Ira Heinichen's Blog, page 154

Day 2,891: Cozy SciFi

It’s so funny how as soon as you get really deep into a project, that’s when ideas for other, new projects come to mind. Shiny little distractions.

I think I know what I want to write whenever this current military sci-fi book series has run its course, or at least has enough books in it to slow down a bit and entertain other ideas…

I thought of this term the other day, and I don’t think I’ve heard it anywhere else before, but it PERFECTLY captures everything I love about the SciFi I most ...

Day 2,890: Onto the Next

Zonked today. Pretty much a basket case. But…

Still did my work. Crushed it. Did some client work, too. And tried to take it easy. I think I’m going to tomorrow, too, actually, at least on the creativity front…

But, after that, it’s back to work. The next task is an outline of Book 2. That’s…intimidating. Exciting. And I feel proud. Proud to have written book one, proud that my co-writer is so happy with it, and proud to be writing the next entry.

I want to write this next book faster. ...

Day 2,889: Ding Dong

Ding Dong the book is done, the book is done, the book is done! Ding Dong the fricken book is doooonneee.

The first draft, anyway. Send off to my co-writer for his tweaks. And then…and then some rewrites. We’ll see how in-depth my cowriter would like to go with those. I’m down for as much as he wants, or as little.

I am zonked. Totally spent. Hoping that I didn’t rush the last few chapters tooo bad. I don’t think I did. We’ll see when I re-read the manuscript.

It’s a monumental day, tho...

Day 2,888: Tracking

I haven’t been tracking my page count recently. I think that’s a good thing. I’ve been focused on story…which, honestly, is easy when you’re almost done. It’s the beginning and most of the middle the require the most uphill effort, and thus the motivational tool of “tracking.”

Not now. I’m downhill and almost there. Truly. I don’t know when I’ll finish, but it’s going to be soon. Depends on how many pages it will take to get there!

That’s all for tonight. I’m wiped. Need to get up on time ...

Day 2,887: Off

Man…I need my days off. I really do.

I had designs on doing a buuunch of stuff today, and almost none of it happened because I was so gd tired. I did some stuff. It wasn’t a total wash. But the biggest thing I did was take a very long nap because I was absolutely wiped.

It’s because I’m almost done with my book. And I really, really want to be done with my book, and that anxiety will not be relieved until I finish. It wears me down. It also spurs me on to write, so that’s the positive side...

Day 2,886: MacGuffin

It’s so fun to podcast with Josh. We learn so much together. And we always have such a good time doing it when we haven’t done it in longer than usual, as was the case today. We went two whole weeks without podcasting, in fact, because of busy-ness and travel.

Lawrence of Arabia is a pretty spectacular film as far as I’m concerned…but it is far from perfect. It was really fun to discuss both of those truths tonight for the podcast.

Josh is killing it. He just moved. I get to see his new pl...

Day 2,885: Granted

I don’t take snuggles from Coco for granted. Not any more. Not after her health scare earlier this year. And right now, she is pressed right up against me so tight. She’s such a little snuggle bug. I love her so much.

Today was…not the most productive. I hate days like today. I was a bit of a zombie. Out of my routine and not able to recover. Sigh.

But…I’m going to bed ON TIME and I’m going to rock it tomorrow morning (and for the rest of the day).

Calling it early. Y’all have a good ni...

Day 2,884: Wait Time

Well…today was not quite the writing bonanza I wanted to it be, BUT…it was still a pretty damn good writing day.

The story is fire. It’s exciting. I’ve made some adjustments that I am VERY happy with, and I think realistically, if I keep pushing the pace, I will be done by this weekend. Or very close to it.

It’ll be my first finished first draft—and by that I mean one I know that I’m going to publish and not throw away—in seven years. SEVEN. YEARS. It’s rather astonishing it’s been that lo...

Day 2,883: A Quick!

Making this one quick because it’s sleep time so I can get up and rock a full day of writing tomorrow. I know that shit burned me out last time…but I’m so close to finishing. I think it might take two or three crazy writing days…but goddamnit…I want to FINISH THIS BOOK.

Wish. Me. Luck.

Can’t rush it. But, I can grind it out.

Handled my stuff today. Proud of myself. Aaaalllmmmooosssttt didn’t get up on time. It’s hard, I tell ya. But, I did it.

Night night.

Day 2,882: Outlines

Man…

I’m an outliner. A “plotter” as you might say. When I have my shit plotted out, ooooo boy. I can write really fast. And good fast. Not drivel. Fast that gets to stay in the final manuscript. All because I can see it in my head. It’s vivid. I get to play inside those vivid pictures, have some fun with the words, the pacing, really get to focus on the dialogue. It’s freeing.

Since it’s been almost two weeks since I last wrote, I went back to my outline this morning and gave it a refresh...