AntiProductive

Last week or so I was doing 2000 words a day like clock work. This week I've barely written 1000. Someone told me I'm probably burned out but honestly I'm just feeling lazy. It's not that I don't feel like writing it's just I'll do a review or read or something else instead of working on my word count. I think one major thing that's deterring me from writing is how I'm writing.
In my first manuscript I plotted like a freaking wedding planner or something. I knew how every little thing was going to go down and when I turned to write it I did it too short or something and I ended up with a manuscript with 25,000. This time I started plotting but got stuck so I just started writing, then my story and the characters seem to take a whole new life I hadn't planned. People don't like not knowing and I'm almost positive that's what's keeping me from my word goal. I'm scared to know what happens next. I know exactly how I want my ending to go I'm just not sure how I'm going to get there and that makes me worried if I'll end up in the right spot.

The Set Up

This is the current 'Stack' as I call it. It's everything I need-except for the computer and a cup of coffee- to sit down and write. This one does have a few extra things like my kindle and planner which I don't Really need to write but it's nice to have them close at hand.


First up is a Fiction book I'm reading on the Right. Called Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Let me just say I did NOT pick this up because it was on Oprah's book club. I didn't even know it was on there until I looked it up on Amazon literally three seconds ago. I'm not very far but it seems good so far. Second is a Non-fiction book I'm reading called Outliers by Malcom Gladwell which has some pretty interesting stuff. This was recommended to me by a good friend who said it was really interesting. I'm not really a non-fiction reader but this has a lot about work ethic, goal setting, and over all being good at things that could easily be applied to writing.

Third we have a few books on Writing. In the middle is Living Write by Kelly L. Stone. I'm only through the first chapter because I'd like to get into a serious writing habit before I move onto my "Writer's self-image" This came with a CD which I instantly played and completely laughed at. It's like deep breathing and self mantras and weird stuff so I don't think I'll be using that. On the left is Reader's Digest of Short StoryWriting Volume II. I'm mad at this book because I got it at Half-Price Books for about five dollars, and I was thinking Wow what a deal but then I go look it up on Amazon for a whooping $1.75 so I haven't even opened it yet. So far from skimming it I'm noticing its more about story writing in general rather short story writing. The third is Louise Doughty's Novel in a Year. This is more of weekly pep talks rather than"it's the 52 week where's your freaking Manuscript" it's more of finding yourself and finding time to write. Which is good in some degree but I was really looking for

a check list kinda thing.

Here is a combo of my flash drive with all my writing things and a stack of note card with scenes for my novel on them. Of course my kindle, my planner, my journal, and the blue is part of an exercise I'm doing for Living Write from chapter one where I write down all these negative thoughts about my writing and I turn them into good thoughts. It's super Dr.Phil and dumb but I just really wanted another excuse to but another Moleskine.

Well that's about it. If you have any questions or suggestions or if you'd like to share tips leave a comment or shoot me and e-mail. Thanks!