How to ruin a hobby

I haven't blogged in a long time, so I feel obligated to write something. I sat here for a few minutes trying to decide what to write about.  I ended up with a list of things that annoy me.  It included everything from fallacious reasoning on the internet (and let me tell you the sub-list on that one could end up covering blog topics for the rest of my life) to the trend of bad fanfiction taking over the publishing world (ask me what I think.  Come on, give me a reason!). 
Sure, I've got a lot to say on a lot of topics, but as I faced that blank screen, it was the sense of obligation that hit me.  Why did I HAVE to write this blog today?  Why is it even on my "to do" list?

Because I'm a writer and writers blog, right?  It's what I SHOULD do. 

And if I'm a writer, that means, I better start adding more writing tasks to my daily list as well.  Edit three more chapters, write more, network more, query more.  All of which sound like work. Writing began as a hobby for me—a sidetrack of a reading hobby.  It was fun. 

Making Progress

I know it's a shock, but I'm still here.

It's been forever and a day since I last blogged. I spent June immersed in teaching summer school, carting kids to swim lessons and dance, and of course, participating in Camp NaNoWriMo.  I'm happy to report that I survived and managed to complete the first draft of my third novel.  I'm just now settling into summer though we've already reached the halfway point.

Summer Camp

I know I said I was going to start a series on beginnings/expectations, etc., and it's not been something like a umpteen bazillion years since I blogged.  The thing is, I have an excuse.  I got caught up in both endings and beginnings.  The end of the school year for my girls was filled with track meets and retrospectives and previews for next year.  Then, I walked immediately into my summer class, a fresh start and another chance for overly high expectations.

What really threw me off, though, was that at the last minute, I decided to go away to summer camp, Camp Nano, that is.  Just like November's NaNoWriMo, the goal is to write 50,000 words in a month. 

Guess what that means?  Yup, another beginning.  Thirteen days in, and I'm still on track.  Given the word counts of middle grade fiction, if I meet the goals, it should mean finishing it by the end of the month.  Thankfully, that will  allow me to tick off one of two summer writing goals earlier than expected.  I plan to write one novel and finish editing one short story. A novel this month will leave me plenty of time for the latter.

(Much Too) Great Expectations

Comm Studies Award winner!

The fact that it's been almost a month since my last post can only mean one thing: a semester has ended. The past month has flown by in a flurry of presentations and papers and grading and excuses and more grading.  Last week, my eyes watered listening to Pomp and Circumstance. Yesterday, I uploaded the last of the final grades.   Today, I give myself a reflection pause.

It was an interesting semester, one that started really strong. My students were active and engaged.  They read before class and tested well.  By midterm, either they were fading, or I was.  Regardless, Spring Semester 2012 fizzled out, puttered to a stop, limped into home.

Squirrels and Shiny Objects

You:       Hey, T, how's that modified single tasking going?  Did you finish revising that short story you were planning to work on this month?

Me:        SQUIRREL! (runs off chasing real and imaginary playthings).

I used to be highly efficient and extremely productive.  No, really, I did.  I don't know what happened.  I could blame lots of things.  For example, my students in Pop Culture will be debating the influence of digital culture on productivity Monday. I giggled when one admitted that she HAS to check Facebook before she starts writing a paper.  Guilty. Of course, I've been a cyber-junkie for at least ten years, so I'm not sure it's fair to look in that direction.

Drafty

Last night, I was chatting with a friend, and I informed her that I’d be sending her a short story draft in the near future.  I have a particularly high level of respect for this friend’s opinion of my writing, so I told her I was nervous.  Her response: “Drafts are … drafty.  Even when they’re final drafts.”

I tilted my head and smiled.  There was so much to love about that statement, and I instantly knew I needed to blog about it.   At surface level, this would appear to be one of my writing blogs, but stick with me a minute.

Insecure Writer's Group Post: Trends

I am definitely not a trendsetter.  I'm sure I follow trends, however, though I've always been uncomfortable being obvious about it.  In high school, for example, if someone had the same shirt or same pair of jeans, I retired that item of clothing, too concerned about being exactly the same as another person (while desperately trying to fit in at the same time—go figure).  Today, I am less concerned about either following the pack or setting the pace.  I'm generally happy to fall somewhere in the middle.