The time is 3:30 a.m., Saturday morning, and I am writing
this by the light of a flickering candle. We had a savage winter storm that
knocked out our electricity some time ago. Fortunately, the wood burning stove
we installed last autumn is doing its job wonderfully. The house is toasty warm
and we have had hot food. Life is good.
Kathy, Charis, and the dogs are all sleeping peacefully, but
I got up to tend the fire. As I sit here writing by the light of a candle I
feel so Charles Dickensish. I am surprisingly awake so I am writing this post
to be transferred to the computer when the power returns.
So, what actually happens to a writer’s mind when it has
gone too long without input from the modern world? Why, it begins to devise
story lines of course. New ideas flow like waters through a burst flood gate. I
am scrambling to make notes to inspire new directions and things to explore.
Hi folks, I wrote that in the dead of night. I was actually
having fun, however, I wasn’t getting any real work done. It is time for the
ROW80 confession.
Goals:
1.
Write 10,000 words per week.
(Barely made 4500. Today begins a new week.)
2.
Read 10,000 words per week.
(Yep, managed this one.)
3.
Edit ten pages of a
completed MS. (Big zero on this one. Bummer.)
4.
Feature a new author every
Friday. (We were powered down Friday. Will have someone new for you this Friday.)
5.
Read and comment on 10 blogs
per week. (Only managed about half this one. Sigh)
Folks, if you are an author and want to be featured on
this blog, just drop me a line here: prudymac@gmail.com
So
that’s how and why I disappeared last week. Please tell me you had a more
productive week than I did. J
Posts
Since this is posted, your power must be back on. Congrats on surviving the storm, and for making such productive use of your time!
ReplyDelete;)
Hi Liv, yep, the power came on late yesterday. I actually enjoyed the down time. :)
DeleteNo, Prudence, I cannot tell you that I had a more productive week than you did! Even though you didn't hit "your goals" you ended up accomplishing way more than me.
ReplyDeleteAnd you've given me an idea: I think I will try that Writing By Candlelight approach...
Hey Suzanne, you know, it was wild how clear and fast the ideas came when there was no other distraction. God luck, hope it works for you. :)
DeleteUnderstandable that you didn't get much blog reading or commenting done without power for part of the week! That's one gotcha we never count on, though it could happen any time. I'd say you did well to get done what you did. Here's hoping this week's a more productive one for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennette, maybe you could lend me some of your super juice. :)
DeleteMiddle of the night writing can produce some great stuff. And by candlelight? Bonus!
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, yeah, it was fun at that. :)
DeleteHey Prudence... Oh I'd have loved that cosiness while stuck in Seattle awaiting standby flights a couple days ago. I've done nothing ROW80ish yet having just arrived from holidays, so well done to you for your achievements. You have set yourself some pretty huge goals there, writing 10k a week for example. Best of luck for the week ahead. X
ReplyDeleteThanks Shah, I will have to get busy all right. Yes indeed, it was cozy and I loved it. Sorry you had to fight the airports. That's never fun.
DeleteUh, those wood stoves come in handy, don't they Prudence? We used to have one made out of soapstone when we lived in the mountains. It kept our entire house warm. And you can cook on them too. But when the power goes out, how grateful we are for those precious things like heat and food. Glad you guys are okay and snuggled in for the winter. Stay warm! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, yes the entire house was warm and snug. When you live in the land of deep snows you have to have a back up system. :)
Delete