Round 3 2015: Everything But

(other ROW80 participants)

The Last Week

My main focus last week was the house that was up for auction. I managed to get all my investigating done in time, turned up to the auction on Saturday fully prepared — and saw the house sell for well over what I was willing to pay.

Not that the week was totally unproductive: I’m now much better prepared for the right house when it appears.

I did write a couple of things, too: one poem, plus an outline for the start of Conkers, which looks like it might resolve one of the scenes I was stuck on.

The Round

This has been a good round for beginnings in general. For one thing, I’ve begun searching for a house in earnest.

And while I ended up abandoning my goal of drafting short stories, a lot of my other failed attempts are potentially useful first scenes.

My other goal (reading) went acceptably well: I read four books this round, as against a goal of six.

The Future

With all these beginnings, it would make sense to aim to finish some things next round.

However, that may have to wait until I’ve sorted out my relationship with this blog. I really don’t want to stop posting here, or to stop writing; but my posts have become very perfunctory, and I need to figure out how to reinvigorate my interest in it.

Good luck and happy writing!

ROW80 Week 11: Opportunity

(other ROW80 participants)

This week started pretty well: one book read, and three evenings of writing.

Then I saw a house up for auction.

It’s not exactly what I was looking for. There’s a lot of things I need to double-check, and any one of them could rule this house out. But the auction is on Saturday, so if it is the right house, I have four days to confirm it.

I’ll still aim to get writing done when I can; but that may not be much.

Good luck and happy writing!

Having read “The School for Good and Evil”

I’ve just read The School for Good and Evil, by Soman Chainani.

I wasn’t expecting much from this book, mainly because I found it in the bargain bin at the newsagents’. The concept got me to buy it anyway — I’ve always been a sucker for symmetry between good and evil.

ROW80 Week 10: Lumps

(other ROW80 participants)

I only wrote four evenings this week, but on more substantial things: one short story, and the start of a longer Conkers-related story.

Reading has stagnated a bit; I bought an interesting (but long) book this weekend, but I haven’t finished any of the ones I’m currently reading.

I’ve also been trying to do 10,000 steps a day for Steptember, which has so far been challenging, but achievable.

Good luck and happy writing!

ROW80 Week 9: Setbacks

(other ROW80 participants)

The house I was looking at has sold to someone else; I wasn’t able to offer quite the price they wanted. There are plenty of other fish in that sea, though.

My writing is getting back up to speed, but slowly. I wrote five days this week, for the first time in a while, but I still didn’t manage any short stories.

On the other hand, I did do a bit more work on my stalled WIP, Conkers.

Good luck and happy writing!

Hiatus Announcement Sonnet

I lack a poem to post for you today.

A year ago, I wrote them once a week.
Half I put here. The rest I hid away,
Because I saw the words I wrote were weak.
 

ROW80 Week 8: Reversals

(other ROW80 participants)

The 9 p.m. cut-off for my writing goal more or less worked as intended: I only wrote on three days this week, but I did get plenty of sleep.

I also read the third Heralds of Valdemar book, Arrow’s Fall. The conclusion of the series reminded me a lot about The Deed of Paksenarrion, which set me to thinking about the differences between the two series.

And my adventure in buying a house has reached a turning point. I found one I like, and I went to have a second look today.

Turns out, there’s another offer that’s about to close. In the next 24 hours, I need to decide exactly how much I want this house.

Good luck and happy writing!