I feel the need to make this post extra special because I've gained over forty new readers this week, so here it goes! For my new readers, here's what you need to know: I'm an aspiring author. I have finished my first novel titled Promise, and it's part of a four book series. I am looking for a publisher who would be willing to publish my work, and I hope that by getting enough readers on my blog and enough Twitter followers will help prove that people actually want to read my work. That being said, please feel free to tweet my blog and share it with your friends. You can also follow me on Twitter @DianaK_books. I try to make my weekly blog posts as interesting as possible, although that's not always easy.
So, what have I been up to this week? A lot, to sum it up. One of our servers at work got hurt and she'll be off for 4-6 weeks and so I've got her shifts to work, which leaves me with one day off every week. Other than that, I have been working a lot on trying to get my second novel done. Treason is, as of today, 13.33% done. I have a whole system in place now to get the first draft done by Labour Day weekend! I have broken down the novel in 29 major parts, and I wrote each of these parts down on cue cards.
The front has the number of the idea (I am currently at number 6) and a short summary of what it is (sorry, no spoilers here!)
The back of the card has the deadline for the completed idea (Treason is due by September first) along with the date I started working on whatever is on the front of the card, the date I finished it, along with an estimated word count. Treason has an estimated 60,000 words, but I think that it might be higher. Each card has a minimum 2,000 words, and someone them can go up to eight or even nine thousand words. You can do the math.
I have also put together a list of fourteen rules that I will need to follow in order to have everything done on time, although I think I should add a fifteenth, being "Get blog updated on time". Here's the new regime that I'll have to follow over the next three months.
1. Keep room clean - This is simply so that I won't end up spinning on my office chair looking for anything cool that I haven't seen in a few years to use as an excuse for procrastinating. I'm bad for that.
2. Leave all electronics in basket - I have a basket on a table right by my door to drop in any form of electronics, mostly my cell phone and iPod, so that I won't be tempted to use them while working.
3. Disable Internet connection while working - I found that I was often going on Facebook or updating my Twitter account while writing, and that was costing me valuable time. For that reason, I am forcing myself to disable my Internet connection every time that I want to write.
4. No text messages - This goes along with rule number two, but I wanted to be specific about it. Sometimes I'll come up with what I think is a great idea, and I want to text someone about it right away to get their input, and it ends up turning into an hour-long conversation. Now, I'll have to text them only when I'll have finished putting the idea into words.
5. No food in room - I like food. Food distracts me from writing because I don't want to touch my MacBook while I'm eating in case I get it dirty.
6. No drinks other than water on desk - This is for the simple reason that anything other than water will make me thirsty, and I don't want to be wasting writing time by running back and forth between my office and my kitchen to get more to drink.
7. Take 30-minute breaks every hour - Have you ever just said something and realized that it made absolutely no sense the minute that it left your mouth? Well, that happens to me when I write, except that I don't notice it right away, and I have to suffer the embarrassment of someone else finding my mistake. By forcing myself to take breaks, that doesn't happen. I have also found that it helps keep me motivated to write for a full hour at a time.
8. No lying in bed while writing - this is a big one. I often find myself unconsciously ending up in my bed when I want to write because it's comfortable. This is bad because it makes me feel lazy and makes me want to do something other than write. For that reason, it is forbidden.
9. Try to do two hours of work per day - try being the key word, because sometimes I don't have a lot of inspiration. Some days I'll write more, some days less.
10. Sleep - Writing a novel while sleep deprived is never a good idea. I would know. That's how I tried to finish Promise.
11. Eat three meals - A well fed author is a happy author.
12. Listen only to music from iTunes while working - I need music to concentrate. This is just to discourage me from enabling my Internet connection to go on YouTube.
13. Stick to deadlines - This one pretty much explains itself.
14. Have fun!
Well, I must be off because I haven't done my two hours of work today. Thank you for stopping by and a warm welcome to my new readers! Check back in next week for more!
Love,
Di
This week's song is Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato. I came on when I turned on the radio the other day while driving to work and I found it really catchy. Take a listen!
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