Daily Archives: September 6, 2012

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ROWing, Flowing, and Clarity -ROW80 Update 9/6/12

Are you driven, or flowing?

At my last update, I mentioned that I would be adapting my goals.  Turns out that I felt the need to make some pretty significant changes, as my focus and energy level are very different than at the beginning of the round.
The driven feeling I had then has eased into a time of flowing with the inner muse that moves me.  Neither is better, or worse, but the shift means that I want to focus more deeply, on just a few of the goals I began with.  The others, I will set aside for future rounds, as I feel inspired to return to them.

So, the rest of this round, rather than being a rush to finish, will be a lingering, attentive revel with the things I most want to spend my time and energy with…

Revised Goals for ROW80 ROWnd 3, 2012

WIP Novels:

Color code key:

Current round goals

Current round completed goals

Goals being shifted to future rounds

Current goals that have been modified for this round.

Trueborn Series

  • Trueborn:
  • Reread current rough drafts from 1998-9ish and 2000.
  • Create story arc for rewrite.
  • Triage existing research.
  • Consider title change.
  • Blood and Breath:
  • Complete story arc (unless completed before the ROWnd starts).
  • Create a flash fiction piece for each story arc point.
  • Use Scrivener to compile into a pre-rough draft.
  • Consider creating a blog for this novel or perhaps for the series, with pages for each novel as it progresses… (I have created a blog, shanjeniah’s Treuborn Jottings, which will be a home for all the volumes in this series).
  • Chameleon’s Dish:
  • Finish inputting into Scrivener ( completed during break).
  • Compile a print copy for editing, page count, and to see what it looks like!
  • Go through each scene to edit, take notes, and list research questions.
  • Complete basic research based upon library books and websites; looking for information to enhance later digging and prevent hugely obvious gaffes).
  • Experiment with removing Tisira’s story as a YA novel, with a potential optional add-on of the fanfic elements….not sure how this will work, exactly, but I think it might be the best approach to have something marketable without sacrificing my vision.
  • Create a print copy of this experimental version, as well.
  • Watch and/or read Henry VIII – which is the play during which the Globe burned. Get cozy with it the way Nockatee and Henry would be.
  • Begin canvassing for beta readers for both versions…does not need to be the same group for both.

Flash Fiction WIPs:

  • Collect all current pieces in my Writing Bullpen files.
  • Complete/edit/rewrite where indicated.
  • Explore markets.
  • Begin compiling a list for possible ebook anthology.
  • Go through old story notebooks and old papers for source material.

Essay WIPs:

  • Collect all current pieces in my Writing Bullpen file.
  • Compile list for possible ebook collection (by theme; just brainstorming at present).
  • Complete/edit/rewrite as needed.
  • Research markets – BOLDLY GO!

Homeschool Administration Ad Infinitum….:

  • Letters of Intent to Homeschool if not done (due July 1) – completed 6/26
  • Fourth Quarter reports for both children (due Sept. 1).
  • End of Year Narrative for Lise (due Sept. 1).
  • Standardized Test for Miah (due Sept.1).
  • IHIPs for both children (due four weeks after receipt of packet from school district).
  • Begin setting up portfolios for both children – invite them to be a part of this process! =)
  • Relax, enjoy, learn, grow, laugh, and … BREATHE!

Reading:

  • Continue reading books as interest and energy levels allow – this works better during periods of gathering input than in periods of intense output or times of processing.
  • Continue to Read  via my Kindle Cloud Reader, as a learning and experimenting process.
  • Continue reading from my To Be Read files during times of input gathering.
  • Continue reading and commenting on blogposts and articles, during times of gathering input..
  • Consider getting a pair of reading glasses for magnification purposes, and so my getting-older eyes can handle all my readin’ and writin’! (I bought a pair on June 29. Very helpful, although bifocal lenses would be more so – I get a little blurry looking through them unless reading, and I look up a lot!).

Other Writing:

  • Play with flash fiction pieces as the mood strikes; aim for two submittable stories each month.
  • Play with essay ideas as desired; aim for two submittable essays each month. 

Blogging/Connecting:

