Writing on a computer & using Microsoft Word.
As far as I'm concerned, writing on a computer is far superior to writing by hand, on a typewriter or word processor. I was very glad when personal computers started being sold. The computer makes it easier to research, order library books, research books to buy, write, organize material, read material and correct mistakes.
Microsoft word has a lot of good things going for it besides being the industry standard. Unfortunately I don't have it on this old computer which is my favorite computer to use. I have found that the format of OOS does change when you convert to a word document. I'm working on getting microsoft word but it will be a little while yet.
Assignment Part 1: Backing up your work
In the old days we used to have to save frequently but now writing programs mostly do that for you. Computers don't crash as much as they used to but it's still a possibility. I back up my computer regularly on a hard drive because it has limited space. I think other options would be to upload your document to Google drive and/or post finished chapters on a blog. I just emailed my first chapter to myself even though the writing is extremely rough.
Assignment Part 2: Creating a writing schedule
Writing Space. Best place is my home office. That's where I do my computer and thinking work. Everywhere else I'm fair game to be interrupted.
Writing Schedule. I think I will research and write Monday - Thursday 6am - 7am. No one calls me before 7:00am Monday - Thursday so I should be ok. (I refuse to answer the phone before 7am.) Some days I may be able to start at 5am and end later. On Thursday, I'll print out what I have written to carry it around in my planner to look at, edit and make notes on until I can get back to writing on a computer.
Making a commitment. I blocked it out in my planner. I figure it's like work, you go and do it, whether you feel like it or not. I purposely chose to do it in the morning before life gets in the way. I have found that I can usually finish things that I start in the morning. Plans usually fall apart in the afternoon and evening. My husband won't care if I'm writing (he is actually quite supportive) as long as my work gets done and it doesn't cut into our time together.
Assignment Part 3: Writing buddy
My writing buddies are in my once a month workshop so I try to show progress each time I go. When I finish my entire book I hope to ask some artist friends if they are interested in reviewing it.
Right now my goal is to finish the one chapter I started by rewriting it as many times as I need to in order to follow the guidelines in these lessons. I think I will probably post each chapter on my blog when I think it's halfway decent. Meanwhile I need to finish up my research.
Procrastination and Writer's Block
Eliminate distractions: I set a timer for 15 minutes to check emails. Most of them I delete/archive without reading. My main distractions are family and work, that's why I scheduled an early time to write before the phone starts ringing.
Don't get paralyzed, just do it. I wrote one chapter this morning. Letting it sit. Going to rewrite it as many times as I need until it's decent.
Specific Strategies
Set a word or page requirement. I'm not going to do this unless I see myself wasting time.
Make an outline - After I wrote my chapter I decided I needed a better outline for the chapter, so I plan to make a more detailed outline after reviewing the research material again. Then I will write the chapter again.
Try a writing exercise - I'll keep these in mind in case I get blocked. We do this sort of thing at the workshop plus I free write almost every day to clear my mind and get focused in a paper journal. I don't edit or look at it when I'm done. I figure I'll look at it when I get old maybe.
Switch between projects. In a way with me planning to continue interviewing for the next book and blogging, I am switching between projects. If I get blocked I might use my valuable time I've set aside for this book project to write those things but I'd rather just switch between chapters.
Coauthoring. In the past I read 2 books called "Sorcery and Cecelia" and "The Grand Tour" by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer that were interesting. The first was written as a series of letters. Then second as journal entries. I think it would be fun to do via email with a writing buddy. Patricia Wrede wrote a post on "Blocks" on her blog http://pcwrede.com/blog/blocks/
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