Still writing

My writing has suffered over the past two years, even though I had plenty of time while I recovered from several orthopedic surgeries. The pity-party is officially over now. I have taken to my three blogs, and am teaching a seminar for seniors on how to get started.

I have realized something ( or finally gave in and believed it). My life only works these days if I schedule tasks and appointments on a calendar; a calendar that can automatically remind me of my commitments; a calendar that is shared with the family.

This week, the first full week of February, 2017 is the start of the new focus on all things written!

This means written by me, not written by others and devoured by me! That is my weakness, reading books and manuals by others. That has to stop now.

Recently, a friend mentioned a background similar to mine, in that he was on the road meeting customers for most of his working life.

Interested in writing down some of his stories, he and I spoke briefly about how to start. I am glad that there are other people who have not been able to start writing until later in life, and I look forward to reading some of his stories. (The stories he told me as examples were fascinating, humorous, and sometimes scary. I can't wait to read more.)

After winning NaNoWriMo, on my first attempt, I followed suggestions to put away the manuscript for a period of time before beginning the edit process. Now I'm ready to unwrap those pages, and start all over. I intend to post updates on the editing process, and the frustrations experienced. This should be good!

This has gone on long enough.

I have ignored this blog, whom I will call Wilfred,  through no fault of its own. I now stand before the judgement of the blog.

You know the kind of judgement:

• What is the password?
• Where do I find the darned blog anyway?
• When was the last posting?

In my defense, though I am not sure that it matters. (An old friend once said "Never explain, never complain.)

I volunteer with three different organizations, teach 3 or 4 classes from September through June, have young grandchildren close by, have 3 blogs, and try to write.

This year, I signed up for NaNoWriMo, and was successful in writing a novel over 50,000 words in the month of November. I have come away from that experience with a new focus.

I will commit to you that:

1. I will contribute to this blog on a regular basis
2. I will make it worth your while
3. I will update you on the steps and progress of my revision of the novel

Many thanks for your understanding, dear blog

Alice Munro

I picked up a copy of "My Best Stories" which is a collection of stories by Alice Munro, forwarded by Margaret Atwood. I ashamed to say that, as a consistent reader since my early years, I had not been drawn to Alice Munro.

Some of my in-laws came from the same, Western-Ontario country, and it was a revelation to read (and hear) the voices with the dry, strict interpretation of what life is and how it should be lived. The story about the turkey farm and how the process of getting the birds to market was both magnetic and distracting. It will be some time before I can eat turkey again.

I just sat through a seminar about cumulative sentences and it has inspired me to re-visit the opening scene of my novel (yes, still in progress!).

I have heard from a number of sources that clear and concise writing is what we should aspire to. This seems to lean me in the right direction insofar as Freelance Writing is concerned. However, as I try to write a novel, or novella, I find that I need more tools to get my vision across.

I can take advice from a number of sources but should be able to pick and choose which specific pieces of advice to use--or try to use.

Using cumulative syntax may be a road that I should follow.

Yes, it definitely HAS been a while! However, I feel goog things coming. I am more focused on my novel and think I know what to do next. I promise to update this regularly!!!

I have been volunteering at the Parkside Centre here in Sudbury ( www.theparksidecentre.ca ) and am on the Board of Directors. I have written the landing page for our new website, and will continue to update it.

I am also the Vice President of the Sudbury Astronomy Club and have just become responsible for the monthly newsletter.

More to come....

Here we go! I've spent the last few months joining groups and following a few different blogs. I have articles and instruction manuals piling up in my computer, and have put the novel on the back burner to move in a different direction----Freelance Writing!

My contact list is current and I can't wait to get my first query.

Homework for tonight is to re-write an exisitng blog or ad--I'll keep you posted.

Pete

July 19th already?? Where has the summer gone? I stopped writing after April and have had trouble getting back up to speed. Each day begins with a plan, yet each evening shows no writing results to speak of.

The only way out of the morass is to use my old sales training and set up appointments with myself specifically for writing. This week has been much better, and I have updated my twitter account and FB page as well.

It is hard to evaluate how the brain lets you walk away from something that truly stimulates you.

I thought that I was writing a SF novel. It turns out that my taste is quite eclectic. Can I insert humour into the novel? How about Paranormal or Fantasy?

