Cutting free the unNesscary.

Over the past couple of days, I've been wandering around the various groups I follow on FB and cutting loose those that aren't being currently moderated or those full of scammers and spammers. I mainly did this due to the fact that the only FB account I have left is my authors page, and for some mad reason, there was a lot of pornographic or disgustingly horrifying images popping up belonging to those sites.

I got a little overconfident and may have messaged the admins about a couple of posts, which led to the poster coming after me on 'MY OWN' page and not the group page I'd been on. I do sincerely hope that the Marilyn Manson fan had the day they really did deserve after that debacle. But at least I have deleted myself from some rather suspect pages.

Today I have deleted my WordPress sites (and saved the essays and fictional story from them). After I post this I'll be deleting the second of my Blogger blogs, which I never kept up with. I have way too many distractions, which I can't afford. I'm sixty on Saturday; for some reason, I never thought I'd get this far, but I will keep going.

Anyway, time to post, save, delete and have lunch. 

TWW

A to Z Blogging Challenge...

 For the first time this year I won't be taking part in the A 2 Z Blogging Challenge. Simple fact is that I can't think of anything to blog about right now, and it's too close to the time to get this tired old brain to function to the best of it's ability lol, usually I have the idea up and some posts outlined in a notebook, but not this year.

So while I won't be blogging, I will be following along and supporting some of the blogs who are taking part. 

I wish you all well.

TWW

Which came first, the idea or the character...

It's a question that's always on the tip of every new writer's tongue, or brain. Do I start with character or an idea? A real chicken or egg situation.

I personally believe that it really does depend on whatever hits you first. Is there a person that you have in mind, a description, and if you do, what's their story? 

Do you have an idea, a story, something that you've come up with that you could run with? Who populates that story? 

Or throwing that whole thing out of the window, did you have an idea along with a person to fit the role of protagonist and/or villain? 

Basically, to me it doesn't really matter; I have come up with both, ideas and people. Usually for me, if the idea strikes first, there's usually a person, involved already; they come to me as the story line is jotted down. In my first novel, I had the idea of a sorceress who is rescued by a mage when she feels she's nothing left to live for. That idea grew, and both sorceress and mage remained, but the story around them changed; it morphed into a story about a Cross Dimensional Gaurdians Organisation who reside at the nexus of the universes. The sorceress became a top-class agent; the mage is the person she's sent to ascertain whether he is let live or die, as he is the decendent of her evil step sister. 

The image I first had all those years ago was of the sorceress standing on a cliff edge, and being saved by the mage. In the story, as it progressed, all changed, and you'll have to read it to find out how, why, and what the actual outcome was.

So, Chicken or Egg, Story or Character, both have simular if's what do you start with?

Getting Ready to send for proofreading...

 

...a very good friend of mine, who has a past in proofreading and editing, has agreed to proofread my second novel, Enhanced, as mentioned in a previous post. I'm so excited about getting it to her. My only problem was the back I put out, which is no longer a problem; I'm at my desk, and reading through the novel and changing up what needs to be changed. Now all I need is more time. 

Between visiting people, going to important events (well, to me and my family), and doctor appointments (which reminds me I need to see my dentist soon), it's all rather busy around here.

That got me to thinking that a great deal of women writers with partners or family around them may have the same problem, one that they probally created for themselves, feeling guilty about going to the office when the partner is at home, or the family, so they don't go to 'work', or they keep popping out of the office to make sure all is okay.

It's really nothing that has been imposed on them; it's something that they do themselves, because they work from home and want to hospitable and aminable. Some, however, have had it fousted on them by parents, or previous relationships who've objected to them working, or not understood that in order to do a novel, or even an outline, they need to be alone, without interruption.

Also in defense of the partner or family, they may have been brought up or been in relationships where someone doing something while they are there other than paying them total and 100 percent attention, or 50, means that they are ignoring them, or they don't care. It's a tough one to get your head around, and to fix.

So, here's hoping that next week will bring me closer to my goal, with peace and quiet and time alone in the office to get more chapters done...I've only another 20 to go after all!

TWW.

Self Made Distractions...

 And medical distractions ...

I put my back out two weeks ago (roughly) and wasn't able to move around and sit. This meant that I couldn't sit at my desk and doo the edit before proofing.

I messaged my proofreader and she's been very good about the delay. Slowly I'm getting back into it, the amount of time I can concentrate through the pain is expanding.

Then of course there is the prep for moving...NO we haven't a place yet, but we believe in getting prepared. I emptied out a bottom drawer od a six drawer unit, and have gotten rid of a lot of writing mags that were covering dust, while keeping hold of some interesting articles that may make it into a plastic sleeve and then into a folder. 

As I did this (trying to mind my back), T asked me why I was keeping them and wouldn't I be better off dumping those as well, as the info was probably in one of the many books on writing that I already have, and while she was at it, wondered if I'd even use it...

My thinking (as I told her) was that what I was thinking of doing was making a load of notes if viable, and filing the rest, and of course I would go use it if it was where I could see it. 

So a box of rubbish gone, and a box to sort ready to go, along with the finish of edits. It's all go...