Who AM I?

B- Bold
R - resourceful
O - optimist
N - naughty
W - wicked
Y - youthful (E - enthusiastic for my real name)
N - nice

So Who are you?

Goal Setting - Lesson 6

Time Managaement

This is where I find I fall down. My time management skills are very poor.
I try and set things and then find myself not following them which either means it isn't working for me or I just am not motivated.

I prefer to write at night.

I also like to watch TV and often night is the only time I get to spend with my partner. So I watch TV with my partner.
So what will I do?
K is an early sleeper. A late night for him is 9.30pm. So I should look at writing between 9.30 and 11.30pm. The video recorder is going to have to start getting a work out. Even better I may buy the series I wish to watch and do it that way (think I touched on this in an earlier post).

No adverts can be stopped when I want and I have them permanently.

I also have other commitments to keep. BUT the good thing with these are I can do them while watching TV. Strange I know but these other endeavours are important to me too. Each one balances out to keep me sane.

Through the day I tend to do research as I am able to keep an eye on my rugrats as well as the housework. I am unable to let it slide. I hate chaos I really do and so housework is a priority. K is happy, the girls are happy and I am happy. I have trained myself to complete tasks that need doing and so I know I can learn I just need to do the same with my writing.

The sneaky bits of time I have yet to utilise but to be honest I don't do a whole heap of waiting except when I pick up Miss C and then I generally use this time to get some adult chat. I also watch how people interact.

I am discovering the best times for me. As time goes on this may change but right now an hour or two a day is great!!

Goal setting - Lesson 5

5. Take action immediately
6. Do something every day that takes you to your goal
7. Resolve in advance that you will never quit.

So what action am I taking. I joined Sven and Nano just so I am accountable. I have a deadline. I can work towards it. I know I know I should be able to do so without a deadline. BUT I have always been one to work towards a deadline. I need a deadline. These deadlines are group imposed. After these are over I will set my own deadlines.
Actually the deadline for Porn Star for a wife is November anyway. I want to be able to do edits and send it off February.

I write everyday. I am actually going to have to go and do some research so that will count towards it. I will write at least 500 words a day. I am doing this fairly easily and really should put 1000 words but I don't want to beat myself up if life steps in and I can't do the 1000.

I won't quit. It is my vow that I will write. I can't not write so this is one I couldn't give up even if I tried. Even when I wasn't writing I was still thinking about writing. Stories were weaved in my mind and it almost killed me that I didn't write.

I am a writer. I will learn how to be a great author.

Right or Left Brained

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html
An interesting link I could not get it the girl to move in the other direction not even a flicker. I am Right Brained.

781

781 words. i didn’t think I would get any done. The day has been a lazy one for anything creative but I ended up doing it. It is nice to see the word count go up. I also did an authors chat at night owl. It was so busy and it great fun. a real eye opener I am glad Emma was there she ehlped me heaps and i was able to offer a copy of my book for a competition.
The next chat is the 17th of this month I will post more details really soon. I can’t remember who it is. Now that is bad
I have also set up my blog here at the present i am double posting because of my book launch but I will eventually be moving there permanently. I will let you know whn though.

Monday UnBlocker (well Tuesday for me)

Apparently what you need to do is with the list of words write a 4 sentences that feels like a poem or story using the 4 words.
I don't know whether I will go for the poem but I will try and write something including the 4 four words.

Word Group:
forgotten
earth
time
love

Our time upon the earth is short and much lays forgotten.
Except the paths of hurt or love imprinted upon our souls.

Sven

Sven starts today for me. Thing is my arm is now in a splint due to an annoying wrist. Good thing is it won't stop me from doing what I wish to do. Just slightly modified. I am thinking of moving to wordpress. I am comfortable here but wordpress offers extras I wouldn't mind playing with. The thing is I really like my banner so I will have to see if I can transfer at least part of it. It is really designed for Blogger but I will see what I can do.
So today I will need to write at least 780 words and hopefully will manage this for the whole 70 days. I am also still going to do NaNo and although the temptation to cheat is high I will do a separate story so a total of almost 2000 words each and every day.
Could be very interesting.

Lesson 4 - Goal Setting

1. Decide what you really want
2. Write your goals out on paper
3. Determine the price you have to pay
4. Make a plan
5. Take action immediately
6. Do something every day that takes you to your goal
7. Resolve in advance that you will never quit.

Well I wrote my goals out in the previous post but now I am going to refine it.

In 2008, I will write a Blaze. I will participate on a few forums, including eHarlequin and submit it to an editor who seems to be requesting manuscripts.
I will purchase my domain name and build my website. My website will be updated once a month. I will set aside at least 1 hour a day to write my MS.

So the price I wil have to pay.
I am going to have to lose pc and tv time. No getting around it. i watch way too much of it (at present it is on in the room) I can't take time from the girls so I need to lose it else wheres and tv and pc time is it. I will look at programmes i can't bear to miss (Supernatural, House) and tpe them. I am thinking that I will be able to enjoy these programmes while I exercise on my treadmill.
I would be more likley to keep going if i have something to look forward to. I will have weekends off. I need to be able to have time with family.
PC will be harder to give up considering I am trying to promote my book for this month and do research. But i can limit checking my emails and blogs t twice a day. i rarely have anything urgent so I am sure waiting several hours won't be too terrible.

