DAWN BONANNO

FMWriters is traveling the web via the Merry Go Round Blog Tour. Site members have grouped together to write monthly on themed topics and turn the blog tour concept on its head: we’re not the ones touring: you are, as you read one writer’s perspective after another. This is my contribution to the Merry Go Round Tour. Enjoy your ride. ~ Dawn

Writing projects are like chocolate cookies fresh from the oven: you can’t have just one, and you certainly don’t just bake one. I’ve got a novel going, the one I’ve been working with on and off since last spring. It’s going well, especially after workshop feedback. The secondary projects are a handful of short stories in various phases of existence. One idea is for a contest in my writer’s group (in research phase), another idea is based on a dream I’ve had (worldbuilding phase – though I’m thinking this one is going to be a novella based on research), and yet another idea based off of something that two people in a chat room said to me combined with something my father-in-law threw at me on vacation. But this month is special when it comes to short stories. For members of http://www.fmwriters.com, it’s May Story A Day (SAD).

May SAD has been an annual event in my life since I joined FM writers. We pull writing prompts from our choice of source (I prefer the Seventh Sanctum elements) and try to draft a story. I’ve managed anywhere from 1 – 10 stories each May. Last year I generated a bunch of outlines, but didn’t yet write the stories due to a family situation. This year, I’m going for ten and hoping for more.

My system gives me three days to write a story, though the best stories come together in the first day to completion. The idea is on day one to pull the prompt, figure out plot, character and world. Once the outline comes together, I can bang out the first draft in two to three writing sessions. This takes two to three days because of the job and family, etc.

So far, I’ve got one story done, and I’m working on the outline to my second story.

This challenge always gives me a jump in progress, whether I’m counting the number of stories in my arsenal, or progressing my skills further.

Hope your May is great!

Dawn

Today’s post was inspired by Forward Motion’s Merry-Go-Round topic, “Projects Progress”. If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers and read about their ideas, then check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour. Next up is Raven on the 7th.

FMWriters is traveling the web via the Merry Go Round Blog Tour. Site members have grouped together to write monthly on themed topics and turn the blog tour concept on its head: we’re not the ones touring: you are, as you read one writer’s perspective after another. This is my contribution to the Merry Go Round Tour. Enjoy your ride. ~ Dawn

The most common writing advice is: write every day. The idea is fabulous, but I’d like to put a twist on it that will give it more value. Write every day that you can. The difference is that “every day” routines fail when life with multiple levels of responsibility take precedence to the writing. It isn’t that we want it to be that way. That responsibility might be our families, our jobs, our fitness routines, residence management, financial management, reading, sleeping, and eating. We can’t do it all. What we can do, is break things up and fit in the writing and all those other things, in increments.

For me, it’s a weekly assessment. What project is going on at work – will there be overtime or early mornings? Which kid is sick and going to need a visit to the doctor? What volunteer task did I nominate myself for at school? What bills need to be paid? What portion of my workout needs to be done – weights vs cardio? On the crazy weeks, it turns into a daily assessment. And if something goes wrong, it gets reassessed.

This works only when I promise myself to fit bits of it all in there. It’s helped me learn to write fast because I might only get a half hour one day, or an hour over the course of two days. It means I need to be flexible about where I am. Maybe the writing gets done in a notebook while my son is in his speech session. Or maybe I read that story for critique while my daughter is doing her homework. Or the slush gets read while the water for the pasta is boiling. Or I challenge myself and wait until everyone’s in bed and push out as many words as a I can.

It’s not as stressful as it sounds. It’s just a matter of give and take. Some weeks, the ‘rest of my life’ takes more. Other weeks, the writing takes more. My husband watched the kids most of one weekend while I wrote a 20k novella over the span of 3 days.

What’s the key to a successful routine? For me, it’s a combination of wanting it and having movable pieces in your day. I organize the other pieces of my life in order to fit this crucial writing piece. The reason why this works? Because I cannot allow myself to become stuck in one routine. I need the variance. If I had the same routine every day, I’d constantly leave out things I need or want to do.  I enjoy being busy and trying to fit too much in. (Yes, I actually said that).

Do you have a routine or are you still trying to work yours out? What challenges are you facing? Do you need flex in your schedule or do you work better with a rigid plan?

Happy Writing

Dawn

Today’s post was inspired by Forward Motion’s Merry-Go-Round topic,  ”Writing Routines”.  If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers and read about their ideas, then check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour. Next up is Raven on the 7^th.

