The Sunday Circle is the weekly check-in where I ask the creative-types who follow this blog to weigh in about their goals, inspirations, and challenges for the coming week. The logic behind it can be found here. Want to be involved? It’s easy – just answer three questions in the comments or on your own blog (with a link in the comments here, so that everyone can find them).
After that, throw some thoughts around about other people’s projects, ask questions if you’re so inclined. Be supportive above all.
Then show up again next Sunday when the circle updates next, letting us know how you did on your weekly project and what you’ve got coming down the pipe in the coming week (if you’d like to part of the circle, without subscribing to the rest of the blog, you can sign-up for reminders via email here).
MY CHECK-IN
What am I working on this week?
The awkward, totally-not-a-dream-sequence section of the story got finished this week, so my primary goal is getting through the rest of the space mummy story. Two or three scenes left to redraft and it’s getting towards a state that is almost…readable.
What’s inspiring me this week?
A friend introduced me to the Lucifer series on Fox this week, and it is bloody gorgeous. It’s got all the tropes of a standard urban fantasy buddy-cop narrative, except there is never any attempt to conceal the supernatural element. Lucifer, being Lucifer, just straight-up tells people the truth about who he is and what he’s capable of and just generally enjoys himself.
It’s…oddly refreshing.
And the writing is sufficiently smart, with incredible dialogue, that I want to sit down and write things just to try and match what they’re doing.
What part of my project an I avoiding?
I am not guarding writing time anywhere near as well as I should, at the moment. People are all, “would you like to do things?” and I’m in that rare state where my default answer is yes rather than no. It’s not been a problem for getting things on the projects that are going well, but one of the final scenes in the Mummy story involves some knotty narrative issues that need more than the minimal writing time I’ve had available.
I’ve ended up taking a short, unscheduled break from writing newsletters over the last fourteen days. Regular GenrePunk Ninja transmissions will resume
Like many of you, I have good weeks and bad weeks on the writing front. This week has been rocky, and if
Welcome to GenrePunk Ninja supplemental, where I occasionally post foundational essays written before I launched the GenrePunk Ninja newsletter, especially if they’re
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I’ve been meaning to check Lucifer out! I really should.
Also my Sunday Circle is here
It is so much better than I thought it would be. It’s the same kinda joy that I get from watching Supergirl, largely because they’ve both got protagonists who aren’t afraid of their powers or who they are, but it’s significantly more grounded in tone.
1. What am I working on this week?
As of yesterday, back into the poetry manuscript, which is really starting to take shape. Am hovering on the edge of that moment when the manuscript suddenly wraps itself around you and you can’t hear anything else.
2. What’s inspiring me this week?
Reading Moby Dick and Sylvia Plath.
3. What part of my project am I avoiding?
The laborious process of collating all my haiku from every notebook, scrap of paper, text file, and doc. It’s happening. Just very, very slowly.
Sounds like an exciting time with the manuscript! And every haiku gathered is progress. Keep at it, and it’ll add up! 🙂
Wonderful news on the manuscript!
Thanks, M and K!
Is there anything in particular jazzing you about Moby Dick, Chris? Am curious, having never read it.
Moby Dick is a) incredible, and b) utterly insane.
It’s a book written without the conventions of the novel firmly set in place (or, at least, where the conventions of a novel are blithely ignored). Which means you get long chapters where tangents are followed, or some aspect of whaling is explored in detail, or there is just a general appreciation for the whiteness of the whale.
I adore the unabridged version of Moby Dick, though I doubt I could ever re-read it.
So it’s the Tom Clancy of whaling stories?
(seriously though, that sounds amazing)
Not that far in yet, but like Peter said, I love that it’s just doing it’s own thing. I loved Treasure Island as a kid, and Moby Dick’s evoking the childhood thrill of reading. It’s a Big Book That is Canon That You Know Will Be Personal Canon So Why Haven’t You Read it Yet Leave Me Alone, so partly it’s just the fact of reading it.
Here’s the last sentence of the first chapter: “By reason of these things, then, the whaling voyage was welcome; the great flood-gates of the wonder-world swung open, and in the wild conceits that swayed me to my purpose, two and two there floated in my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and, most of them all, one grand hooked phantom, like a snow hill in the air.”
Hooked. If I blogged regularly, one of the things I’d do would be a Sentence of the Week post–so much to think about.
I need to try it again. Since reading Patrick O’Brian I’ve loosened my grip on expectations of language and content in a novel a bit.
What am I working on?Continuing the word count slashing on the current short story edit. As I dig into this one, I’m realizing how much I enjoy cutting words out of my writing. It’s almost as satisfying as getting new words down! I’d love to submit this one by the end of the month, but I’m not sure that’s quite realistic. Finishing the initial 10% pass would be great, though!
What is inspiring me?I’ve just finished my first read of Save the Cat! which was a very interesting experience. It’s made me really want to dig into the differences between written fiction and film, and the strengths and weaknesses of both forms. I kind of want to do a book/movie marathon now, just to compare! Could be fun. ^_^ It reminded me a lot of watching Tales of the Script a few years back, which was fascinating and horrifying at the same time, but I definitely feel like I’ve picked up a few new tricks for my writer’s sack, so that’s neat.
