All Fired Up! #AmWriting

03 Apr 2018 49 Comments

by Ritu in Fiction, My Writing, RiNoWRiMo, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #AmWriting, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Life Of A Writer, RiNoWRiMo, Wedded Stress

Hey! I hope my Peeps are all well out there, not shaped too much like the chocolate eggs you may, or may not, have consumed over the Easter weekend!

I am officially at the start of the Easter break, Hubby Dearest is at work, and the kids are occupying themselves with TV, computers and more TV!

We are off on an impromptu London break again this weekend, so I thought, “why not be a little productive these next few days, before going?”

I loaded up my infamous WIP.

I say infamous as I appear to have guest posted a few times about it… here, at Shaun’s Clockwork Clouds, and here, over at Blonde Write More… and even here at Sue’s Daily Echo!

My plan was to re-read what I had written over the month of August last year. If you remember, I decided to have my own writing month, #RiNoWriMo, and I did a grand job, if I do say so myself, finishing at just over 69,000 words!

But I still hadn’t finished that age-old WIP. It’s so old, it’ll be able to drive soon enough, and drink too!

So, the idea was to read, and refresh my memory, and maybe, just maybe, start thinking about how I could finally finish it.

Well.

I read it. And ended up smiling.

I don’t know how right it is to smile at your own writing. But that’s what I did. I enjoyed reading what I had managed to create in the summer. And that was it, the fever pitch had been reached.

I needed to type!

And now!

So, I made sure the kids and pets were all fed and watered, then hunkered down for some serious writing.

Two hours and 2100 words later, I surfaced!

I read the scene I had written to Lil Princess. My kids have both been really interested in my writing, and though I have had to censor some scenes, they have heard a lot of it.

She sighed at the end. (A good sigh, I mean!) “Mummy, even though I have kinda read it all already, I think I’d really like a copy of this book.”

I know she’s only ten years old, but my first beta reader is happy… and even though there is still a while to go to tie up the ends, and truly finish it, her comments have given me the will to carry on! I guess I have another couple of writing days to use now before going away!

I really #AmWriting!!!!!

#AmWriting

That Smug Feeling…

21 Oct 2017 56 Comments

by Ritu in My Writing, RiNoWRiMo, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, First Draft, RiNoWRiMo

I’m finally on holiday.

And ended up with the typical teacher response to a week off.

I promptly fell ill. Woke up this morning with a streaming nose, earache and a difficulty swallowing – and that is AFTER having the flu jab the other week!

Still, things need doing and I grocery shopped and started a big clean of the house – need it to be spick and span before my bestie comes to stay with her little baby in the week!

And it has been hinted at that I need to knuckle down and finish my teenage WIP too! (you know who you are… Sacha, His Geoffleship, Lucy, Gary...)

Since the end of August, which was my #RiNoWriMo, self-imposed writing challenge to get my WIP back off the ground, I haven’t had the time or energy to look at it.

I have a week off, but there are not many days where I am totally free and able to lose myself in my words again, but still, if I can draw the story closer to the end, it would be a bonus.

I sat here and thought… and couldn’t remember what I had ended on. Honestly, after a month of writing, and over 50,000 words written, my brain was near mush!

So today I read the last couple of chapters and, (can I say so myself?) I was pretty pleased with what I read back! I really want to finish this first draft. I want to be able to post

IT’S DONE!

here there and everywhere, but for that, I need time again! So I shall try to carve out a few hours again to craft some more words, and hopefully, I will be closer to that announcement post!

I’m off again to bury myself under my duvet… catch you all soon Peeps!

#RiNoWriMo – The Finale! #canidothis ? #ididit !

01 Sep 2017 84 Comments

by Ritu in RiNoWRiMo, Sonu Singh, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #ididit, Author, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, First Draft Problems, Furry Muse, Life Of A Writer, RiNoWRiMo, Sonu Singh, tired, Traci York

Can you believe it? I completed a whole month of writing my WIP? (Along with blogging, and being wife and mother!)

It’s Bank Holiday on Monday… I appear to have promised to take the kids swimming one one day… and those damn uniforms refuse to label themselves… Can I get this WIP nearer the finished end??

Day 28

I am seriously exhausted. I am not sure if I can write any more for a while… My brain feels like it’s turned to mush. And I need to get rested for back to school… will I be able to get myself to the computer?

Hell Yes!

An hour and did a few more words. Then took the army swimming!

Word Count: 1139

Day 29

I’m definitely in a writers funk. I finished a section that I absolutely loved writing last week. The words just flew! Now I know what I want to happen, but I can’t find that smooth path to sail across, to get the story finished. It was hard, but, despite still feeling tired, I managed another few words. I’m not pushing myself… I want this to flow…

Word Count: 1007

Day 30

Thought I wouldn’t be able to do this today. I had to get up early and drop the kids off to my in laws as I needed a blood test done first thing. Feeling tired after having to wake earlier than my body was used to, was a trying time.

But once I got home, and full of a renewed energy. I managed to write, and then looked at a weekly tarot post by my friend Traci York. The cards I am drawn to are surprisingly accurate for my situations at the time, and today was no different!

Knight of Pentacles

Keep your focus. You were so excited and full of energy when you took the first step on your new journey. Now you feel like you’ve lost your steam, and all you’re doing is trudging along, without getting any closer to your goal. Don’t give up hope! Stick to your plan, stay focused on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and remember what Amelia Earhart said – “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”

Thanks, Traci! I am staying focused! But taking it a little slower!!!!

Word Count: 1241

Day 31

The last official day of #RiMoWriMo.