Psst, hey you… you’re a writer, aren’t you? Thought so. I bet you’ve been thinking about applying to Viable Paradise, haven’t you? I can help you, at least with the “thinking” part. If you are thinking about it, do it. I know you’ve got doubts and questions, but who are you to self reject yourself? If you love writing and you’re willing to sacrifice a little sleep to get better, then do it!

Take a look at your most recent works. Anything look good? Something you can pass to your closest writer buds and ask them to tear apart? Choose something you love.

Seriously. I applied with short stories that I liked, that did fairly well in the rejection rounds, but didn’t get in. When I applied with chapters of a novel I spent all spring planning and writing and absolutely LOVED, I was accepted.

You want these awe inspiring instructors to teach you writing? Then show them your stuff. Let them choose you, because hell, you deserve it! Even if you have to write something new, go for it. Applications are open until June 15^th.

You might be wondering if you really want to go. Is it worth the money and travel and going to Martha’s Vineyard in the off season? It was for me. I met twenty-three other writers who are awesome and easy to talk to. They’ve become my friends, my critique partners, my cheerleaders. And when the going gets tough, they know what to say and I know it’s real and that they mean it. Since VP, I’ve expanded my writing horizons. I’ve tried new writing forms, I’ve joined a neo-pro writer’s group, and I started reading slush for a new ezine that has aspirations of being a SFWA market. Guys, it hasn’t even been six months since the workshop and I am so freaking glad I went.

You know how they say Viable Paradise is the workshop you’ve been searching for? It really is. The application is here.  Go get started on it.

You work all day, manage the kids, juggle homework and dinner, then wrangle everyone into bed and heave a sigh of relief. A moment of panic hits. You’ve forgotten something. Oh, right. The work out. Again.

When you’ve got a full schedule, working out is really the last thing you have energy for, but it’s what you need to lose a few pounds (thanks, sedentary day job), it’s what you need to regain your energy. But when it comes down to it, you hit the snooze instead of rolling out of bed early, or you choose to work through lunch to offset the growing workload. If you do this, you’re human. There’s a truth you and I know, and it’s this: it has to change.

The problem is what we call it. ‘Working out’. Yes, we know it’s work. Do we really need to be reminded that it’s work? Yes, it’s hard. It takes some effort. My theory is that a fitness routine requires a level of enjoyment beyond the exertion. For some people, running provides a focus,  For others, it’s group exercise classes. I used to take cardio kickboxing, but the scheduled class was never at the right time – conflicts with the family resposibilitiies.

Then my daughter comes along, and this little challenge I gave her (5 Brave Things), which she totally rocked, resulted in her reward: I joined her karate class. I was worried about feeling silly at first. About a quarter of the class is adults, less than that some days. Fortunately, my height allows me to blend in with the older kids. I wanted to be an example of good behavior for my daughter, so I focused on the class, the teachings, the actual karate. It took me two classes to realize that I didn’t even watch my daughter during these classes: I was too focused on the moves, getting it right. Actually streaming IYAH with the rest of the class when we punched, jabbed and kicked.

I think I like karate better than my kids like it.

So, part of the theory is you have to find something you love to maintain a routine. I found it by accident, and I have my daughter to thank for that. The other part of the theory is having this activity you love, means you want to be good at it. Excel. And that means figuring out your weakness and improve on this. By going to the gym.

That’s right.

Last week, we were working on upper cuts, which requires repeated squat-like motions with every punch. I tired quickly. Also, when you’re told to do ‘Black Belt Pushups’, you know no one is looking at you doing them slower than everyone in the class, and less than half the amount. I’m sure they cut the adults some slack, we weigh a lot more than these kids. Still, I didn’t want an excuse or to stand out because I’m the slow one or the tired one. I hit the gym.

It’s an entirely different experience doing extra pushups and weights, squats and lunges when the reason for it goes beyond “I need to lose weight”. I have a purpose for being there, and I damn well better make some progress because if I’m going to karate with my kid, I’m not half-assing it.

Theory: love what you do for fitness, and use your gym time to improve your skills needed for that activity.

I’ll check back in a few months, but the preliminary report is this. After just a few weeks, my clothes are fitting better, my food consumption has become healthier and better proportioned, my water take has increased. Best yet, I feel fantastic.

It’s been years since I’ve felt this good. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten what this feels like.

If you’re struggling to find something fun, talk to your friends, relatives, kids. There’s something out there for everyone. And you deserve to feel good. Whatever it is, I hope you have it or find it. Life is too short to spend miserable.

I’m glad I found my favorite workout. My daughter is too. This one got me a double win.