Other forms of fiction raise their hands and shout my name throughout my day.

I am going to need  to keep up my weekly planner so that I keep on track. I also will record all of these other voices separately---you never know when one will stand up and raise it's hand at the same time!

Mother's Day is over for another year, and the kids and grand kids all paid homage to my bride. We've been married for 40 years, and I wrote this about her.

My Wife

It should come as no surprise. Really, everyone who has a spouse should feel that their spouse is the one person in the world that is a perfect partner.

I do not know if this is true but frankly I am interested in my own personal situation.

I know absolutely positively that this woman is my partner. She always has been and always will be. If you believe in reincarnation, or believe in past lives lived, then you will accept at face value the statement that she and I have met in a previous life.

We have a good family, and a strong family. We spend our days and nights in a tangle of arms and smiles. Our best times are those spent together. Even when we cannot be together due to business, there is at least on phone call per day that is needed equally by the dialer and the receiver of the call.

We plan for the future, but enjoy the present.

This girl has my heart, and I have met no one else in all my years with her qualities----I am blessed!

We are all captivated by this amazing ability to connect with others almost instantly. The Internet and social media marriage has allowed us to share our thoughts and dreams at a level that was not dreamed about 20 years ago. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all the others will continue to grow and change--that is progress

Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchises tapped his emblem to speak with the master computer. Our cell phones are almost that size now. We also have voice recognition software that allows us to speak to the computer and control it in that way.

Armed Forces personnel and people who work away from their homes frequently can stay in touch via Skype. Imagine during WWII or Vietnam having to rely on the postal service to get some sense of the safety of loved ones.

Do we worry that virtually all of our data is or will be available digitally? In online storage a problem?
How do you protect your data or do you worry about it? Is your data harmful to you?

I don't know the answers, but I can tell you that there is a Science Fiction short story in here somewhere.

Why am I agitated today? I finished (almost) the MNINB Challenge in April, and have gone away somewhere odd.

I know that the feeling of contribution that I had during April is simply a beginning. I also know that I get that feeling when I volunteer ( with my wife) at one of our three groups.

But I think I am short-changing myself. Life has gotten in the way again, and I find that it has been more than a week since I added anything to Twitter, FB, or this blog.

This morning was to start a new process. Up earlier than normal and into my exercises. Normal for me is 8:30 so I cannot say that I lack sleep. Even though I set the alarm and completed the first task of the day, I found that I was challenged about my choice of when to exercise. THAT burst the bubble of self- satisfaction right away!

After  30 days, the books that I had ordered arrived this morning, and have they changed my day? A little.

Stay tuned and see if the evil time-waster has the balls to show up again!

The April Platform Challenge is winding down, but I have so much insight from this activity that I'm excited!

Aside from trying to write, I volunteer on the Board of a Senior Adults Centre, also head of the Marketing Committee there, volunteer at the local astronomy club, and volunteer with Citizens on Patrol, affiliated with our local Police.

There are tons of things to blog about and some days you won't know if you are on the correct site or not.

The thing is---that we will all learn from this experience (and will all be the better for it).

The Sci Fi novel is still burning in my brain, but I have recently followed a blog by Carol Tice. Her blog is focused on Freelance Writing.

That leads me to the question. Can a writer to both simultaneously? Or does the Freelance Writing mean the hibernation of the bigger project?

Trying to complete the #MNINB challenge, plus keeping up reading/writing commitments keeps me busy. NOT busy enough to generally set an alarm clock.

So, what's worse than a 5 a.m. alarm clock scaring hell out of you?

The answer is---my dog yakking all over the floor in the middle of the night!

Yes, it does tend to get your heart beating!

Creating a whole new world for my SF project. I have to review many different aspects before I send the reader speeding to the surface. Learning what kinds of backgrounds and issues that I have to have firmly established!

See me @pd_marshall on Twitter or P.D. Marshall on FB

This career change has been memorable already! After choosing to leave my day-job, I was finally able ot focus on becoming a writer! Now the SF gets in my head and I have two or three ideas running around in my head when I get up in the morning!

Today I have another task from #MNINB. This time it is SEO for this blog. I will work it over this afternoon and may have to go to the hospital for medication as I fight through this process!