E.C. Kraeft's Blog
September 8, 2016
Swimming a Marathon
Writing the first draft is like jumping into cold water. You dip your toe to build courage, take a long breath, and then steel your nerves as you take the plunge. Once submerged, your shocked limbs breath a sigh of relief. The first part is over.
Writing the 2nd and 3rd drafts are like swimming a marathon. You swim, gasp, float, and swim some more until every muscle in your body screams in frustration.
Then you cross the finish line and you yearn to do it all over again.
Writing the 2nd and 3rd drafts are like swimming a marathon. You swim, gasp, float, and swim some more until every muscle in your body screams in frustration.
Then you cross the finish line and you yearn to do it all over again.
August 8, 2016
Peekaboo with the Moon
Last night I relished in a quiet moment to myself. While my family slept, I took a moment to enjoy the dog days of summer. It was warm and the breeze blew the last energy of the day. I watched the sun dip slowly beyond the hills, casting a yellow glow. Within moments, the yellow glow kindled a rimmed crescent and I found myself playing peekaboo with the mischievous moon.
For over a week now I've had a drought in my creativity, but the moon's presence within the dark cumulus clouds sent a quiet spark. We played peekaboo for an hour. I got to meet people I have never known and characters I can only dream about. The wonderment of it all...the moment of just living... was all I needed to start writing again.
The moon, permanent in the sky, but temporary in our lives, taught me that taking a moment and pushing things aside is the light in our dark moments.
So let's get writing!
For over a week now I've had a drought in my creativity, but the moon's presence within the dark cumulus clouds sent a quiet spark. We played peekaboo for an hour. I got to meet people I have never known and characters I can only dream about. The wonderment of it all...the moment of just living... was all I needed to start writing again.
The moon, permanent in the sky, but temporary in our lives, taught me that taking a moment and pushing things aside is the light in our dark moments.
So let's get writing!
July 25, 2016
AHHHH! Know when to leave it.
Okay. So I've been working on this new project for days and the story idea for months. I thought I figured out the story line, backstory, and character traits, but it seems to me that I'm stuck. It is all coming out blah, blah, blah.
And the longer I sit and think about it, the more I'm frustrated. So now I need to rethink.
Think....think...think...
I'm changing my writing to-do list.
I'm moving onto other things and leave this project alone for awhile.
AHHHHH! It is so hard to leave an unfinished story behind.
But in the end, it is for the best. I'd rather keep my motivation for writing then get boggled down by my frustration and a story with too many wrinkles.
And the longer I sit and think about it, the more I'm frustrated. So now I need to rethink.
Think....think...think...
I'm changing my writing to-do list.
I'm moving onto other things and leave this project alone for awhile.
AHHHHH! It is so hard to leave an unfinished story behind.
But in the end, it is for the best. I'd rather keep my motivation for writing then get boggled down by my frustration and a story with too many wrinkles.
July 22, 2016
Panic attack or something like it
Sometimes in my writing process, I get so frustrated I feel my chest tighten up. I know the cause and I know it won't last long, but it happens.
I am so passionate about writing that when I get a little bit of time to write, I feel like all my thoughts need to line up in the exact minutes I'm given. I feel the need to make my writing perfect. That all the adrenaline I get with ideas finds a perfect harmony with pen and paper. However, this is never the case.
Hence, chest tightens up.
Today, I continued to write chapter 3 in my book project. I got a little farther than yesterday, but still no harmony. Ugh!
I guess persistence is my next topic.
I am so passionate about writing that when I get a little bit of time to write, I feel like all my thoughts need to line up in the exact minutes I'm given. I feel the need to make my writing perfect. That all the adrenaline I get with ideas finds a perfect harmony with pen and paper. However, this is never the case.
Hence, chest tightens up.
Today, I continued to write chapter 3 in my book project. I got a little farther than yesterday, but still no harmony. Ugh!
I guess persistence is my next topic.
July 19, 2016
Small Successes
Yesterday I spent time thinking about writing and goofing off. I can admit I crossed nothing off my writing to-do list.
Today, I did the opposite. I worked toward crossing off my to-do list. Now, that doesn't mean I accomplished what I intended when I woke up this morning, but I made a little bit of progress.
I believe in the world of writing, those small successes should be celebrated or reflected upon.
But in all honesty, I turned to celebrating the small successes because it stopped me from beating myself up over not getting things done. I realized that my goals were sometimes too big for the time I had for writing. And do you know what? I now accomplish more and more each month because of my shift in attitude.
So my advice to any beginning writer...make sure to goal set, but start small. Each step forward is a success. Take the time to celebrate these small successes.
And today, I was given two whole hours to write and I outlined Chapter 3. I wanted to have chapter 3 written, but hey...I'm on the right track! And I am celebrating.
Today, I did the opposite. I worked toward crossing off my to-do list. Now, that doesn't mean I accomplished what I intended when I woke up this morning, but I made a little bit of progress.
I believe in the world of writing, those small successes should be celebrated or reflected upon.
But in all honesty, I turned to celebrating the small successes because it stopped me from beating myself up over not getting things done. I realized that my goals were sometimes too big for the time I had for writing. And do you know what? I now accomplish more and more each month because of my shift in attitude.
So my advice to any beginning writer...make sure to goal set, but start small. Each step forward is a success. Take the time to celebrate these small successes.
And today, I was given two whole hours to write and I outlined Chapter 3. I wanted to have chapter 3 written, but hey...I'm on the right track! And I am celebrating.
July 18, 2016
Starting Point
I've been writing for a while now. And I always find myself making lots of writing goals and lots of to-do lists. I can tell you, from my own experience, that when I stick to those goals and cross off things on those lists, one by one, I feel satisfied and I accomplish the much bigger goal.
But...I'm a very distracted human who loves to daydream. So in order for me to have a starting point, I actually have to visualize what I will do when I sit down, what I will write, and what I will think about. Yeah, I know. I plan for my thinking. And I always pump myself up by saying that everything takes time (including thinking). So you either do it now or later. But it still takes the same amount of time.
My experience today is: My goal is to write chapter 3 of my book project. However, I took my child to daycare and learned that she is not a good eater. So now I am thinking of recipes and cooking up a few as I goof off on Goodreads. I keep saying my starting point will be later today. But I haven't visualized it. :P
But...I'm a very distracted human who loves to daydream. So in order for me to have a starting point, I actually have to visualize what I will do when I sit down, what I will write, and what I will think about. Yeah, I know. I plan for my thinking. And I always pump myself up by saying that everything takes time (including thinking). So you either do it now or later. But it still takes the same amount of time.
My experience today is: My goal is to write chapter 3 of my book project. However, I took my child to daycare and learned that she is not a good eater. So now I am thinking of recipes and cooking up a few as I goof off on Goodreads. I keep saying my starting point will be later today. But I haven't visualized it. :P
