Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Why can't I keep my focus...?

I feel like a yo-yo or to be a little more unkind a kid with ADHD.

I get into writing, I get into critiquing, I get into writing, I get into critiquing...

I can't seem to focus or decide if I want to write books or edit them.

It's both really, but can I achieve both. Sure with a bit of effort. Maybe it's just laziness. I don't want to expand that much effort. Or do I?

I think part of the question (and think Tim McGraw here) is : How bad do you want it??

My job and a key personal issue preclude me from being more aggressive about pursuing these two goals. Is that a good enough reason to just drift along right now?? I don't know.

I am taking a few steps, one technically, and that is to take some online classes this year about things I am not so good at. Namely plotting. I spent a few hours several Sundays ago surfing the 'Net for options. I found five or six that looked interesting.

I receive GrammarBook.com's weekly newsletter. It's not a weakness, but it's good to be reminded of things and I do occasionally learn something new.

I also signed up for dictionary.com's Word of the Day. Learning new words can never hurt a writer. :)

I've been humoring the idea of trying to become an unpaid intern at one of a plethora of e-publishing houses. But do I have the skills? I don't have a degree. How do I offer myself and for how long? What do they get for hiring me, for imparting their wisdom? I'm still mulling how to go about that. Do I approach the "big name" e-publishers or try for a "mid-list" publisher to get my feet wet?

Ah, well...now it's time to get the trumpeteer to jazz band practice and then it's off to the office to write for at least an hour. Actually I have to revise. I found a pretty big flaw... *sigh*

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