extra, I'm almost done. I'm taking my time, I'm really happy with it.

Plus I shared my synopsis with my writing partner and a close friend and they both loved it. That makes me even more excited to start this thing.

I'm determined to finish before Monday. Wish me luck!

How is your writing coming along?

Why I Outline, and Why It Hurts

Today is the day. I have researched for 4 days straight, I have written over 100 pages of notes in my notebook Petunia (see yesterday's post for that), and I am ready to GO!

So I get my laptop set up, a giant cup of green tea, some grapes (my writing munchies, red grapes only), and Petunia is at page uno.

And then it hits me. I am actually outlining this.

And.

It.

Is.

Hard.

I know what I want the outcome to be. I know the intro, I know the middle, I know the characters. But how do I get there?

I spent all day outlining, I'm on Chapter 16, aka, not even halfway there. I'm ripping my hair out at this point! I just want to write it already!

But listen, gather round. Outlining is important for a writer like me. Some people can write a whole book without outlining, some can write the intro and go from there and have the perfect novel. I'm not that kind of gal.

Here is why outlining is for this gal *points to herself*:
- I have the memory of a fish. I can hear or see something and minutes later forget what I heard or saw. If I thought of a genius idea and then didn't write it down in my outline, I know I will forget.
- In writing the outline I never get stuck when writing my first draft. I will never say "what now?" because it is right there in my outline where to go next.
- I have an idea of how the pacing goes before I even start. If there is so much detail in the outline in one chapter, I might reconsider taking some of it out to make the pacing stay at a steady pace.

Another reason I like to outline is when I get a final draft done, I can look back and see how it all original went down. And laugh. And nod. And think "oh yeah that's how it originally went." It's cooler than you think, trust me.

So...I'm going to work on the outline again tomorrow. I'm going to work on it the next day too if I have to. I may want to scream, and cry, and throw my grapes on the wall for something to look at other than my laptop screen, but it will be worth it.

What about you? Do you outline? Why or why not?

My Notebook, My Love

I had an idea 3 days ago. An idea so epic, it trumps anything I've done with my writing and I had to work on it right away.

A YA steampunk mystery with romance, suspense, drama, and epic adventure. I know, right? I was impressed with myself, believe me.

From this incredible idea, I had to get everything down. That's where my love comes in.

Here is where I exclaim my love of my notebook. I buy a small five star notebook for each of my book ideas. Each one a different color, and I'm a dork and decorate the front with a theme. I use the whole notebook for ideas and research.

I bought a new one, she is pink and I've named her Petunia. Petunia is my new best friend and I think she will be for a long long time.
Here are some of the things I wrote down inside:
- character name ideas, surnames, and name meanings
- clothing of the nineteenth century for men and women
- history of new york city, Victorian era, and Ireland in 1800s
- definitions of Victorian titles such as Marquess, Rakes, and Governess
- character bios of MC and love interest
- riverboats!
Petunia is over half full in three days. She and I are exhausted, but hey, this idea is worth all the effort and more.

When it's not 2 in the morning I will show you Petunia and her greatness, but for now just know from my crazy rant she is amazing.


So do you carry a notebook? How do you organize your notes? Are you weird and name your notebook like people name their car too?

And then my head explodes...

Have you ever had so many things going on, and so many ideas, and so many visions in your head that you feel like your head is going to explode?

That's me today.

I saw 2 writing competitions today, both with the same deadline. So I was thinking of ideas for that.
But then I was thinking about my WIP, and I need ideas for that.
And then I remembered an idea I never wrote down, and thought about that.

AHHH! *explode*

So what do I do? Do I continue with my WIP, write and outline for the new idea before I forget it again, think of new ideas for the writing competitions....or die from too much thinking at once?

"I'm not a machine!" - Lesley's brain

I know what I'll do. Doses of Supernatural and X-Files will clear my head and get my ideas a'flowin'.
And distract me.

"Much better." - Lesley's brain