1) Write every morning I need to finish the frst draft 31/1
2) submit query to harlequin Blaze
3) revise manuscript
4) if requested submit poposal
5) if requested submit ms
6) if requested do revisions

Lesson 3 - Setting Goals

My 2008 goals (nothing like getting a head start hey?)

1) Complete my current MS Porn Star for a wife.
2) Edit and send my MS in to harlequin Blaze
3) lose 10kilos (baby steps baby steps) and keep it off.
4) Walk 5 days a week on my treadmill
5) work on my bears and jewellery.

I find I am able to write better if I move and i wish to be healthy so I can work at my writing goals, because my jewellery and bears bring in money and I really love doing them I want to be able to spend time on these as well.

These are only small goals but I really don't want to overwhelm myself. I am going to join in Sven and NaNo but I am doing these to get moving and do something my main goal is the MS Porn Star for a Wife.

What motivates you?

I recently joined a new yahoo group Motivated Writers, and after a cursory glance didn't do much else. I finally had a chance to read the posts a little more thoroughly and I know I am hooked. Well and truly.
It isn't so much a chat group as a group to get to what motivates you and some of the questions asked a doozies.
I have done well and come at the start of a new cycle.
So far i have answered what I need from life and what I want from life. And sometimes you can turn those wants in life to needs. for example I want to show my daughters that they can do anything they desire in life. that they don't have to do traditional things to be successful.
But is that really a want or a need? I can change it to a need. I need to suceed with my writing to be able to set the example to my daughters. no point in talking the talk if i can't walk the walk.
The second question is am I motivated by hope or fear? This one stopped me dead but as i though about it, the fear motivates me more. I have to list what I am afraid of and where it stems from and what will happen if I am successful.
I recognise that when I bcome a successful author i will be in the limelight a little more and my history of depression and running away from home at a young age will come to light. there now i have just done it given away my secrets. Not so bad really. I feel though, as i watch others coming into the limelight that "they" will twist it and turn it and try and make it something it wasn't.
That isn't a problem. Really. I ran away from home. I didn't do drugs, I didn't drink, I didn't even sleep around.
I am afraid of not being able to write and what I do write won't be acceptable. well I have my first attempt at writing coming out this month so obviously that isn't true either. I may need lots of practice BUT I can write and at this stage I have ideas tucked away so I don't dry up too quickly.

My biggest motivation to write and be successful at it instead of hiding them away like I used to is simply I do not want to go back to the 9 to 5 grind. I hated it. I hated it more then words can describe and even now the idea of going back to traditional employment can reduce me to a mess. My fear of having to go back to that way of life is what will keep me writing and trying to get published. Will drive me to be successful. Not just the hope and desire but that fear burning deep in my belly.

Cobblestone Press Blog Pary - You are all invited!!

It’s October already and you know what that means…yes!
It’s time for Cobblestone Press’ 2nd Annual Octoberfest Celebration. Shifters, vampires, ghosts, and everything in between. Octoberfest is about celebrating all things paranormal and in celebration of their Octoberfest releases the authors of Cobblestone are having a MONTH long Blog Party.
You know what happens at parties, right? There are gifts and this party will be no exception. Stop by an author’s blog during thier week and comment and you’ll automatically be entered to win a copy of their Octoberfest title! Woot! And you’ll be able to read excerpts, some that may not be seen anywhere else. So let’s get to the good stuff.
Here’s the schedule for the first week. Starting us off with releases this coming Friday, October 5th are Sable Grey, Ericka Scott and Shelli Stevens.

So from October 1st to Friday, October 5th stop by their blogs and leave them a comment. The winners will be announced Friday, October 5th on the CP Blog and on each authors blog.
October 1st to October 5th, 2007:
Sable Grey’s Blog
Prize: ebook copy of Something Wild
Blurb: London is a city drowning in fear as a barrage of gruesome murders plague the streets in Whitechapel. Detective Baden Sikes is out to find the ripper but will his own secrets destroy him and those he loves most?
Ericka Scott’s Blog
Prize: ebook copy of Postcards from the Dead
Blurb: The dead don’t speak to her; they send her postcards. When Cassandra Moore receives a cryptic postcard from her dead husband, Drew Brinkman offers to help her discover the meaning of the postcard. But she doesn’t know he’s an investigative reporter out to prove the ghostly postcards are fakes.
Shelli Steven’s Blog
Prize: ANY ebook off of her backlist (Octoberfest release is titled: Primal Attraction)
Blurb: Old Centuron should have been a forgotten colony, but when Sarina arrives to do research, she confronts the brutal reality of how wrong she was. Now prisoner to a man who is both wolf and human, she faces a shocking truth and an undeniable passion.
The blog party invites will go out every Monday and the next one is scheduled on Monday, October 8th!
Don’t forget to go to Cobblestone Press for more great titles