Day 2 Writing My Western Novel

Jacqui's message for Day 2 is simple enough.....
1. Create a specific time everyday to write.
2. Mark that block of time in your calendar and never put it off.
3. Always keep your writing time sacred.

OK, that sounds easy enough.

My day always starts with my part time job. I do it at home, from 5:30am to 9am. So, I figured I would schedule my writing time, starting at 9am.

Except, I never follow instructions completely. It doesn't matter what it is....a recipe, some advice, mapquest directions to someone's home....whatever. About half way through, I will change something. Obviously, whoever gave me the recipe, advice or directions did not really intend them to be followed exactly anyway, right?

Here is how I set up my writing day, following Jacqui's advice for Day 2

1. create a specific time everyday to write. Yup, I did that. I decided to start my writing time at 9am every day. So far, so good.

2. Mark that block of time in your calendar and never put it off. Well, I don't actually keep a calendar so, I'll just change this a bit. Instead of writing down my block of writing time, I'll just remember to begin writing everyday, just after I finish my work at home job at 9am. No problem here.

3. Keep your writing time sacred. Okey Dokey.


And, here is how the day played out.

I finished up my part time, work at home job at 9am. Now, let's start writing.

Wait a minute, I need coffee. On the way back from the kitchen, the cat needs petting. Wow, it looks like a really nice day. I'll just finish my coffee on the deck. Oh yea, the novel.

Ok, back to the office. Ready to write. Oh my look at that desk, what a mess. Let's just straighten it up a bit. I always work better when I am organized. Ok, now let's write that western.

Wait a minute, I really should decide on some names for my characters that will be in the book. Let's see, I'll stop for a second and surf the web for that. Oh, look at that neat website on old planes....that's a B-17. Will you look at that....an interview with its pilot who flew it during WW II. I'll just click on that and listen for a while.

Hmmm, I'm hungry. Let's grab a snack. I'll just eat here in the den, and catch a little TV. Oh boy, a football game....

Final Score, procrastination 7......writing 0.

Oh brother.

A Western Novel Start-ith

I've wanted to write a western novel for quite a while. Sure, I admit that a writing a western is not a new idea and, judging from the best seller list, it won't be a popular idea...but, that is not the point. A western is something that I want to write.

When I came across the writing exercises on Jacqui Lofthouse's site, I decided that I would get going on it.

Day 1's writing exercise was to free write for an hour...no interuptions...no stopping. I was told to sit at my computer and write whatever came into my mind about my western for one hour.

I opened Word on my computer, set a timer and waited for the words to flow.

...but, nothing happened.

I just sat there, watching the blinking cursor. I didn't have a plot, characters or even a setting for the novel. I only had a dream to write a western novel.

What the heck did I think I was trying to do?

I remembered that the instructions said not to worry, just write...so, I started writing...half sentences, words, ideas...whatever came to mind.

I decided the main characters would be 3 brothers. So, I started sketching each of them out.

I visited a little ghost town, up in the Colorado mountains this past summer, so I decided "put" the story there.

I know that the Colorado mountains were a "busy" place during the late 1800s, so I decided the story would be around 1882 or 1883, a good time for cowboys in the region.

The more I wrote, the more came to mind. Suddenly, I couldn't type fast enough. Ideas, places, conflicts, themes....I wrote them all down.

By the time the hour was up, I had over three pages of thoughts and ideas about the novel. I was amazed at the things I had written down.

When my hour was up, I quit writing just like the instructions said. I felt a great sense of accomplishment. In one hour, I'd made more progress than in the past three months I've been thinking about writing it.

And, even though I had quit writing it for the day, new things for the novel popped into my head for the rest of the day. While I was poking around the web, I found some historical events and characters that would fit. I even found a list describing the tombstones in the ghost town.

Dedicating one hour to the novel....just one little hour....has kick started the whole thing. It feels great and I can't wait to get started again later today.

....one hour at a time.

Writing: Getting The Words Down On Paper

The other day, I was goofing off instead of writing. I was surfing around the web and found a website by author and writing coach Jacqui Lofthouse. She is pushing an ebook that promises to put an end to writer's block. She thinks many writers suffer from procrastination and call it writers block.

I am a master at procrastination. What she said really hit home. So, I downloaded the first 5 days of her writing advice and excercises from her website and I'm gonna work through them right here on my blog. This way, you and I can both see if she can pull me out of procrastination and help me get my writing down on paper.

The Disclaimer: I do not know Jacqui...never met her. I am not shamelessly promoting her ebook. I don't get a commission. I didn't even buy the ebook, just signed up on her email list and got to download the first 5 days free. You can too. The thing I want to do is stop procrastinating....I want to write more. Jacqui promises she has a way that will teach me to do that, so let's see if it works.

If you want to play along, here is her link: www.thewritingcoach.co.uk

Background: I live out west in Colorado. Yes, it is true, I live in the suburbs...but, I have always been attracted to the western life. I rode a horse once....even camped out in a tent as a kid, so I am going to write a western novel. I've had this idea for quite a while and have never gotten started on it. (procrastination???) This project is what I will work on during these writing exercises.

OK, DAY 1.

The first day, the rule is just write, damn it. (ok, those are my words, not hers.) Jacqui's message for the first day is simple. Get the words down on paper. Don't worry if they are good or bad, just write. Today's exercise is to free write for an hour. Set a timer, turn off the radio and tv, plant the butt in the chair and write. Don't get up for coffee, don't answer the phone or pet the cat. Just write. Get it all down. Don't edit it, just write it. Put it on paper, no matter what.

Tomorrow, I'll let you know what comes out.

Writing Every Day? Here's One Way To Do It

Many writers say a writer must write everyday, but I'm having a hard time doing that. The last couple of days, I blamed it on a head cold I was battling....but, today I feel much better and I'm still putting off getting the words down on paper.

Instead of writing, I was poking around the web yesterday. I found a website for Jacqui Lofthouse, the writing coach. She says writer's block is often writer's procrastination and it is many writer's main enemy. I gotta admit, it is one of my biggest problems.

Jacqui sells an ebook called, "The Writing Coach: 30 Days to Conquer Self-Doubt and Procrastination and Have 30,000 Words Under Your Belt." You can download the first 5 days free.

So, that is what I did.

Starting tomorrow, (I told you procrastination is a big problem for me...), I'll work through each day's chapter and each day's writing exercise.

Starting tomorrow, I'll report back on how it is going.

For the rest of today, I think I'll go goof off....

(see, I can procrastinate with the best of them....)

lol

"The Pepper Gift" Has Been Published

When I first met my wife's family, they told me about my wife's great grandfather. When he came to America, he carried some tiny, pepper seeds in his pocket. Every summer since then, someone in the family has grown those peppers in their garden and sharing them with the rest of the family. Last summer, it became my turn.

A little while ago, I wrote a story about those peppers. "The Pepper Gift" was bought and has just been published on www.commonties.com in their "story blog" section.

This is my first try at writing this kind of story, so let me know what you think, alright?

Thanks!

JB