Tuesday, June 30, 2015

IWSG: July Heat

The Insecure Writers Support Group meets online every first Wednesday of the month. Founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG was created to support and encourage all writers in every phase of their work, from writing to marketing. Click here to join, and for information, writing tips and more.
 
The awesome co-hosts for the the July 1 posting of the IWSG will be Charity Bradford, S.A. Larsen, AJ, Tamara Narayan, Allison Gammons, and Tanya Miranda!





We have already broken heat records here in Eastern Washington,
and it's only just July. It was 110 degrees the other day, and 108 today. I'm walking around our property making sure everything survives, and turning up the sprinkler system, trying to keep everything green. 

The airplane vinyl wrap project has been brought indoors. Imagine if you will, the heat buildup in a metal hangar! Even the spiders are exiting. There are a lot of small pieces that can be vinyl wrapped before the wings and body are done, so this isn't a problem. (Vinyl is an amazing alternative to spray paint, but time-consuming to put to on). 

As you may know, my husband and I have competing projects. His is to paint the plane, and mine is to get my novel published. I'm bringing up the rear at this point. We had back to back family all last month. Loving the quiet house right now and helping occasionally with the plane project when he needs a second hand. (I'll admit that some days his project is simply more interesting). 

I did devote two days this week to the book. A friend also visited early in the day and we spent the morning working on our books and social media. We've always talked about taking our computers to the library or the local coffee shop and doing this. It really was a pleasant change. Writing can be so isolating at times. Do any of you do the same? I recommend it

So.... haven't written much at all. The blog has taken a hit too. Drafts of two book reviews sit untouched in my notebook waiting to be written up. I think I'm dealing with brain drain in this heat, not to mention an awful tooth ache at the moment. Tomorrow I'm off to the dentist. 

Looking for a bit of writing humor and needing a pick me up, I found the following. I hope you enjoy too!


"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." - W. Somerset Maugham

If Moses were alive today he’d come down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments and spend the next five years trying to get them published. - Anonymous

Frankly, my dear, I should bury your script in a drawer and put a lily on top. - Noël Coward 


26 comments:

  1. Absolutely recommended that you leave the house while writing! I find it too distracting to stay at home - too easy to find an excuse to get up and do something other than write. Both the library and the local cafe generally have free wifi(well, they do here, anyway). And the cafe also has the advantage of someone bringing you a drink or lunch when you need it, making sure you don't have the excuse to get up and make your own. ;-) I wrote most of a book at my local cafe. I mainly did it, at the time, because I was still on dialup and had run out of time, but then I found out that there were other advantages...

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    1. Thanks Sue. A huge problem with writing at home is that I do all of the bills and file management, and it's all in my office where I write. It's the main reason I pick my laptop up and go elsewhere in the house, but other temptations arise.....the kitchen needs cleaning, I'm hungry, the mail needs sorting and so on. My best writing experience was in a closet away from all distractions.

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  2. Loved the humorous quotes!!! I can't imagine the temps you're experiencing. Be safe, whatever you do.

    I love taking my laptop to the park nearby. Grab a picnic table for lunch - an enjoyable break!

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    1. Hi Dixie. I'm reminded of a writing porch I once had and loved. My new home has nothing yet and needs decking. I still feel very unsettled here. This post has helped me see I need to address that!

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  3. I kinda like this quote by Ray Bradbury: "Many people hear voices when no-one is there. Some of them are called 'mad' and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called 'writers' and they do pretty much the same thing."

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  4. 108 degrees? Ick! That's hotter than here in Florida. I hope you can get more work done on your book!

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    1. Thanks Chrys. I liked your motivating 'kick in the butt' post :)

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  5. I recently retweeted this, which made me chuckle: there are two rules for success: 1. Don't tell all you know.

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  6. News have it that the UK are in for a heatwave, hope it don't get as hot as where you are.
    Yvonne.

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    1. I hope not either. Electric bills will increase!

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  7. Oh I love those quotes! Noel Coward was so biting-I love him. I think leaving the house and working at a coffee shop would not only be beneficial but actually sounds downright romantic. The weather sounds way too hot for my taste

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    1. Thanks. Seriously going to try finding alternative places to write.

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  8. I used to have a buddy for Telework Tuesday but I've lost her for the summer. Apparently her summer intern needs more attention than I do :-/ Hopefully she'll be back in the fall because I do miss the company!

    Happy IWSG Day!
    AJ Lauer
    an IWSG co-host

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    1. I hope so too. Thanks for hosting and for stopping by AJ!

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  9. Hi Sharon sorry about the toothache and the heat - hope the tooth gets sorted. I fantasise about taking self away from home; the garden nursery down the road with computer and notes and all, being away from my desk and the piles of stuff ... but it's a fantasy.

    The quotes were really funny thanks for the laugh!

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    1. Oh dear. Had a root canal so the toothache continues. Slowly getting better. That garden nursery would be my go to place too. Thanks Susan!

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  10. That's cool you have a writing buddy.
    With that kind of heat, maybe you'll be motivated to stay indoors where it's cool and write.

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    1. Good point. If it were a blizzard, I'd have reason to hang out inside. I think it's all about attitude too. Thanks for commenting Alex.

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  11. I sometimes wish I had a physical writing buddy. *sighs*
    But the online buddies are really great - so supportive.
    Here's another funny one: "The only imaginative fiction being written today is income tax returns."

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  12. Ha-ha. Complicated as heck too! I agree that online buddies are so worth it. I recently got through a writing roadblock thanks to their input!

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  13. OMG, 110! That's worse than NC.
    Hope you get some writing time this week. Breaking up the writing routine sounds like fun and it helps gets the juices flowing:)

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  14. Ugh, that's way too hot for me. The airplane project sounds interesting. I'm trying to picture how that would work with the vinyl. I hope your tooth is feeling better! Love the quotes. Lexa Cain's IWSG post had some funny similes if you're looking for more laughs. Good luck with your writing!

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  15. Thanks Lori. All better now and made my word count goal so happy about that. Thanks for th stop!

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You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.