Every month on the first Wednesday, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group gathers across the bloggosphere to express our insecurities and encourage others. Today is that day!
When it comes to writing this year, I’m not bounding through the progress. But that’s because my primary personal push has been exercise and fitness. That’s led to using my lunch hours for lifting weights rather than a pen, and tracking habits instead of word counts.
But am I insecure about it? Eh… not really.
I’ve resolved to finish Murder Most Fowl this year. Back in 2014, I pantsed a serial Cera Chronicle for the April A-Z challenge. The plot was all over the place, the believability wasn’t awesome, and it was too short for my novella target range. I’d planned on revamping it a few years back, but Isto refused to relinquish my attention. Thankfully, I finished Isto last year, and Teymir isn’t demanding that I put down words quite yet, so Murder Most Fowl gets my lovin’ this year. I’m at 20K (that’s 9K more than the blogged version already) and my goal is to wind up in the 25K range (Look Ma, I can write shorter stories!).
5K is totally doable.
So am I insecure? Nope. Can I accomplish this task and still conquer my fitness goals? Heck yeah! I’m gonna do it.
IWSG Question of the Month Besides writing what other creative outlets do you have?
Ha! Do you have a year for me to lay all that out for you? We’ll just hit the primary ones: sketching, digital painting, dying my hair, creating my book covers, sewing, photography, and making random stuff with my kids out of whatever we find in the craft closet.
I’ve been known to do other stuff like pole dancing and canvas painting, but those are less frequent than my usual endeavors. š
Have you found smaller projects less daunting? Does fitness ever get in the way of your writing or vice versa? What creative outlets do you have?
About Insecure Writer’s Support Group
You can find the sign up for the IWSG here. We owe Alex J Cavanaugh a huge thank you for thinking this blog hop up.
Sounds like you’re pretty on top of things right now. That’s great to hear! I have a really hard time balancing my writing with everything else that’s going on in life. Exercise in particular is a tough one for me.
I need to get my photos organized and get some scrapbooking done.
Good for you on the fitness front. Wish I could get my act together with that.
Smaller things are way less daunting. I thought about it yesterday: Last year I wrote 5 short stories, wrote and published a Werebear vs Landopus “novelette” (ugh, I hate that word), and wrote and illustrated a children’s book for my kids for Christmas. That’s somewhere in the neighbourhood of 30k words, plus about 20 full-colour illustrations. On my main manuscript, I’ve only written 20K words in the last 6 months (and I’m going to have to re-write most of that).
Now that I write it all done, though, maybe the reason I didn’t get much done on my main WIP is because I was working on all that other shit.
And for me writing and fitness are in direct competition with each other. I only have so much time – my lunch break is either going for a jog or writing. I try to alternate days.
Good luck with Murder Most Fowl! Hope to read it soon!
I do love those make stuff from random things moments! I remember the days with my son when a box could be so many things. š You can totally do them both!
With all those other hobbies and past-times, I can see why you don’t get as much writing done as you might want. Now that I’ll have a lot more time for writing and editing (see my blog), I hope to be able to spur you to ever higher wordcounts in the future.
Now that I think about it, I should probably start thinking about exercising myself into shape, too.
That’s a lot of creativity.
Five thousand more words. You can do it!
I love your zest! You sound creatively expressive like me! I used to color my own hair and I loved it when it was a deep purple. Now I let my Salon friend do her magic. Your writing and word count is really on the up and up! I wish you continued success in everything creative you do š
I’ve heard shorter stories are harder to write. Sounds like you have enough to keep you busy.
The map, the book covers, the brace, the hair! Yeah, you’re creative. And you don’t require the permission slip, all of your work is fantastic!
I love all your creative outlets and your ability to write shorter stories. The shortest thing I’ve ever written is still 100k. You’re seriously amazing!
I love that dying your hair made the list! How fun it is to change things up a bit. While I don’t dye my hair any color pops, I do change up the color and highlighting throughout the year.
