Étiquette : Writing Routine

Diary of a new writing project. Day 10: dig

Today, on my way to daycare, I spotted a archaeological dig. Sort of.

Word count goal for the week: 7 500 words
Word count so far: 4 309

A writing diary is about a writer’s progress with a novel. What is there to improve, change; maybe write about characters arc, story beats.

And write about the inspiring things real life provides sometimes. Today, on my way to daycare, I spotted a archaeological dig. Sort of.

See, in my very small town, there was an old house at the corner of a round-about. Apparently, it once belong to a important figure of the Patriotes movement, a group dedicated to kick the British out of the country. The conflict happened in 1837-1838. The Patriotes lost, some of them were hanged, it was a big deal for the time.
Anyway, this centenary house (can you say that in English?) was destroyed without so much as a warning, out of the blue, order of the Mayor at the time, who always swore the small town would save it from its horrible state – we was forced to quit soon after that.
Scandal! Destroying history like that, without saying a word, after promising to save it! It made the news all over the province.


A big hole surrounded by a cheap gate and angry citizens were all that was left.
Politicians said they would ask archaeologists to analyse the site, which will become… a park maybe (I’ll keep you posted 😉 ).
So today, when I saw actual archaeologists digging on the side of the very big hole, I thought it would be fun if they find something… improbable.

Better yet, what if archaeologist students were to find a improbable something? What that improbable something could raise all the poor souls who drown in the small river basin near by?

Right now, I don’t think I can use those « if’s » in the current YA-WIP.
But a crazy writer on a quest never knows…!

Tested Writing Tip: Off with distractions!

I adapted this tip from a prolific indie author to my reality.
My adapted tip certainly seems a little, well, easy and not really worth to talk about. But again, it’s very useful, simple and attainable, the three things I’m looking for in a writing tip.
I’ve been using this one for several weeks now, and it’s a keeper. It was so easy to implement in my existing writing routine.

Off with distractions!

Here it is, so simple I actually never tough of it as an actual writing tip.

Get rid of distractions before writing.

No phone, no emails, no social media. And for the mama writers: no shopping for kids clothes between sentences. (Staying away from the cuteness is hard)
Clear whatever you can off that never ending to-do list of yours (another « ps » for the writer mama’s: it never hurt anybody to leave dishes sit in the dishwasher for a night, or pick up the toys in the morning; I pinky swear).
Once all the distractions are dealt with, it is so much easier to focus on the writing, and the writing only.

I say « tip adapted to my reality » because, in the first place, this writing tips goes way further. The indie author I got the tip from actually bans his loves one from coming in his office (a smart idea), which is not a possibility for this lower middle-class mother of a young kid.

Et voilà, my tested writing tip for today: getting rid of distractions to be able to focus more on writing.

Thanks for reading this post. Until next time!

Diary of a new writing project. Day 8: writing routine on a hiatus… dreading, dreading.

Hubby-to-be is taking my very best friend, old Mac laptop, with him on a business trip.
I still have access to a computer, and all my files are secure, and everything will be fine, BUT, I am dreading the lost of my just newly re-established writing routine.

Word goal for the week: 7 500 words
Word count so far: 2 200 words

I am oh so very lucky.

Because my hubby-to-be has a successful business (working 75 to 80 hours a week, but who’s counting), I am able to work from home.

No commuting for hours, no what-to-wear drama in the morning. Now, I can use some of that extra time to write. Some, yeah… Convincing a kid to stop moving so I can brush hair and help put clothes on takes up more time then one would care to guess.

This week might be different though since I will be all by myself with the kid, the work, the house-work and… no laptop.

Hubby-to-be is taking my very best friend, old Mac laptop, with him on a business trip.

I still have access to a computer, and all my files are secure, and everything will be fine, BUT, I am dreading the lost of my just newly re-established writing routine.

I often heard on AuthorTube channels or read on blog posts that jazzing up the writing routine can help boost creativity, see things differently, with a fresh angle.

I am ready to believe it, even if past experiences prove that I am way less productive in a coffee shop or at a library then at home.

We’ll see.

Until next time, thanks for tagging along!