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Reading and Writing

Work has a way of keeping me away from writing.  Put another way, I’m not making writing a big enough priority in my life.

Reading is going great.  Today at work, the reading group got together to discuss our book.  It was a good conversation.  And I managed to finish two chapters in my audiobook, The Left Hand of Darkness.

But I’m not finding the time for writing like I should.  I have to watch out for the shoulds.  This is something I want to do, not something I should do.

I do have some time tonight, so I’ll give it a whirl.  But I only have time tonight because something else was canceled.  I want to find a regular writing time so I can build a routine, a habit, of thinking about writing and doing the writing.

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Reading and Writing

I wrote again today.  I’m still writing in a personal, journal style, even though I’m writing poetry.  And I’m writing poetry because I can’t find my way yet to writing narrative.  I need to take more time and brainstorm ideas for short stories.  I’ll do that next weekend.  Brainstorm short story ideas, as well as characters.

I’ll spend time this week talking to my daughter about writing.  She’s got the habit, and knows that the practice is the art.  She and I can brainstorm together to come up with ideas this week as I drive her to school in the mornings.

Reading has been easier.  I’m through two more chapters of The Left Hand of Darkness and I’m finished with chapter one of the book for work.  Reading is always easier.  Sometimes I wonder if I’m not a writer, but just a reader.  And then I remember that I have good ideas for longer form works, I just need to practice writing again and again until I’m ready to write my first, horrible drafts of the projects.

I did more research, reading Eyewitness to History.  So I’m hitting on all thrusters, even if I don’t feel like I’m making much forward motion.

Tomorrow is a busy day.  I won’t get the chance to write.  I probably won’t even get the chance to read, except for work.  But I’ll be back Tuesday, continuing to make incremental progress as I learn the craft by doing it.

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Reading and Writing

I’m back from both of my trips, and am happy to be home.  I’m taking the day off from work to reset life.  I’ve got a couple of errands to run and had an appointment this morning, but I’m trying to leave as much of the day as unstructured as possible.

That doesn’t mean I don’t want to read and write, though.  I’m currently reading The Left Hand of Darkness by the late Ursula K. Le Guin.  I’ve enjoyed her works in the past, but this one is so far reading more like an ethnographic report than a novel.  The world building is intricate, but the narrative is plodding so far.  I hope that the book becomes more involved in the coming chapters.

I’ve got to reread a book for work for this coming week, so I’ll be jumping back and forth between Le Guin and the work book.  The work book is good, and I’m looking forward to the reading discussions.

And I wrote a stanza on the plane last night, my first writing in several days.  It was terrible writing, but it was good practice.  I’ll practice writing again later today, after I’ve run my errands.  The focus for now is to build the habit so that over time my writing will improve.

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Travel

I’m traveling for work, so today’s been a good day for listening to my audiobook of Columbus Day.  Not such a good day for creative writing.  Now that I’ve arrived at my destination, I’ve had dinner, and in 45 minutes I’m going to start work.  I preferred to check in here rather than try to write.  Probably not the best choice I could make.  Let me see what I can get done with a little bit of time for writing.

I got some decent brain storming done.  I’m not finished, but it’s time to go to work.  Maybe I’ll get to work on this some more when I return in a couple of hours.

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Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count: 1,518 (writing: 546, journal: 649, here 323).

Last night we rented Taken.  It was a bit of a letdown.  There was no identifying with the protagonist – he just seemed vengeful and cruel.  I get that he was doing everything to save his daughter, but the writer(s) could have done a better job of making him a little more sympathetic.  Still, it’s good to watch new movies.  I get tired of seeing the old ones over and over, no matter how much the girls enjoy the repetition.

I read a good chapter in Eyewitness to History yesterday, on a peasants revolt against King Richard II.  These first-person accounts of what happened are riveting for the most part.  I’m going to read more of the book today, starting with the battle of Agincourt.

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Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count:  595 (554 journal;  41 here ).

Saturday has been off to a slow start.  But it’s noon now, and I’m up and ready to go.  I plan to listen to an episode of Writing Excuses.  I’m still several seasons back, but I’m listening to every episode and taking notes.  I plan to write today, though I haven’t figured out what I’m going to write yet.  It would be good to figure that stuff out a day in advance so I can start thinking about writing overnight.

I’ll write for my Universe project.  I feel most comfortable trying to come up with content for that story.  I have more of an idea of where I’m going with it than with anything else.  And I’ll write on this project tomorrow too.  So now I’ve got my focus set for the weekend’s writing.

As for reading, I’m listening to Columbus Day by Craig Alanson.  I’m a couple hours in and still waiting to get hooked.  While I love science fiction, I do grow tired of wars in space.  The stories aren’t as distinct in my mind as the other, more creative stories.  But I’m hoping that this one ends up being entertaining.  It’s the first in a series, so if I like it, there will be several books for me to read.

I’m also plodding away with Eyewitness to History.  This is for another project I’ll talk about some other time.  But I appreciate the short chapters and enjoy the stories being told.