Elsie
I bet you’ll be more productive because of the exercise. I am also getting back into my own exercise program, and it’s feeling really good. I love to walk my dog. Nothing as ambitious as you. Hope you meet your writing goals.
You’ve got talents. Good luck with the book and let me know if you need a beta reader. I love mysteries. š
Anna from elements of emaginette
I love your art work. I’d love to be able to create visual art like you do.
Hooray for not feeling insecure! 5000 words definitely seems doable.
You are definitely creative. I love the rainbow hair. We need a video of the pole dancing. Your art is outstanding. That poster of your character is awesome. Happy IWSG!
Your creativity is a fountain. Also, even if no one mentioned it yet in their posts, raising kids demands lots of creative thinking from the parents. So, kudos for you!
That’s the attitude to have! You can do it!
Best of luck with your fitness and your writing goals!
Dying your hair! Bwahahaha! I’d do mine in cobalt blue if it wouldn’t send hubs into cardiac arrest.
Your artwork is amazing! As are your adorable children! I love seeing your posts on Instagram.
Omgoodness you are creative! I’ve been wanting to try shorter projects. I need 65,000 words by 2/16 . I’m at 25,000 and playing on Twitter:) If I was writing shorter, I’d be done.
Happy writing.
Wow! That’s a lot of creative outlets! And I bet you kick butt at all of them š
Love the positivity in this post! So much confidence, Loni. I think this is your year, girl!
Congrats, Loni. Sounds like you’re on a good roll! Keep it up!!
We’ve seen plenty of evidence of your artistic eye with your examples on your blog. You have a gift for visual creativity.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
What a coincidence. I’m also spending a lot of time at the gym these days. Three days a week, if that can be considered a lot. I’m loving the Zumba and yoga especially, but I grin and bear the rest of it.
Yes! Fitness does get in the way! But if I don’t include that then I turn into a potato, so it’s the same old same old juggling act of how to balance my time.
You are one creative lady! I love that you have hair dyeing down as a creative pursuit – it really is with all of the different color combos. I also love your artwork.
5K is doable!
Never had blue hair. Green once. Food coloring. It doesn’t wash out.
When it comes to this awesome IWSG group and creativity, I had to think of you and your character portraits – and your cosplay.
With a positive outlook like that you should have no problem getting everything done. Go you!
I love your enthusiasm! I’m way more nervous/insecure about writing shorter stories than full length novels. How does one do it?? I’m not even an “over writer.” I tend to start out around 25k for novels and then add another 20k during revisions. LOL.
I am much more at home in shorter pieces of writing, though they take me forever to complete. I suppose that’s why a novel seems so daunting to me. But I’m getting over that, slowly but surely. I have an upcoming piece that’s going to be published in Cancer Wellness magazine, so that feels pretty good. You’re doing great!
Sounds like you’re on a roll! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com
You are a creative soul. It shines through, and I’ve always loved that about you–that, and your positive energy.
I have the opposite issue as you right now–my writing goals have eclipsed my fitness ones. I’m still trying to figure out how to balance them both. There must be a way, but so far, it’s eluded me.
Seems like you’re on top of things at the moment. Thank you for sharing!
http://www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com
Yeh for not feeling insecure! Good luck with all of your projects – artistic, fitness and writing!
Pantsing a story during the A to Z challenge is a great idea! I love that. Why’d I never think of that??? Hm…
I can see why your writing has taking the backseat and there’s nothing wrong with that. You are where you need to be. It will come back sooner or later. On the meanwhile, enjoy the vacation!
xox
You’re quite creative! Good luck with finishing the novella š
Ronel visiting for Feb’s IWSG Day Being an Insecure Writer — And Happy About It
5k–so close. When I’m nearing the end, I’m happy, excited, and anxious. Those last words can be tricky. Best of luck.
I am so jealous of all your talents!
I tried a hardcore, boot camp sort of work out tonight. Very intense and immediately regretted it. LOL.
Woot! This is awesome! Canāt wait to read Murder Most Fowl. (Donāt dis Cera Chronicles. Just donāt, woman.) Love all your other ācreative outletsā. Crazy talented, my friend. ?