I’ve also been geeking out on Mark Crilley’s Manga drawing videos on YouTube waaaaay too much this week. It’s a style I haven’t played with since high school (and even then, it was adulterated with some Marvel influence, too), but I’m having a lot of fun picking it up again, even if my attempts are so, so, so terribly bad. I know it’s just time and practice, but I enjoy the practice, so I don’t mind. I didn’t have YouTube when I originally taught myself, and it’s proving a great additional resource to be able to watch pros draw in real-time. It’s also gotten me to break out my collection of CLAMP’s Chobits and the couple books of Fumi Yoshinaga’s Ooku I have (I believe Ooku won a James Tiptree Jr. Award not too long ago). Now I just need to break out my Junji Ito…
What am I avoiding?It’s less writing related than it is whole-life related. I need to take the time to figure out what I want my weeks to look like, both in terms of getting the little guy out and about regularly, getting writing work done, getting enough time to read squeezed in, getting the house stuff managed, etc., etc., etc. The last couple of weeks, I could shrug off the general lackadaisical approach to life as “adjusting to U-Wards” which is always a weird (i.e. stressful-by-proxy) period in residency life, but by this point, I’m just using it as a crutch to not have to think ahead. I hesitate because I have a tendency to go overboard on trying to hyper-schedule things down to the hour, which is unrealistic with the little guy and tends to lead to being overwhelmed/frustrated and giving up on structure entirely, which I don’t want to do. So it’s a careful, ease-in kind of process to tackle this reasonably without trying to do *too* much too fast. That’s probably the key, right there.
One thing you can say about being a parent – your life is no longer your own. They have their own timetables and it can be so frustrating not having them mesh with your adult ones. Can’t offer much in the way of solutions, but notepad’n’pen on hand can be easier than getting to a computer and if they’re sleeping/playing take half that time for you and half for your work. (Too easy to forget to have ‘me’ time if you’ve a lot to do.)
Truer words have never been spoken! I’ll definitely try the analog writing style, and you’re absolutely right about the ‘me’ time, too! The little guy’s still quite little, just 22 months, so I’m still a fairly new parent and still trying to wrap my head around how all this works now and how to fit seemingly endless wishlist-to-do items into a very constrained evening chunk of time! But I’ll try the divided time, too, and see if that just keeps everything rather even-keel. Thanks so much for weighing! 🙂
All the best with your broken time! I’ve been acting as my dad’s carer for the last week or so and I’m impressed by how people fit everything in!
That’s challenging, too! At times like these, I try to remember what Geoff Ryman said in his Apex Interview a few years back: “Time is fractal; it’s a Tardis. The more you pack in, the bigger it gets.” It helps, and it’s often more true than I realize at any given moment! ^_^
I completely hear you on the weekly schedule thing. I’ve been spending some time over the last few weeks re-jigging daily and weekly schedules to some positive effect. And your approach of carefully easing in sounds perfect.
What I found has worked so far (which is completely subjective) is looking at the things that absolutely must happen each day, and starting from there, and looking for the best places to slot certain activities around the hard, non-negotiable space. Looking at when energy levels suit different kinds of activities best – my energy slumps in early afternoon and around 10PM, so I slot in exercise around that time and then something requiring more energy afterwards, given I eat after exercise. 🙂 I’ve been slowly adding items like a game of Jenga as each new addition becomes bedded down and more routine.
Hope that’s some kind of help. Also, one piece of advice that’s been keeping me sane
Must-do’s as a place to start sounds like a very sensible way to start this process. I’ll definitely take a look at those first and see what’s realistic beyond them! I love the idea of games of Jenga and other recharging activities, too. ^_^ That may be a ways off for me yet, but occasional doodling–!
Actually, yes – you’re right – playing Jenga as a social break is a great idea! I actually meant it more as a metaphor for carefully stacking tasks one atop the other, but I like your interpretation much better!
And the piece of advice that’s been keeping me sane that I was inexplicably cut off from saying (although I’ve mentioned it here before) – it’s not the amount of the time, it’s the quality of the focus. I’ve got Essentialism by
Greg McKeown on my reading list after Art of Learning, following up a recommendation from a dear friend – maybe that might help with what you’re working through? (I’m keen to get to it, but can’t speak to the quality of advice yet)
Oh, that does look interesting! I’ll add it to my list. ^_^ (Haha, as for Jenga–that’s what I get trying to read/write comments while the little guy is climbing on me! But I can imagine it *would* be a nice mental break task, even just for a few minutes. (Ha! Knowing me, it would just be a few minutes…))
What am I working on? The novella. I’ve been struggling through thousands of words of just – typing while screwing up my nose and looking away, basically. SOMETHING is beginning to emerge, dragging its malformed carcass out of the slime. I’m also developing a direction for the next novel project – either the moving castle or another Regency, but I’m not sure whether that will be about serialised fiction or theatre yet. And several commissions of increasing urgency. Also summarising the last novel draft for a query letter.
