Fire is powerful. It can transform, it can erase, it can change. It's a force to be reckoned with, which probably explains the origin of the phrase, "light a fire under one's—" well. You know.
We had friends over today for a Die Hard movie marathon, partly in preparation for #5 coming out. This was my first time seeing them. There were a lot of explosions. Lots of fire. Lots of fun. I definitely liked the latest one, Live Free or Die Hard, the best. (Mostly because Justin Long's one of my favourite actors. And I don't care what other roles he takes; he'll always be Warren Cheswick to me.)
So, how did fire play into your past week? (Metaphorically, I mean. I hope.) Were you empowered to drive forward and meet (or get closer to) a goal? How are your passion levels, craft-wise? Any major changes or transformations?
For me, I stepped into the fire of superfine, nit-picky edits my critique partner has been doling out, bit by bit. It has been intense. She's forcing me to examine decisions I thought I had settled about the story, tiny details that have major ramifications. So that's been the big thing going on for me right now. I hope to be able to do the same for her in the coming weeks.
Also, I hit the gym. I'm under orders from my RMT to stretch my muscles in the hot tub and since I have no balance, at one point I wobbled while stretching on a step. A man asked me if I was all right. I thanked him and explained, and he admitted he's a firefighter so he's hyperaware of things like that. Hm. Firefighter. I just remembered that now. Oddly enough, meeting him got my brain churning, and I solved a plot dilemma for a backburner project I've been puzzling over in off-moments!
How about you?
I moved into the most awesome apartment ever this weekend
ReplyDeleteAND
I met my deadline for first round edits of Ace's MG.
We're on fire!
Moves are hard, but I'm glad you are in an awesome place!
DeleteSo happy to hear double good news!
DeleteAwesome to hear, Angelina!
DeleteYay, Angelina!
DeleteCongrats on both fronts, Angelina! We totally are. :D
DeleteGo Angelina!! Man, I so admire you...congrats on the new apartment and getting the edits done.
DeleteI fanned the fire of digression. Technically, I suppose you could call it research, but I often get lost in details and forget to leave breadcrumbs to guide me back home. I'm still trying to convince my writer brain to just write and quite trying to make it perfect on the way. This is the first draft, after all!
ReplyDeleteThere's always time to fix it in the second draft. ;) Hope you made great discoveries that will help you tell a fantastic story!
DeleteThe Die Hard movies are so fun - yay Bruce Willis!
ReplyDeleteI had another week of puzzling over the same scene for days, feeling like something was "off," and not being able to move forward.
But yesterday the answer hit me and I wrote for hours. I actually had to make myself stop b/c I needed sleep for the day job today. Can't wait to jump back into my WIP!
Wow, now that's what I call being on fire. Yay writing propulsion!
DeleteFire? No. Last week was a week of transition, getting my bearings. I managed a few forays into researching a new story and started an outline for it (which I've never done before, being by nature a pantser. So that's a new and somewhat uncomfy feeling.) I spent most of the week giving myself space since I just sent off my last ms. to beta readers. I won't say it was unproductive, exactly. It was like taking a breath before the next thing. I hope this week I do get that 'fire' I don't like being out of the groove! I also need to stop being namby pamby about the revision work on another ms. that I really MUST do to give it the chance it deserves. That will be painful. OKAY! No more negativity. Good luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteI'd say that's a kind of fire, Alex. You took a chance, made a change, tried something new by choosing to do an outline. That can be a scary thing. Go, you!
DeleteI've been working on two projects simultaneously (who knew my poor single-track mind could handle such a thing?) But I'm really enjoying both projects and can't wait to send them out to beta readers, hopefully this week!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! Best of luck with making your goal this week. :)
DeleteI'm here but so sleepy. Maybe I should fire up a Mountain Dew.
ReplyDeleteRevising, Beta'ing, waiting on an edit letter. Same drill.
I must need firing up, too, Jaye. I can't find the proper comment box this morning. It must be my browser's fault... it's been doing dumb things lately. So my only option seems to be commenting via a "reply" to you. :)
DeleteMy novelling WIP has been ignored for another week as I work on organizing the history album I'm doing for our church. I suppose if I called that my current WIP I wouldn't think I'm ignoring my "real" writing so much. I do feel quite fired up about this project, which is surprising because I've never been much of a history buff.
I'm a little envious of your Die Hard marathon, Laura. I've only seen the first two. Now that a new one is coming out I might have to play catch up.
Until then... happy writing, Wipsters!
Jaye, maybe we can call that a slow burn? ;)
DeleteCarol: Hm, it might help to be signed in to a Google account if you have one (e.g. Youtube, Gmail). May your history project go well. If you feel guilty about your writing, perhaps take a few minutes or maybe a lunch break to give it some TLC?
p.s. if you run into any Tretheways or Trethouys, I'm interested, too. ;)
Help! My fire is spitting and sputtering! I need a spark, something to put the flame back in the pit. Waiting on answers to publisher subs, and boy the waiting is hard! I really need to work on something else in the meantime. I've been beta'ing for a fellow writer and that's been fun.
ReplyDeleteSounds like your edits are going well! Tough is good. :)
Ugh, didn't finish my last thought. Tough CP notes are great because they strengthen the ms. Yay to nit-picky edits!!
DeleteYou're right. Waiting is more bearable if you're working on something. ^+^
DeleteCandilynn: Quick, work on something new! Wishing you luck on your submissions. :D
DeleteOooh, I love the DIE HARDS. Oh, and somehow I missed the check-in last week, whoops!
ReplyDeleteI've been on fire burning through revisions, though I know there are definitely a few more rounds in my future. I got some great feedback from betas (alphas, really) that's really helping me, so it's been easy to stick with it.
Hope everyone else has a great week!
Hm? What are you talking about, kip? Of COURSE you checked in last week. I won't tell anyone, I swear. Er, oops. ;)
DeleteThat's the best kind of fire to have, isn't it? When all the changes slot into place and the chaff just burns off. Keep at it!
Ooh, fire. Sparks. Right now reading UNRAVEL ME which is amazing. Love, LOVE the way author is able to evoke emotions in just a sentence. I want to be able to do that!
ReplyDeleteI decided this week to make time for ME. I'm saying 'no' more and concentrating on this revision. Really want to get back to Act 2 and flesh it out more.
I hear you, Kim. Balancing real life and writing and beta-reading can be a challenge. You deserve the me-time. Go for it!
DeleteI am fighting burn out (I think)---need to get that fire burning OR pick one thing and focus on it. One thing is finishing up my courses!
ReplyDeleteGo team wip!
I had a difficult week. After mostly hitting my 1500 word goal on my new project, I slowed down to 500-750 word days as I struggled with my outline. I managed 1300 yesterday--so I'm hoping I'm back on track.
ReplyDeleteHmm, it's Friday already and I'm just checking in now. Is there a prize for latest check-in? No? Oh well...it's still better late than never.
ReplyDeleteAlmost no writing this week so far, thanks to day job and stress and, y'know...life. Still hoping to make some progress today and on the weekend. Thanks for helping light that fire under my butt, Laura!