Baby First....

.....or rather my back first. Still rather painful and aggravated by going out Thursday night and sitting in the pub gossiping (good) for 3 hours+ (bad) but of the 10 items on my list I have actually crossed off half of them: Update and Plan Competition entries for next few months, Update Writing ‘How To’ Documents, Update Writers Webpages Document (last updated June 2007), and Read Phil’s 17chapters. I decided against pushing myself to enter the competitions, as although I had already started the entries I was less than pleased with them. Also, while updating my 'Writing' documents I was reminded of the fact I want to finish the novel (any novel) and how long I have been pursuing this dream with little to show for it!! And while I have been not writing my novel, Phil is on his re-write!

As well as these 5 from the list, I also read a Company of Liars by Karen Maitland, and 'The Rough Guide to Blogging' by Jonathan Yang. This has helped me to improve this Blog (and my other one) by adding a 'best of' section.

I have also completed a number of jobs on my Baby List, and been to visit friends and relations, so I can't say I am not happy with what I have done in the last week. However, still 5 items still on my original writing list (although one should actually be on my 'Baby' to do list). Looks like I am going to have more time over the next 4-6 weeks as my back is stopping me doing too much which means I will need to stay at home more.

My aim is to have completed at least 4 out of the 5 this week - back and baby willing....

No Excuses but Baby First……

Writers Magazine / News arrived last week and I was quick to read them both. Chiefly due to the bad back and not really being able to do much more. However, it’s not just my back that has gone. At times it also feels like my mind is going too. I certainly feel sleepy a lot of the time – neither side effects conducive to writing!! And I have also given myself a bit of a (non-writing) list to complete before the baby arrives in 57ish days!!

Oh my god! This Blog is called ‘No Excuses’ and that is all I have come up with for oh so many posts!! But it is a well known phenomenon that tiredness increases in the third trimester and from the 7th month onwards……

I had a lovely lunch with my writing buddies Phil and Liz on Thursday which I am afraid consisted of more talk of babies than writing, but Phil gave me his novel so far (17 chapters) so that will keep me busy while resting for the next week or so.

A good consequence of the nest building (other than previously mentioned) is that now all the out of date paperwork has gone and all my ‘ongoing’ writing materials are now in one basket which is easily carried about and serves as a reminder of what I should be doing.

However, to have totally finished the de-cluttering and the nest building ‘writing-wise’ I still need to accomplish a few goals. So this week (and possibly next) I have set myself 10 goals (back and belly willing):

1. Enter 1 / 2 Writing Magazine comps to catch up with Feb goals. Poem / 150 words already started. Closing dates 17th March.
2. Investigate introductory letter for Cygnus Review using information in file and other Blog.
3. Update and Plan Competition entries for next few months.
4. Update Writing ‘How To’ Documents.
5. Update Computer Files and Back up everything.
6. Update Writers WebPages Document.
7. Update Resources Document.
8. Update ToDo List.
9. Read Phil’s 17chapters (when back no longer allows working at table).
10. Go through the novel(s) and see what I have done and what needs doing. Plan and Plot!!!

Will report back over the weekend. Saturday is supposed to be a meeting of the Poison Pens but I doubt I will make it. The drive takes 45mins and it is just a bit too far in my current state. I miss those guys.....