Monday: here we go again

I was a little distracted last week on account of another round of the flu and as a result I didn’t read what I was supposed to and skipped a couple of writing projects. This is a momentary lapse rather than stagnancy. I did learn that a writer needs to take a break once in a while and that I have the potential to become a workaholic. I learned that a writer needs to sit down and read a novel without agenda, watch a TV program without allowing the mind to flit about in spirals, take walks with loved ones and create things other than prose – like pepperoni and sausage soup, which my husband loved. Of all the things I proud of creating last week, that is my number one – that suggested to me that I needed to pause. I learned that when I find myself dragging my heals into the study I need to take a step back and breathe.

Week beginning 6 July, 2009. This weeks writing theme: storytellers

1. Write about storytellers
2. Read the power of place – half read
3. Write about readers
4. Work on Diary of magnificent things
5. Anatomy of prose – this is not going to happen. I just can’t get into it and ended up deleting half of it.
6. Bigfoot hoaxers as storytellers
7. Post two writing prompts
8. Style/voice
9. Read Sync – requires more concentration than I had available this week
10. Work on novel checklist
11. Readers journal – it’s not going anywhere

Monday comes around

Time for the weekly check-in.

Week beginning 29 June, 2009. This weeks theme: writing rules

1. Finish reading A thousand splendid sun
2. Write about anatomy of a novel – About a quarter finished
3. Work on Diary of magnificent things
4. Find/join discussion group for bioanthropology – I’ve already started the ball rolling on this one. So excited!
5. Post on writing rules
6. Read The power of place – still reading this series of essays.
7. Post two writing prompts/exercises
8. Keep writing readers journal
9. Take camera out for photography session
10. Remember why you’re doing this
11. Imagery in creative writing – started writing

Number of words on novel: 182 (The shame)

Number of words on blog: 4596 (Clearly I need to prioritise)

Wow, it’s Monday already

Last week zoomed by, but I was in no hurry to anything but read. However, I did achieve some very important goals. I made a decision about university, I finished two books and started two more, I started a reader’s journal to help me with the biblipedia blog, but mostly I rested my brain and it felt good.

Week beginning 22 June, 2009. This weeks theme: seeing it through

1. Make a decision about uni
2. Read finished “You are here”
3. Write
4. Read – finished The Red Tent
5. Post to blog every day. I think I managed this one
6. Work on novel – I worked on the novel in my head, but committed nothing to paper this week. I needed a break
7. Post two writing prompts/exercise
8. Write – I wrote in my journal mostly, but it’s still writing
9. Read – started reading A thousand splendid suns
10. Post word of the day
11. Write about the studio

Oh dear: It’s Monday again

In following one of my own writing commandments this week (have the good sense to know when not to write) I’ve broken two of the others: I didn’t write everyday and I engaged in self flagellation for not writing. I have done very well with commandment number 8: read daily.

Not a very good week for tasks though:

Week beginning 15 June, 2009. This weeks Theme: What you know

1. Write about music
2. Chapter one of The diary of magnificent things – though I haven’t started chapter one, I have been writing -mainly notes on my mobile phone
3. Read a book – any book, just get on with the reading list. Read Everything is illuminated (Jonathan Safran Foer) and Celebrated women travellers of the 19th century.
4. Voice
5. Mind mapping part 2
6. Write what you know: what does it mean?
7. Post two writing prompts/exercises – I posted one
8. Now for something different – can’t even remember what this one was about
9. Genre
10. Get involved
11. Stating the obvious

Monday comes around

It’s Monday. Time for the weekly task update.

Tasks for week beginning 8 June, 2009. This weeks theme: practice

1. Finish reading Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian
2. Tickster makes this world – just can’t seem to get into it this month
3. Photoshop
4. Write about mind-mapping – part one finished
5. Write about music
6. Write about synchronicity: 11:11
7. Post two writing prompts/exercises
8. Post review of The handbook of creative writing
9. Write a poem – yikes – just not happening
10. Start chapter one of The diary of magnificent things – I started a new document for Chapter one, but as yet nothing has come. I have fragments of dialogue and exposition, but not a chapter per se
11. Practice mandolin

And now there is a storm coming so I have to switch off the computer and think about this week’s tasks.

It’s Monday again

Time for the weekly task update. How’d I do?

Tasks for week beginning 1 June, 2009 – New week, new month, new start

1. Stop procrastinating – priority -I am happy to announce that despite the lack of cross-offs on the list I have stopped procrastinating
2. Get on with that outline – I am getting on with it
3. Character profiles – get them out of your head and onto paper. I have started the profiles and have made some progress with characters
4. Finish reading The Secret Scripture – thank God that’s over
5. Get on with Trickster makes this world, by Sebastian Barry. Oops
6. Write about follow through – I followed through on this one
7. Post at least two writing prompts/exercises – done
8. Write about organising and filing for writers – okay so it wasn’t exactly helpful, more like a confessional, but it’s done
9. Photoshop tutorials – no time
10. Practice mandolin - it’s still hanging on the wall in the library. Needs tuning
11. Write about mind-mapping – oops

Verdict: A better week than last week, but I need to work on goal-setting and keeping up with them.

This weeks goals

It’s Monday

Last week I posted a page titled This week where I can add weekly task lists for myself and cross them off as I go. Here’s the list and how I did:

Tasks for week beginning Monday 25 May, 2009

1. Write about fear of failure
2. Write a post about fossil find “Aunt Ida”
3. Write about character development
4. Write about organising and filing for writers – I tried to write about organisation, but it sounded so contrived coming on account of the fact that, while I am a compulsive organiser, I’m not a very good one. Nevertheless, I’m not one to give in, so this is added to this weeks task list
5. Write about the art of avoidance
6. Stop procrastinating – unsuccessful, I procrastinated too much. Add this to this weeks list
7. Get back to that outline I’ve been hating so much – I got back to it but it’s not complete
8. Post at least two writing prompts/exercises – I did one writing prompt so this one is half done
9. Write about follow through - I did not follow through
10. Finish reading The Secret Scripture, by Sebastian Barry – I’ve done no reading this week. Shame
11. Try and finish Trickster makes this world, by Lewis Hyde – Ibid

Five out of eleven is a start, but I think I can do better than that. The new list is posted on This week