I managed to get some research writing done today, but it wasn’t particularly creative.  I need to spend more time trying to write if I’m going to get my creativity to flow.  Tomorrow I’ll set aside some serious time to try to writing again.  I’m not disappointed by today, but I’m not where I want to be.  I will keep working, day after day, until I start writing the way I know I can.

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Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count: 1,277 words (all journal; I did research for one of my projects, though).

Not going to get much if any writing done this evening; we went car shopping.  I’ll be buying a new car in March, and we’re researching the hybrids.  Didn’t get home until late.  I’ll read more this evening, but I can’t see my way to creative writing in the time that’s left before bed.

I did have an idea this morning for a science fiction story.  Not sure of the length for the story, and I have some thinking to do if I’m going to flesh out the concept.  But it was exciting to have a creative thought (I know, as an aspiring writer, I should already have lots of ideas)..  Tomorrow is family movie night, so it’s going to be the weekend before I can really explore the idea to see if there’s a viable story in it for me.

I’m writing this post in the WordPress app on my iPad Pro.  I’ve switched from the in-app editor to the site administration view, and it’s nice: I get the word count here.  I’d like to count these words among my daily writing, so now I’ll be able to do that without too much difficulty.

Still putting it together.

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Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count: 2,063 (1455 journal, 608 writing). Walking distance: 1 mile.

It’s snowing today, which makes for a slow day at work. Everyone else in my department is working from home today, rather than brave the 2″ of snow that’s fallen.

I’m pleased that I wrote last night, though what I wrote was world building, not narrative. In the long term, I want my writing word count to be counting what I wrote for the copy of the story, not the research behind it. But for now, when I’m just trying to build a writing routine, I’ll take what I can get.

I’m focusing on my bigger projects, but I feel like I should take a couple of weeks and write a short story, just to get something done from start to finish. I don’t have a story in mind, but if I have time tonight, maybe I’ll brainstorm for a short story idea. That will probably leave me with a low word count for the day, but if I end up with a short story in January, that would be great.

Got a short but chilly walk in. My hands are still cold, even though I had winter gloves on. Walking into the wind was uncomfortable, but luckily that was the shortest part of our walk.

5:50, and my 6:00 meeting got called off due to the snow. Probably for the best, as things are icing back up out there. This gives me time tonight to write – I wasn’t sure I’d get the chance – though I don’t have a plan for what I’m going to write. Think. Think. Think.

6:57. I think I’m going to read instead of write tonight. Eyewitness to History. Did I mention that I finished Lower Ed? Good book, serious problems to be solved. I’m in the market for a new audiobook, and I’m in the mood for science fiction. Haven’t found that next book, though. Considering Columbus Day, though I’m not sure how good it will be. I’ve got some travel time coming up in the next two weeks, so a longer story wouldn’t be a bad thing, so long as it was good.

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Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count: 1176, all journal.

It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so it’s a day off from work. That gives me the chance to read and write more than I typically do on a Monday. For some reason, I woke up at 5:10 this morning, so I’ve got even more time than usual. I expect everyone here will sleep until 8:00 at least, giving me plenty of time to read and maybe write.

I’ll start with the news, then move on to Eyewitness to History. Later, I’ll get another chapter of Lower Ed done. I should finish that book this week; I’ll have to think about my next audiobook. Do I pick back up with Will Durant’s Caesar and Christ, or do I get a book for more entertaining reading? We’ll see. For now, let’s see what’s going on in the world.

5:03. We had the plumber out to fix a leak in the hallway bathroom. Between that and David Letterman’s interview of Barrack Obama, I’ve not gotten a lot of things done today. But I’m going to read Eyewitness to History now, and get a little more western civilization in my head.

6:14. Wonders will never cease: not only did I manage to read a few chapters of Eyewitness to History, but I listened to another chapter of Lower Ed. Next up, I’m going to read about writing. I may then actually try to write.

9:44. Hot dog! Not only did I read about writing, I wrote. A little over 700 words. Completely terrible stuff. Can’t wait to try again tomorrow.

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Reading and Writing

Today I read The New York Times. I particularly enjoyed the article on Jeff Bezos and the Sunday profile of rapper 50 Cent. For my audiobook, I finished another chapter in Lower Ed by Tressie McMillan Cottom. In it, she described the recruiting practices of the for-profit colleges and universities. She paints a stark picture of the for-profit higher education marketplace. So far today, I haven’t read any other books, but I think I might explore the study for a history book.

I also haven’t written anything today beyond my personal journal. That’s over 800 words so far, and I’ll keep writing until the end of the day. Not sure if I’ll write creatively today or not. Part of me is just happy to have launched this web site: I’m putting myself out there and committing to writing regularly.

While my wife was suffering her first migraine in 15 years, my daughter and I quietly watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. It was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon without making too much noise. But I suppose I could have spent that time writing. That’s the kind of choice I have to start making if I’m going to get my projects off the ground.

I just finished reading the introduction and first two stories in Eyewitness to History, edited by John Carey. That’s a start on my history. Just a little bit, every day. I also went out for a brief walk. It was cold, but good to get out and reflect on the day.