Ira Heinichen's Blog, page 232
October 17, 2019
Day 2,177: Quick one
Quick one tonight.
Stressful day. Sigh.
Here’s to a better day tomorrow!
October 16, 2019
Day 2,176: Thumbin it
Day was helter skelter today, but I know exactly why: routine was changed.
I rolled with it, nonetheless. Did my two writing sessions. Didn’t finish my rewrite notes, but that’s because my brain legit shut down after about an hour. It was like “nope, you have zero battery left.” 
October 15, 2019
Day 2,175: So Tie Tie
I was struggling with a scene today, and I had kind of an epiphany.
I realize now in retrospect that the critical voice was getting the best of me. It was telling me all the reasons why the scene I was trying to write wasn’t going to work, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it. The concept of “shoe leather” kept coming into my head. I worried nothing was happening.
But, I didn’t realize that at the time. What I realized at the time was that there WAS a reason I wanted to write the scene, and that r...
October 14, 2019
Day 2,174: Cysts and Crypts
Coops got his large back cyst removed today at the vet. He has to wear the donut of shame again…though he honestly doesn’t mind it all that much. He likes to lay down on it. Keeps his head propped up, which he likes.
Stitches in his back look pretty gnarly, but doc says he’s gonna he fine. Poor Coops.
Work was solid today. Did both my big writing sessions. Then came home and podcasted. We watched The Last Crusade and it was awesome. Such a good movie.
Anywho, way past bed time. Gotta hit the...
October 13, 2019
Day 2,173: Weird Sunday
This Sunday was a bit weird.
I didn’t really have anything to do. I stayed home all day. I guess I’m just not used to that. I felt…off, but not in a bad way. Just kind of…out of it.
Niners won. They’re actually good this year. For reals good. They pummeled the Rams, who were the NFC champions last year. We looked bad early, a 3-and-out for us to start the game, and then they ran 8 straight times for a touchdown to take the lead.
They wouldn’t score again all game.
Defense is legit. Offense, w...
October 12, 2019
Day 2,172: Progress
Progress.
I’m actually making progress.
Not just in my writing…but my writing is what I’ve been thinking about most this week.
I just had another little breakthrough tonight, another piece that fell perfectly into place. A domino I can set up earlier that will fall nice and neat coming up in the section I’m in.
I also just mapped out the next few chapters in this sequence. It’s long. Longer than I wanted it to be…but hopefully that doesn’t matter much. Hopefully what I’ve crafted is exciting...
October 11, 2019
Day 2,171: Sympathetic Villain
Do we need a sympathetic villain?
I feel like that’s something storytellers have been taught…and I’m just not so sure it’s necessary. And I really do mean I’m not sure. I don’t have an answer. All I know is that I have the question.
Do villains need to be SYMPATHETIC?
They certainly need to make sense. Their logic certainly needs to make sense, even if their entire point is that they’re crazy. Their “world” must make sense. But…do we need to empathize with them? I don’t know. I’m going to noo...
October 10, 2019
Day 2,170: A Thousand Words
I might be in a little mini groove. I wrote another thousand words today. Halleloo.
Quick entry tonight because I want to hit that hay, but there were some small victories today that felt good:
I was tired this morning, driving to work, and worried about being overwhelmed. From the last year or so, I’ve become gunshy about getting any sort of work out that feels too large. Because it’s meant those words were garbage in the recent past. So, when I make gains, like I have this week, or put in c...
October 9, 2019
Day 2,169: It Never Fails…
It never fails; I always have at least one good idea before bed.
This writing before sleep thing is staaaaarting to kick in. I’m on a streak right now that’s very satisfying. And by “writing,” I mean on my current work in progress. Not the blog. Obviously THAT streak has been going for awhile
October 8, 2019
Day 2,168: The Zone
I’m in the zone.
I can feel it. It’s a nice place.
The zone feels like one day at a time. One scene at a time. One word at a time. The zone is in the present. It’s not worried about the future or the past. It’s focused. It’s calm. It doesn’t slide too high or too low. It’s even-keeled.
Even yesterday with my frustration over missing a writing session, I could still feel it. I just needed to put in my nighttime session and start over in the morning.
I did that today. I started over. I let go o...
