Author: chrissy

Back On Track

Whoops! I got off track and let life get the best of me.

I didn’t post like I wanted to. I didn’t write like I wanted to. I did write, but not as much as I wanted to.

I was working on my office. It’s almost done. I will post pictures when it’s complete.

Working on my office isn’t writing, but I feel more at peace and relaxed and ready to write now that it’s this far. It’s more organized. I know where items are and they are within reach.

I’m in a good spot and ready to move forward.

I still plan on posting twice a week in March.

I want to share a piece of my writing with you, but I’m not sure what it will be yet. I think it will be from the nonfiction book I’m working on titled “100 Items in 30 Days”.

There are things I want to do with this blog. Some things I know how to do and I just need to sit and do them. Other things I need to research.

This blog is definitely a work in progress. It’s not going exactly how I wanted it to, but I’m going to keep chugging along and see how it goes.

It has to get better at some point, right?

I’m hoping for the best while I keep writing.

Wish me luck!

Uncategorized

Four Writing Projects And Goals For 2021

Post author By chrissy
Post date February 16, 2021
No Comments on Four Writing Projects And Goals For 2021

Here are the four writing projects I’m starting with for 2021

Jane

Jane is the first draft of a novel I started to write for NaNoWriMo last November, but didn’t finish. I wrote every day for most of the month, but didn’t finish.

My goal is to finish the first draft by the end of March.

2. 5 Minute Memoir

I’ve been working on this essay to submit to Writer’s Digest for the last two years. I keep changing direction and haven’t finished it.

My goal is to have this finished and submitted to WD by March 28, 2021.

3. If You Don’t Like The Way The Election Turned Out

This article idea came to me after President Biden won the election. I have a bunch of notes, but not a complete essay.

My goal is to have the first draft complete by March 15, 2021 and have a market in mind to query.

4. 100 Items In 30 Days.

In October of last year I decluttered my house and let go of 100 items in 30 days. I’ve been working on a book(s).

Book 1 100 Items in 30 Days

Book 2 The Next 100

Book 3 Decluttering Your Work Life

Book 1 is about a fourth of the way written. Book 2 and 3 are just notes.

My goal for Book 1 is to have the 1st draft complete by March 15, 2021 and read 10 books about how write a book for Kindle.

Wow! I have a direction.

I will keep you updated on my progress.

What are your goals for 2021?

Uncategorized

My Inner Critic

As soon as I started writing posts for this blog my inner critic reared her ugly head.

This is what I heard.

“I don’t know why you are even trying. You’re too old.”

“Too fat.”

“Who are you trying to impress?”

“So what if you want to be an author? Who cares?”

“You’re goals are too lofty. We aren’t lots of money kind of people.”

“Do you think you are better than every one else?”

Tags inner critic

Uncategorized

My Office

This is my office.

It’s a mess.

Like my writing life.

It’s time I clean up both of them.

Last week Thursday and Friday I went through my books and let go 24.

This past Tuesday I took a vacation day and cleaned my office. I dusted and vacuumed. I took everything out and organized my writing projects. I went through all of the pieces of paper that I had written notes on during my breaks at work and put them with the corresponding writing project.

The problem I have with my office is I have every article idea and short story idea in my office in a filing cabinet and on my coffee table.

Why?

Because this is what I have always done.

Not a good answer.

I realized this while I was reading an article by Gabrielle Garrett called “Why Throwing Out Old Bananas Is Imperative To Your Success”. In her article she equals unfinished projects to rotten bananas. She believes if we have too many goals or too many things on our to do lists and ideas that are set on the back burner we don’t act on these ideas and they begin to rot. These ideas clog up our lives and our minds. We need to throw away the rotten bananas and concentrate on 2 – 4 projects.

My office is full of rotten bananas. Unfinished novels. Short stories. Nonfiction books. Essays.

Dreams that didn’t come true.

Emotions that are stuck and stagnant.

While I was organizing my writing projects, I picked out four projects I want to work on. Everything else is going in the basement.

The files in the filing cabinet that I rarely look at are going in a bin in the basement. The files on the coffee table that I was working on (thinking about) are going in two bins. One bin I will work on after I publish/finish one of my writing projects. The other bin I will work on after I finish the first bin. I made a list of what is in each bin so if I am looking for a file I can easily find it.

I’ll show you what my office looks like after I get it set up the way I want. I’m going to sell the coffee table. I bought a cube organizer today.

In my next post I will share with you what my five writing projects are.

I’m excited to start walking in the direction of my dreams.

Tags decluttering

Uncategorized

Going For It

I’ve been thinking about starting this blog for awhile, but with how crazy the world has been this past year I put it on the back burner.

Until now.

I’ve done a lot of thinking during this past year. This is one of the questions I keep asking myself is this:

If not now when?

When am I going to give myself permission/time/energy to after my dreams?

When am I going to let my the writer in me out of the box I have kept her locked in all of these years?

When am I going to show the world who I am as an author, artist and creator?

I’ve dreamed about to writing full time since I was 16.

I am 55.

If not now when?

I don’t think my writing self is really lost. It is buried underneath all of the unfinished writing projects in my office and the emotions and dreams that go with it.

It’s time I unbury her.

In my head I am a best selling author who lives in a huge house writing from an office that overlooks Lake Michigan.

In real life I work in the shipping department in a factory writing notes for short stories and other writing projects on breaks and dreaming about writing full time.

I can’t live like this anymore.

This year no matter how scary it is and how afraid I am I have to walk through my fear and start my journey as an author. I need to know if it still the dream for me or if I need to walk away.

I need to stop worrying about what people will think, if they will like my writing, believe in me or whatever other silly beliefs I have.

Today I take a step toward making my writing dream a reality.

Wish me luck.

I’m exicted to see what the rest of the year holds for me.

Thanks for joining me on my journey.