What’s inspiring me? Everything Regency at the moment, between reading Alison Goodman, reading The Grand Sophy to my father, reading Pride and Prejudice to and/or watching it with my father, working through Harriette Wilson’s memoirs, etc. The problem is to get uninspired by this, since the novella isn’t Regency at all and I have to cultivate a much briefer style. At least I got my older sister to read Heyer too. And I have a stack of friends’ novels to read. But I really want to get out and look at art and sketch things at the gallery or the park or something, anything. I may be getting a bit stir-crazy.
What am I avoiding? I’m not avoiding too much, having had a fire lit under me about a few things, but I’m going back and forth to my parents’ to help them, and it’s hard to get much more than half an hour to myself at a time when I’m there. Now that my mother’s back I can just help when called and then go work in another room, but when it was just my father and I, I didn’t like to leave him alone with the TV if I didn’t have to (hence, Heyer).
Always a good feeling to see something of use emerging from a tough draft, and it sounds like it’s moving in the right direction, even if somewhat painfully. Sounds like it will be a busy week!
Having a rare lunch out by myself and using the time to plot the end of my current WIP. Ready to go home and type type type.
Sounds like a great way to kick off the afternoon. ^_^
What am I working on?
Chapter Bloody Four which is not going away. A 5am rude awakening by oldest daughter coming down with a fever, however, might have sparked another way into the scene which will work better. Oh and changing which character’s PoV I’m coming from.
Happy to say Opus 1 is off the desk and sent away (again). All Kathleen’s suggestions happily worked through.
What’s inspiring me?
Doing a lovely course at the minute with Rachel Bailey. Lots of posting up scenes and getting feedback as well as critiquing others. Love that. Also reading “Bad Romeo” which has one helleva narrative voice. That’s knocking my socks off.
Also, the husband and I attempted to watch Notting Hill again last night and ended up fast forwarding the end. While we adore About Time and love the rest of the Curtis trifecta (Four Weddings; Love Actually) it’s interesting to analyse what didn’t work in Notting Hill. Partially it’s just dated (no mobile phones, for example) but I think he tried to do a straight Gender Flip and Hugh’s character comes off weak rather than merely British. Too often a heroine takes shit from a hero and goes begging for more, yet it can still come across as a realistic dynamic – the flaws in that really show when it’s the hero taking and the heroine dealing it out.
<bWhat am I avoiding?
My 1994 edition of the Weekend Writer arrived on Friday. I’m flicking through it (sort of a bit like last week’s discussion on non-fic reading) and it’s freaking me out somewhat but in a good way. Postponing anything on Opus 2, however, until Chapter 4 gets its arse kicked out the door and done.
Sounds like there might be a light at the end of Chapter 4, though undoubtedly a bit of a battle to get there. It’s amazing the odd times inspiration or a new angle on a tough problem can pop up during the course of a day.
Do you typically write multiple long-length projects at once/switch between them, or do you tackle the writing one at a time? I’m curious, because it seems like multiple projects might be a useful way to keep up the momentum.
I typically stick to one writing project and, perhaps, one editing/rewriting. I find switching hard, especially as I’m a slow writer prone to re-editing. There are ways to switch (music, Kathleen’s bracelet idea) but I start to mash-up storylines/character motivations and it all gets messy. This is clearly why I need to plan more. I will be beatsheeting tomorrow, promise.
Huzzah! re sending it off.
Peter: Glad to hear that you’re digging Lucifer – it got a pretty harsh reception for not resembling the original comics series to any great degree.
Regarding shepherding writing time – is it possible you’re swinging back in the other direction from your usual quite stringent self to find a little more space in the week for socialising, or is there a pretty clear minimum output that you’re not meeting at the moment?
It’s definitely its own beast, but that’s part of what I like.
The socialising thing is mostly just an aberrant change in weekly commitments that I’m not used to accounting for. It’ll work itself out.
What am I working on?
Writing for tentpole project. Rare for me to be writing stuff, but it’s in the aim of helping with worldbuilding for our awesome chief writer. Meetings to help with strategy/connections for another project. A lot of editing.
What’s inspiring me?
I’ve started listening to Limetown (http://www.limetownstories.com/) after being recommended to it by Patrick O’Duffy. It’s the first audio drama I’ve listened to that’s genuinely left me creeped out. Welcome to Night Vale is a gorgeous show, but they always tightly bookend their disturbing moments with cheerful kitsch. Limetown doesn’t give you relief from the delicious unease.
Also, being open to the world and feeling plugged in, as vague as that sounds. Spent most of Friday wandering the city running errands, but taking note of details around me.
Still really enjoying reading Art of Learning. Getting to the meaty parts. Also really enjoying reading Cam Rogers’ Quantum Break: Zero State – some deft turns of phrase in there. Looking forward to digging into the video game as well. Heard good things.
What am I avoiding?
Still, fixing the bloody hardware interface issue. Also, I frontloaded the voice over part of the week with a lot of work for me, meaning that I’ve not done as much client work as I’d hope this week. Trying to figure out if that’s a good or a bad thing.
Limetown sounds really interesting, and that lingering creep-out feeling is so great! It’s nice, too, to have those days where you just feel connected to and aware of the world around you. I think we all need more days like that!