I never thought I would make it to the end! I haven’t even eaten breakfast yet, you know!

When I say the end, I don’t mean of my first draft. No, The end of the month! The story is a little while away from finishing, but it is so close, I can smell it!

I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, those name tapes aren’t going to fix themselves, and then I have to get the boy to cricket training, and a well-deserved meal out with my ladies tonight meant I wanted to give my last writing day a good go before starting everything else.

So I wrote…

Word Count: 1156

PHEW!!!!! I’m done!!!!!!!!!

Taking everything into account this means I wrote 4,543 words this week, and the #RiNoWriMo word count stands at

55922 words in a month!

What have I learned in this last month?

If you have determination and time, you can do what you set your mind to.
Writing can be really, really, really, REALLY exhausting!
Sometimes time away from a story helps you put a totally different spin on it.
Support from some special writing friends, a furry writing muse and family makes a HUGE difference.
You need lots and lots of sticky notes and pens and notebooks… (great excuse to go stationery shopping!)
You can write anywhere if you want to.
NEVER GIVE UP!

My work in progress now stands at a few words shy of 70,000. When did I ever think I could write so much????? This has taken me a step closer to my dream of having a novel out there.

I will let you know when the #firstdraftwoes end and I have a complete manuscript in my hands. No doubt then I will flood you with questions and worries about editing, and proofreading, and editing, and rereading, and covers, publishing and promotion… but that is still a while away.

Now I am off to dream about the day I can conclude my story… whilst ironing labels on uniforms!

Thank you for staying with me on my #RiNoWriMo journey Peeps! Your support has been invaluable. Seriously. Mwah!

One Liner Wednesday – #1LinerWeds – Creative Tiredness

30 Aug 2017 50 Comments

by Ritu in #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Creative Process, Linda G Hill, RiNoWRiMo, writing

“When you let your imagination run away with you, be prepared for the mental exhaustion.” – Ritu

For Linda’s #1LinerWeds challenge.

That was my one line, here’s my explanation:

The last month has seen me write over 50,000 words. I have never written so much in such a short space of time!

And while I wrote, my brain, my imagination went wild. I created this amazing (to me!) story.

Then I had to stop.

All that thinking and writing drained me!

I’m back to school on Monday, and the way I feel at the moment, if I don’t take a step back, I’ll be more tired than I was before the six-week break!

My story is still not finished, But will see its end, sooner rather than later.

But I’m taking advice from my brain now, to step back for a little while to allow my creative self to get her second wind, before charging on again!

Have a great Wednesday Peeps!

#RiNoWriMo – Week 4 #canidothis? #MondayBlogs

28 Aug 2017 42 Comments

by Ritu in RiNoWRiMo, Sonu Singh, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Author, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, First Draft Problems, Furry Muse, Life Of A Writer, RiNoWRiMo, Sonu Singh

Instead of boring you each day, and I really have had to stop myself, I thought I would do a weekly post to let you know whether I have managed to accomplish what I wanted during this creative month of August that I have named, #RiNoWriMo! (Ritu’s Novel Writing Month).

What barriers do I have to overcome this week? Tiredness. Sleep overs. Playdates. Hmm… this’ll be fun! Oh, and I need to label uniform!

Day 21

I was seriously shattered this morning. Didn’t think I would be able to get up, let alone do any writing. I was so tired I couldn’t even remember what I had written last. But I tried. I figured even a few hundred words would be something.

Then something came over me, possibly inspiration, and I was so excited that I forgot to eat breakfast!

My fingers worked their magic, despite my furry muse wanting to give me a morning massage, whilst I was trying to type!

Right in front of my keyboard!

We also had the first of several playdates in the afternoon!

Word Count: 2523

Day 22

A little more awake today, and words got written! Though as I write, I wonder how much will actually stay in the end result… after final edits etc. Actually, why am I thinking about that? I need to finish the first draft yet!!!

Writing in bed!

Word Count: 2718

Day 23

It was a manic kinda day today. I had words to write, a house to clean, words to write, five kids to occupy with the sleepover, words to write… you get my drift?

I’m not actually sure what I wrote today, whether it made any sense at all, and I was a little annoyed with myself that I didn’t it 2,500, but I was close, and having over achieved on previous days, theoretically, I was still on target!

Word Count: 2430

Day 24

Typical kids! You’d think that after being up so late, they would sleep in? That was the hope. That Hubby Dearest would go to work, and I’d get, maybe an undisturbed hour, two if I was lucky, to write something at least.

But no. They were all up by 8.30am!

So, fed and watered, I left them to it and camped on the dining room table to try and write a bit more., with my furry muse to keep me company.

I got this!

They departed after lunch, then we had another little friend coming to visit, and I had to be sociable with her mum for a couple of hours, so writing time cut short… again! but still…

Word Count: 2549

Day 25

There’s a chance we’ll be busy this weekend, bank holiday and all, so I decided to really focus. After writing a bit, I cleaned the house. I wrote more, then fed the kids lunch. Then I showered and wrote even more!

Sonu Singh tried hard to distract me…

How can you ignore that face?

Then he decided to commandeer an old laptop – If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!

As I looked at my word count, it dawned on me that I had, in less than the 30 days that NaNoWriMo allows, written over 50,000 new words! OMG!

How did that happen?!

Word Count: 3171

Day 26

I contemplated a day of no writing today… I was shattered. A late night, followed by an early wake-up call from my Finnish family meant I was running on empty. Yet I had to get this section complete. I still didn’t end it where I wanted yet, but managed a few words at least!