Saturday 24 May 2008

Energy Reserves Depleted.

Apparently I'm low on iron, which might explain why getting up in the morning is proving such a trial. It also excuses (at least I've decided it excuses) me from the rigorous writing schedule I was going to impose on myself as part of my writing from an outline experiment. I was going to try Nicola Marsh's regime of writing 2 hrs per night, from 8:30 to 10:30 (well it doesn't sound rigorous when you put it like that but after a long day starting the creative process at 8:30 doesn't really appeal). She's managed to churn out 17 books in 5 years while giving birth to two kids (well, probably not while giving birth, I suppose). She even has weekends off (WEEKENDS OFF!!!) So I figured, I must try this. What I wouldn't give to see some steady progress and go a weekend without feeling guilty that I haven't spent enough time catching up on the writing I should have gotten done during the week but didn't.

Here's a synopsis of how it went.

Monday - 1200 words written in said time frame. Woo hoo! Optimitic view of this plan firmly in place.

Tuesday - 0 wds written. Fell asleep before said time began. Optimism takes a back slide.

Wednesday - 1,800 wds written, not in said time frame but eeked out during the day while home with sick toddler who turned out to be very full of beans for a child with a cold. Only repeated watching of Wiggles videos got me to the golden 1,800.

Thursday - 700 wds written. I forget when I did them, I just know it wasn't at 8:30 pm because by then I couldn't be assed doing anything but flopping on the couch.

Friday - 0 wds again. Child has decided not to nap. I tried to nap, but apparently I have less energy than an almost 3 year old (go figure). No nap for either of us meant no 8:30pm start for me. Way too tired and annoyed by then.

Saturday - 2,438 wds. Some at 5am when hubby left for reserves training, some this afternoon when Princess Almost Three did nap, thank heaven. About 900 words I can already see will have to be cut (funnily enough that would be the 5am stuff), but I'm counting it anyway.

And sometime today I actually managed to embed that little widget progress meter on the sidebar. Only an enforced half hour of High Five allowed me the luxury. Thanks to Rhian/Rachel C for the link.

So not a bad writing week, words wise, considering my recent level of exhaustion and Princess's current penchant for making my life difficult with sassy back chat and frequent tantrums. Not exactly structured Marsh Style but the intent was there, and nowhere near in her word count (apparently she writes 20 pages in two hours. For my own sanity I've chosen to assume this is double spaced at 18pt font). And I have stuck to the outline so far.

Maybe now that I'm on some magic iron supplements it's worth another try next week.

Sami




6 comments:

  1. Oh Sami... I know how you feel. Sometimes I hate people like the lovely Nicola Marsh and Natalie Anderson. I've been trying to write at night the last year or so, but I can only manage till about 9.30... so I try to start at 8ish and do an hour and a half uninterupted with net stuff, etc. This worked until I got pregnant again and suffered extreme exhaustion. I'm hoping I'm out of it again by next week and can resume the routine!!

    But it's soooooooooooooo hard!!

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  2. OMG!
    I'm laughing so hard my sides hurt. I know I shouldn't laugh at you but I'm remembering what it was like and how I thought I'd never survive. But I did! You will too.
    I'm glad you worked out the word meter. They are soooooo simple. I love them!
    You know I think I hate organized people. My life is organized chaos. Not sure how the super-organized Hubby stands it. LOL
    At this point Sami, as long as you're getting some words done it's better than no words done.
    RC

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  3. Oh Sami - although not pregnant I so feel your pain (well maybe not!) but definitely your frustration...

    My time just seems to never be mine, and when it is, my eyelids/conscoiousness just won't cooperate... SIGH - hoping the challenge gives me the impetus to get going no matter what...

    PS I had the iron thing (and vit B) with all my pregnancies and I felt like a new woman (did you GP tell you to watch/stave off the constipation?!!!) Unpleasant topic but way worse not spoken about!!

    Amanda

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  4. LOL, Sami. Good effort on the 2k a day program!!!
    My 2c worth? (Even if you didn't ask for it?) Write the way Sami writes, not the way anyone else writes. You know what works for you. (And apparently something works...2 books out in print!)

    Jess

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  5. Sami,
    you've made my day referring to 'Marsh style'.
    Wow, I'm a style? :)

    Now listen up. You're pregnant. Take care of yourself, relax, don't push it.
    Everyone writes at their own pace and sometimes mine's a little crazy.
    Do what feels right for you :)
    (I'm still grinning broadly over Marsh style!!! How cool!)

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