Writing Gooder

If they have pills for everything else, why don’t we have pills for procrastination? This is frustrating. I need to write, but won’t do it. It’s one of those things where you have to sit down and say, “I’m really, actually, truly going to write now.” Having Word open actually helps… I should do that.

I know everyone procrastinates… and you if don’t, you’re amazing, but how do you get out of your rut? For me, once I’m into it, it feels like I will never get out…

Of all the ways to research for a potential story, I think playing a computer game is quite possibly the strangest I have ever undertaken. But playing Medieval II Total War helps immerse me in the general feel of medieval times. It gives you the names, the titles, the military units, the states and rulers and everything. Also, it’s a brilliant game that’s incredibly challenging tactically (at least on higher difficulties). Since I also installed a mod that helped add some more historical authenticity to the game, I think this is quite possibly the best and most fun form of research I have ever done, as well as the strangest. While I do not recommend procrastinating on a PC instead of researching properly for your novel, it seems to be quite useful in this situation!

Just for your information, my small state of Wallachia has successfully fought off two Hungarian invasions from the Carpathian Mountains. Those pesky Hungarians! Once my economy is strong enough I will raise an attacking force and blitz through the mountain pass! (note: my story is going be set in Medieval East Europe, so this is totally research. Uh-huh. No doubt.)

Just finished up with Squills, which looks pretty good.  Decided to change the format this time around, and I’m not quite sure if I like it yet.  It looks a little more professional, but I like the amateur look more.  But, what really matters – the content – is awesome!  The Squills staff did a fantastic job with the articles and I really think everyone will get a kick out of this issue.

I’m leaving now in about 30 minutes to drive on down to the Outer Banks to spend the weekend down there.   We got wi-fi internet down there, so I’ll still be around, but I’ll probably be more interested in the ocean!

So don’t expect many posts from me over the weekend, but I’ll pick it back up on Tuesday.  Which brings to mind, how will you be spending labor day weekend?

My dad has an amazing humor, but now and then it really shines.

He told my brother that he couldn’t get his own cell phone until he memorized our phone numbers. So, my brother has been repeating our house number over and over and over again (I think I can still hear him from downstairs!) for about 15 minutes. They went for a walk outside and he was still repeating the numbers.

My dad stops. “You know, Jonathan, that’s really great but… That’s not our phone number.”

XD Of course, it is, but he was playing silly buggers on my brother. Jon’s response: “Whaaaaat?”

Careful, it looks as though Shelob is around and about in Texas…

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Working tonight on getting Squills all together.  Tomorrow I’ll send it to the copy editors, and then make it available for your amusement sometime on September 1st (my time, not your silly Pacific/Greenwich/Eastern Australia/etc. time!).

Baroness Ink Gets Inspiration From… Paolini?

Snoink Goes On A Critiquing Binge With Subsequent Ranting

gyrfalcon finishes the first draft

Razorblade_Saint Has Good Reason For Boasting

Pushca Loves Y’all

Writer Mama is having a contest with give aways every single day for the entire month of September.  Although I suppose it’s more for moms and dads, of which we have very few at YWS, Writer Mama does say anybody can enter.  So check it out!

From The Guardian (UK):

Hundreds of thousands of children are struggling to master the basics of reading, writing and maths as primary school standards continue to fall, figures showed.

For the second year in a row, the proportion of seven-year-olds making the grade in writing fell, leaving 107,000 children unable to produce adequate written English.

Of course, it’s happening in the entire English speaking world so it’s not just the United Kingdom. But, the British could never spell write* anyways! Favour? Humour? Colour? Defence? Puh-leaze!

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