RECKONING—I said I was going to prioritize writing about the Wonderbook first, and I did. You can read it here: https://hibou.substack.com/p/a-writerly-rorschach. And I said I would do a draft of the Tenacity Tales for July and I did! I also said I would do a rough draft of chapter 28, turn to writing on the computer and increase my hours.
ANALYSIS–I caught up on other writing projects but even though I said that was the priority I felt a bit guilty for not working on the novel. So guilty I wrote a post about it here: https://hibou.substack.com/p/guilty-i-feel. Ultimately I decided that the guilt--though annoying given all that I did--had more to do with an internal compass telling me that the novel is the priority and that the other things need to be dealt with in smaller chunks as I can around the book.
PLAN–(7/24 - 7/30)- I have manuscript mart and the muse this weekend, so a huge chunk of my week is spoken for. Still, I'm going to try to extend my morning writing hours and push to do a typed rough draft of chapter 28. Would also like to read the Omnibus, but I'm trying to read a novel for the manuscript mart, so that's unlikely.
WIll let you know! I signed up in a fit of optimism (read magical thinking) at the start of the year when I thought I'd be close to done by the end of July, but I'm only close to done...with the current draft and still have a pretty big revision before I'm anywhere close to done. I'm excited, though. One of the agents is the kind of agent who has no way to connect online, so it's connect in person or through a referral, so I feel like this is my chance to meet her. The other agent represents a book I adore and that might be a comp, so we'll see. I'm so deeply in the writing process that I can't even be nervous. It's just a conversation with a fellow book lover that may or may not continue past this initial chat. Who even am I???
I said I intended to do some writing this past week and that was my goal. I went to a writing retreat in Colorado… In a Nunnery! It was beyond amazing. All I had to do was get up, talk with my college roommate, go to yoga, have food that had been prepared, walk in a labyrinth, look at the deer on the grounds and listen to the bells, and… Miraculously that freed me up to write. I think there is just way too much noise and clutter in my everyday home life, and I don't have a good routine for writing at home.
I wrote a synopsis for my new book and I'm actually really excited about it. Now to find the routine…
I don't know what my goal for this week is yet. I am being very gentle with myself until September 5, which is my starting gun date for actually writing. I think I will take down the outlines of other books around my study and put up things that support this one.
That retreat sounds--brace for the terrible pun ahead--heavenly!
Working at home is tough, particularly when you are running a company out of the same space. I love the idea of you packing away the outlines for the book that no longer excites you to make way for the new book that "really excite(s)" you! What a beautiful way to honor the gift of the synopsis this weekend brought you!
I also love that you're being gentle with yourself until after Labor Day. As for the routine, I wonder if you might be able to use some of the self care habits to help you carve out a routine in your hectic blaze of a day. Like meditation before writing and yoga after writing but before blazing. Something like that.
Jul 24, 2023·edited Jul 24, 2023Liked by Catherine Elcik
RECKONING - I don't know where last week went. I've been focused on getting well after bouts with food poisoning, polyurethane fumes poisoning from our newly refinished floors, and mild vertigo. I traveled Monday-Wednesday to see my parents in NJ. Let myself do whatever felt good Thursday and Friday, which entailed knocking off longstanding list items like thank you notes, birthday cards to send, other admin. Got to my newsletter for 35 minutes and 85 words Friday. Read a relevant article yesterday (Sunday) and made notes.
ANALYSIS - Illness has a way of sharpening your priorities - health, family, friends, what you love to do. I leaned into those things to support healing.
PLAN - Finish this newsletter and get it out by week's end. Shut down temptation to research more. Use short sprints to get myself to advance, finish, and edit the piece. When writing has been hard in the past I've made progress with even 7, 8, or 9 minute sprints. Stringing those together might be my ticket.
CATHY'S WEEKLY R.A.P— July 24, 2023
RECKONING—I said I was going to prioritize writing about the Wonderbook first, and I did. You can read it here: https://hibou.substack.com/p/a-writerly-rorschach. And I said I would do a draft of the Tenacity Tales for July and I did! I also said I would do a rough draft of chapter 28, turn to writing on the computer and increase my hours.
ANALYSIS–I caught up on other writing projects but even though I said that was the priority I felt a bit guilty for not working on the novel. So guilty I wrote a post about it here: https://hibou.substack.com/p/guilty-i-feel. Ultimately I decided that the guilt--though annoying given all that I did--had more to do with an internal compass telling me that the novel is the priority and that the other things need to be dealt with in smaller chunks as I can around the book.
PLAN–(7/24 - 7/30)- I have manuscript mart and the muse this weekend, so a huge chunk of my week is spoken for. Still, I'm going to try to extend my morning writing hours and push to do a typed rough draft of chapter 28. Would also like to read the Omnibus, but I'm trying to read a novel for the manuscript mart, so that's unlikely.
Cathy, you are doing more writing-writing than anybody I know. Be kind to yourself! I can't wait to hear about the manuscript Mart.
WIll let you know! I signed up in a fit of optimism (read magical thinking) at the start of the year when I thought I'd be close to done by the end of July, but I'm only close to done...with the current draft and still have a pretty big revision before I'm anywhere close to done. I'm excited, though. One of the agents is the kind of agent who has no way to connect online, so it's connect in person or through a referral, so I feel like this is my chance to meet her. The other agent represents a book I adore and that might be a comp, so we'll see. I'm so deeply in the writing process that I can't even be nervous. It's just a conversation with a fellow book lover that may or may not continue past this initial chat. Who even am I???
I said I intended to do some writing this past week and that was my goal. I went to a writing retreat in Colorado… In a Nunnery! It was beyond amazing. All I had to do was get up, talk with my college roommate, go to yoga, have food that had been prepared, walk in a labyrinth, look at the deer on the grounds and listen to the bells, and… Miraculously that freed me up to write. I think there is just way too much noise and clutter in my everyday home life, and I don't have a good routine for writing at home.
I wrote a synopsis for my new book and I'm actually really excited about it. Now to find the routine…
I don't know what my goal for this week is yet. I am being very gentle with myself until September 5, which is my starting gun date for actually writing. I think I will take down the outlines of other books around my study and put up things that support this one.
That retreat sounds--brace for the terrible pun ahead--heavenly!
Working at home is tough, particularly when you are running a company out of the same space. I love the idea of you packing away the outlines for the book that no longer excites you to make way for the new book that "really excite(s)" you! What a beautiful way to honor the gift of the synopsis this weekend brought you!
I also love that you're being gentle with yourself until after Labor Day. As for the routine, I wonder if you might be able to use some of the self care habits to help you carve out a routine in your hectic blaze of a day. Like meditation before writing and yoga after writing but before blazing. Something like that.
RECKONING - I don't know where last week went. I've been focused on getting well after bouts with food poisoning, polyurethane fumes poisoning from our newly refinished floors, and mild vertigo. I traveled Monday-Wednesday to see my parents in NJ. Let myself do whatever felt good Thursday and Friday, which entailed knocking off longstanding list items like thank you notes, birthday cards to send, other admin. Got to my newsletter for 35 minutes and 85 words Friday. Read a relevant article yesterday (Sunday) and made notes.
ANALYSIS - Illness has a way of sharpening your priorities - health, family, friends, what you love to do. I leaned into those things to support healing.
PLAN - Finish this newsletter and get it out by week's end. Shut down temptation to research more. Use short sprints to get myself to advance, finish, and edit the piece. When writing has been hard in the past I've made progress with even 7, 8, or 9 minute sprints. Stringing those together might be my ticket.
Glad you're on the mend, but ooof!
I love your micro sprint idea! All-or-something thinking in action.!