Muse Interrupted

Day 11 of Writing Marathon.
Why is it taking so long?

• The Unexpected. Take today: had to move my rickshaw cuz of the floods in Bangkok. Now that my rickshaw is no longer at risk, I had to move it back so the final work can be done on it. I don't have to do that every day, but yesterday it was the hospital check-up, the day before my computer died, yada yada yada. Total time spent: 3 hours.

Now, that is unexpected! - art by fayren pickpocket 

• Sleep. Let's face it: the longer/more/harder you work one day the longer/deeper/more sleep/naps you have to take the next. It's just not a desk job, where you can push yourself doing the same thing every day. Inspiration and creativity come at a price and that price is a clear focused mind, which means sleep enough to get it. There are no shortcuts or bonus rounds in writing a book. Total sleep time 'good' day: 6 hours. Total sleep time the next day: 10 hours.

This is how dysfunctional my sleep is now - The Kiss by Chris Bachalo

• Inexperience. It's my first book. My 1st draft was really 3 drafts (Nancy's writing, my writing, our blended writing). My 2nd draft was really 2 more drafts (oh, let's add different character erspectives - no wait, we're over 200.000 words). My 3rd draft was really just a massacre (HACK... SLASH... Look mama, we slashed 100.000 words... oh, we also turned the book into bullet points). And finally the 4th draft is trying to fix plot, character development, scenes, dialogue and syntax. Sheesh!

An approximation of my process each and every
freaking draft. Prison Break - 20th Century Fox

• Conan and Jon. Okay, this one is my own fault, but if I don't end my day with a little late show viewing my brain keeps on rattling on and BAM, I'm lying an extra 2 hours in bed talking to myself about plot, drama, characters and how bad I want to sleep. Did I mention Nancy's on a work trip, so there's no one to tell me to 'shut up and go to sleep!'? Total laughs: 138. Total tears (for skipping work): 138. So I guess that evens out. Talking about Nancy...

Then again, the result of zoning out with TV can be that I find,
characters which inspire the looks of mine. Jimmy Neutron - Nickelodeon.

• Nancy and Alex. I love them and I love spending time with them. I write at home and you try keeping a energetic 6yr old Lego-building maniac from showing off his latest creation (which are admittedly cool... tee hee). Or... or you try not wanting to hug and cuddle with the most beautiful woman in the world, who turns into a helpless meowing kitten, as she's gotten sick from travelling and is lying in bed sneezing and coughing. Total love factor: 1 MILLION. Total work productivity: -98%.

Come on and tell me this is not worth some time away from writing, huh?
Okay, the kid is older and the wife a little less at home,
but they're still as fuzzy as in this picture!

and finally...

• I'm only trying to put together the most awesome, well-written, plot-intensive, uber-mythological, multi-genre-spanning, endearing, challenging, frightening, exciting, mind-blowing, ever-in-size-increasing, page-turning, globetrotting, adventurous, romantic, empowering, escapism-enhancing, sponge-bathing (what now?), game-changing, record-breaking, bestselling, Harry-Potter-And-Lord-Of-The-Freaking-Ring-smashing, life-improving, balanced, ecological-minded, social-commentating, detective-like, crazy-freakish, stupendous, wonderful, enlightening, fantasy-rich, marvelous, excellent, tear-jerking, laugh-inducing, atypical, engrossing, box-office-hit-in-the-making, unusual, funny, sad, intelligent, risky, nature-loving, surreal-experiencing, delicious, nutritious, imaginary, inspiring, all-inclusive, 

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL 

SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME

(and forever after, sticks to you, no rebound until eternity, so there)

And that's why it's taking so long.

Okay, maybe writing blogs like these adds a little to the problem. Total time wasted: 1,5 hour. Good grief.

Ses i morgon.

Speeding Up

TING! Day 2 of the Great Redrafting Marathon. Things are going great. It was a slow start yesterday, but things are picking up today. Tomorrow promises to be even better. Why? Well, first of all I'm getting the hang of writing again. Just like riding a bike. Also, I get to leave all my research, notes and other helpful things around my work space instead of tidying them up, because I have to focus on other tasks. So that makes diving into it easier in the morning. And then finally: today is Alex's last day at home, before school reopens. So no more homework, chores or other distractions. Sorry kiddo, but Papa needs to write the next Great Novel.

This is what I did today:

• 6:45 Woke up earlier than yesterday. Woohoo. Bonus! Felt so jazzed, I even allowed myself to tweet about it.
• 7:50 Ready to get crackin'. Sat behind my computer.
• 9:00 Time I really started working. Damn you Internet and damn that browbassing.
• 11:00 Hit the gym, ran for 45 minutes. Then lunch with Alex - miso soup and Vegemite on bread for me, PBJ sammie for him. I know what you're thinking.
• 12:25 Homework time with my son. Took a little longer this time, but oh well - it's the last time.
• 1:30 Shower. (Crap, I realize writing this I forgot to meditate - and now you know why I have to meditate, sheesh!)
• 1:45 Back to writing. 
• 2:30 Quick run to the kitchen to get a big glass of green tea & lemonade (what am I doing to my intestines?)
• 6:00 Finished Chapter 5: The Candy Crumb Trail: but is it really the 'old' chapters 5, 6 and 7 which I combined into 1 longer one? Or does it still only count as one, because they were so small? I dunno, but I gotta quit to cook dinner. More rice, this time with paprika and zuchini. Probably the most normal thing I eat today, what is up with that?
• 7:00 Kid goes to bed after watching Spongebob and Fairly Odd Parents.
• 7:30 Post the kids homework online and back to work. Tough chapters ahead with lots of cut and pasting. Watched a little Daily Show and then at 8:00 to work.
• 10:30 Time to quit. I tired. I cuddle my pillow in absence of Nancy.

I'll leave you with more Aelemental art:

After Usagi Yoyimbo artist Stan Skai. Still looking for the right style to do the chapter illustrations.

Bonsoir!

Bullet To The Brain

Time to get straight to the point. After spending too much time looking for IT work, playing host to visitors, swimming in the Maldives (what now?) and being a nurse to my sick wife I now dedicate this week to some serious marathon writing. 7 days of non-stop revision. The fourth and final draft of Aelemental - Book 1: The Tree of Life.

This is what I did today:

• 8:15 Woke up. Crap. Already slept too long.
• 9:00 After oatmeal, groceries at empty supermarket (due to Bangkok floods) I ignore the sweat and get cracking.
• 11:15 Finished Chapter 3: The Boy and the Monkey. I exercise (weights) for 20 minutes.
• 11:45 Lunch with my 6yr old Alex - smoothie for me, PBJ sammie for him. It's tradition.
• 12:15 Alex is still having 'Snow Days' (the warmer watery variety) so we do his homework toegther.
• 1:00 Shower (it was due) and meditation (good for focus and concentration).
• 1:30 Back to writing. 
• 2:30 Coffee break: hazulnut latte and banana cake from corner shop Bicarro Coffee (good for everything)
• 5:45 Still in Chapter 4, but need to cook dinner (Nancy left yesterday for week long USA work trip). Rice with Edamame and Red Snapper. Kid loves it for some obscure reason. Might have to investigate.
• 7:00 Put kid to bed after reading some Captain Underpants (...it's the circle of nerd....)
• 7:30 Quick blog updates (this - duh and Snaxtons <- shameless plug)
• 9:30 Time I plan on stopping writing, watch some Conan/Daily Show and hit the sack. I'll tell you if I succeed in that tomorrow.

I'll leave you with some Aelemental art.

Experimenting with chapter illustrations.

Ciao!