  • The Unfettered Life:
  • Focus on using this blog to keep copies of reports, activities, events, and my ponderings on the unschooling facets of our lives.
  • Begin considering a (slightly) more structured organizational system for this blog.
  • Begin using this blog in a way that really supports documenting, so that it does double duty as a personal tool for me in the way it once did, only better.
  •  shanjeniah:
  • Aim to focus weekly attention, non-ROW80 update material here. This may take the form of adding to my pages; creating new ones; other challenges, blog hops, etc; writing samples of various types; musings on writing and life; guest posts; photo essays; or whatever else seems relevant at the time.
  • Consider and perhaps experiment with creating a blog for the Trueborn series. (Started a blog on June 25) This could contain excerpts, bits of what I am working on (character sketches, research, flash fiction, story arcs; inspirational images and quotes, etc. Its purpose would be specifically to share the process of creating the series, from the beginning on….in a way, a window into m world and my mind as none of my other spaces are….I find myself very excited about the above idea….I am coming to see this series at last, after most of a lifetime of living with it, as a cohesive, lovely entity almost ready to emerge from its ancient chrysallis. I want to welcome its rebirth with a new home that embraces while allowing a wide, free space to span and soar. And, in so doing, maybe I will stretch and soar just a bit, myself!
  • Organizing/Tootling my Horn…
  • Continue inputting June 2000 Writing Practice Notebook, if not completed before ROWnd begins.
  • Mine June 2000 Writing Practice Notebook for usablepieces.
  • Choose a new notebook; input into Penzu.
  • Continue sorting and filing files on laptop.
  • Look into having external hard drive repaired, or at least getting the files from it.
  • Continue reading marketing and ebook publishing sites and articles.
  • Draft a loose Mission Statement to guide me through the rest of the ROWnd, and carry me forward into the next.
  • Set aside time each week to winnow email. Read items being saved for later reading, sort or dispose as indicated.
  • Be bold and daring in commenting, sharing, and submitting. Declare myself, learn, grow, and sometimes do things that make me uncomfortable. Open and blossom!
  • Celebrating Life!
  • Add some form of specific motion (t’ai chi, swimming, hiking, biking, skating, dancing, etc) to each week. Keep track of what, where, when, for how long, and how I felt during and after.
  • Fill us all up with joy, and continue cultivating family peace.
  • Spend time cleaning and beautifying my personal internal and external spaces each week.
  • Embrace and be present in all my moments.
  • Allow my emotions to be as they are. Practice expressing them calmly and reflectively.
  • Tend kindly and sweetly to myself and others. =)

Current Progress Toward Revised ROWnd 3 Goals – September 6, 2012

Trueborn Series

  • Chameleon’s Dish: 
  • Complete basic research based upon library books and websites; looking for information to enhance later digging and prevent hugely obvious gaffes).
  • I completed Shakespeare’s England.
  • This goal has been attained.

Essay WIPs:

  • Compile list for possible ebook collection (by theme; just brainstorming at present).
  • I have been going through my unschooling/life blog, The Unfettered Life, and am posting those I want to consider further on my Facebook Writer Page.

Homeschool Administration Ad Infinitum….:

  • IHIPs for both children (due four weeks after receipt of packet from school district).
  • I am still waiting, although the local district began classes this week, fro the packet the superintendent is required to send before we file our IHIPS.
  • Begin setting up portfolios for both children – invite them to be a part of this process! =)
  • I continue to collect projects and photos for eventual compilation into portfolios.
  • Relax, enjoy, learn, grow, laugh, and … BREATHE!
  • Yup. We’ve been having a relaxing, processing time since NEUC ended. We’ve birthdayed, and some new projects (Snap circuits and quarter math and costume planning and computer glitches among them).

Reading:

  • Continue reading books as interest and energy levels allow – this works better during periods of gathering input than in periods of intense output or times of processing.
  • Continue to Read  via my Kindle Cloud Reader, as a learning and experimenting process.
  • I have finished Shakespeare’s England.
  • I am hoping to begin The Dark Mirror soon.

Other Writing:

  • Use 750 Words for whatever – flash pieces, essays, venting, ranting, reports, book reviews, etc.
  • I have used this space to continue writing the rough draft of my NaNo WIP, To Be Or Not to Be.

Blogging/Connecting:

  • The Unfettered Life:
  • Begin considering a (slightly) more structured organizational system for this blog.
  • I am considering this, because there seems to be very little structure, and there also seems to be several ongoing themes….
  • Organizing/Tootling my Horn… 
  • Choose a new notebook; input into Penzu.
  • I am on page 15 of 140. 
  • Set aside time each week to winnow email. Read items being saved for later reading, sort or dispose as indicated.
  • I continue to keep my email mostly below 50 new messages in my Inbox.
  • Be bold and daring in commenting, sharing, and submitting. Declare myself, learn, grow, and sometimes do things that make me uncomfortable. Open and blossom!
  • I became bold enough to begin reading and commenting on others’ blogs again. 
  • Celebrating Life!
  • Add some form of specific motion (t’ai chi, swimming, hiking, biking, skating, dancing, etc) to each week. Keep track of what, where, when, for how long, and how I felt during and after.
  • I have been less active, just lately, due to the recovery from the intensity of the conference and the testing.
  • Mostly, I have been hometending, and hanging at the playground with the kids.
  • Fill us all up with joy, and continue cultivating family peace.
  • To the best of my ability, which is better in some moments than others.
  • Spend time cleaning and beautifying my personal internal and external spaces each week.
  • A little external improvement; more internal ponderings….
  • Embrace and be present in all my moments.
  • I am doing well here, and continuing to become more present as changes present themselves.
  • I am feeling rather calm and still within; ripening and deepening.
  • Allow my emotions to be as they are. Practice expressing them calmly and reflectively.
  • Overall, I feel I am doing well at this, although I still find myself in moments of reactivity. It’s easier to back more fully away from that ledge.
  • Tend kindly and sweetly to myself and others. =)
  • After a time of more outward, surface focus, I have begun to shift back to finding small ways to be kinder and sweeter.

In addition, here is an extra little treat…