Tag: #goals

• October – bring on the pumpkin spice!

  Posted at 11:36 pm by Jodie, on October 3, 2020

  

  Well that was an interesting September. On one hand I don’t think I reached a single one of my goals, but on the other I managed to fit in so many other things – my days were never boring! In fact, I managed to create a new trailer for Sorceress of Truth. What do you think?

  My creativity really suffered during the month and I know it was because everything at home was in such a mess. I can’t work in a messy environment. My head just won’t settle into the task at hand and instead will create a gazillion to do lists and will have an attention span worse than when I try to follow The Witcher storyline and focus on Geralt’s leather trousers instead. Easily done, my friend, easily done.

  Anyway, I think we are getting somewhere. After completing a spot of decorating, planning some more home improvements for the coming month or two and setting some de-cluttering tasks, I can rest easier. And, boy do I have some plans. First up though is a short family break to one of our favourite holiday spots, Center Parcs.

  We were quite mixed about going, what with the dreaded ‘rona but we were quite happy with the procedures put in place around the park. Plus, there comes a point when the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, such as the time spent as a family in the outdoors. With our Wales trip having been cancelled I really need to get out under the trees and recharge.

  The remainder of October is going to be spent prepping the project that I’m going to be working on during National Novel Writing Month in November. I’ve already decided it will be a short story or novella that is a prequel to Sorceress of Truth and will be available as a free download as part of my newsletter. I don’t think it will be a big enough project to require 50,000 words so I will likely focus on the first draft of Sorceress of Flame too.

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  Will you be doing NaNoWriMo? I’d love to hear about your projects. Why not head over to my Instagram page for my daily updates and to share your journey?

  There are a few other things in the pipe-line, such as hosting a webinar for World Indie Warriors about story bibles and how they can help you with your writing, and editing the short story that I’ve been meaning to upload to Wattpad for the last year.

  Before I go, once again I ask for you to sign up to my newsletter. I’m not sure when it will start yet but, please sign up below and you will receive all of my news straight to your inbox.

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  Anyway, I hope you have a great October, and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily updates of what is happening in the life of me!
  
  Stay healthy. Stay safe.

  Speak soon, Jodie xxx

  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged #blog, #catchup, #divineprophecy, #goals, #inspiration, #nanowrimo, #october2020, #preptober, #sorceress, #update, #writing

• September – looking for normality

  Posted at 8:14 pm by Jodie, on September 8, 2020

  

  I don’t know about you but August seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. Gone are the days of 10am wake ups and 3am bedtimes, and with a bump we are back to breakfast arguments and the school run.

  While our daily lives have been turned upside down —trust me, I was really apprehensive about sending Amberley back to school— it did bring with it a strange sense of comfort. Like pulling on your favourite hoody, the thought of getting back into some kind of routine brings with it a wave of calmness.

  That’s how it felt to me, anyway. Ever the planner and organiser, I like to know what my days will entail. I tend to be one of those strange people who show up on holiday with a homemade itinerary, wanting to make the most of every single minute. It’s why places like Center Parcs are like heaven to me. The ability to book everything, to plan everything to the letter, before we’ve even stepped foot out of the house is part of the fun. It’s for this very reason that I was so good at creating revision tables when I was at school, it’s just a shame I wasn’t as dedicated to the revision.

  But, something feels different this time, and I don’t just mean the new procedures and social distancing aspect.

  I was hoping that with the start of a fresh school year I would bound straight into days at the computer, that my creativity would suddenly bloom and words would fly out of me like streamers from a party popper. Unfortunately, no such luck, and I find myself eight days into September writing a blog post that should have gone out on the 1st having written no more than 390 words towards my novel.

  Granted I’ve had a few other things on, like my husband’s 40th birthday and having some kind of 24 hour sickness bug, but I’m feeling thoroughly unmotivated. Perhaps I’d gotten so used to the Covid routine that it was the norm, and I’m now just in a period of readjustment.

  I often tell people to be kind to themselves, to take it easy and maybe today/these days/this week are meant for recovery. So, I’m going to follow my own advice.

  I’m not going to get too hung up with my goals this month. If I feel like writing I will, and if not I know my hubby has several new board games that he wants to try out.

  Before I go, once again I ask for you to sign up to my newsletter. I’m not sure when it will start yet but, please sign up below and you will receive all of my news straight to your inbox.

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  Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your September, and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily updates of what is happening in the life of me!
  
  Stay healthy. Stay safe.

  Speak soon, Jodie xxx

  Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments | Tagged #blog, #catchup, #coronavirus, #divineprophecy, #goals, #inspiration, #September2020, #sorceress, #update, #writing

• August – meh!

  Posted at 9:19 pm by Jodie, on August 11, 2020

  

  So it’s August… anyone else feeling completely deflated?

  This time of year I’ve normally just been to spend a few days with family, had a night or two away just my daughter and I, had several fun and interesting days out, and would be in the middle of packing for our annual camping trip to Wales.

  Instead, I find myself locked at home in another local tightening of rules that prevents me from seeing any family. While the campsite that we stay on is open, we don’t feel comfortable going there and using the shared facilities, and the same goes for attractions. Many shops and museums, etc, are open around us but, unless it’s an outdoor activity, we aren’t willing to risk it.

  It’s made me feel really horrible as a mom. My daughter’s summer holiday is passing by at the speed of light, and she’s not been able to enjoy any of it. I know I’m not alone in my thinking, and there are plenty of people in a much worse situation than us, but it doesn’t ease my sadness and, if I’m honest, anger that by the time this is over she can pretty much wipe a year from her life. Our life.

  We’ve been robbed and cheated. It’s not to say that this year would have been super amazing. For all we know things could have conspired against us and we would have had to cancel plans anyway, but that would have been on us.

  I don’t want to be one of those people going on about missed education. Yeah it’s important, and yes homeschooling was a nightmare, but it goes beyond not knowing their times tables and the difference between to, two and too. It’s all the other things that go along with it, like school trips, building relationships and, in our case, my daughters first overnight residential.

  I hope that if you are experiencing something similar, by speaking up I’ve somehow helped and, that you know you aren’t alone. If you do need someone to talk to, I’m always around (Mostly on Instagram.).

  With all of that being said, it will come as no surprise that I didn’t push myself too hard during Camp NaNoWriMo. I set myself a goal of 7,000 words towards my mafia series and somehow managed to smash that with a total of 14,108 words.

  As I concentrated on my writing, unfortunately I wasn’t able to keep up with reading. In fact, I didn’t even pick up a book during July! But, as I searched for activities to entertain the little one, I did dip my paintbrushes into some watercolours, something I haven’t done in a very long time. Perhaps I might bring them out again, when I have that golden egg called time.

  I had intended for this post to come out right at the start of the month but, just like everything else at the moment, it seemed to pass me by. It wouldn’t be a monthly catch-up without my goals, so here they are:

  In August I aim to write 1,000 words per day on Sorceress of Flame. I’m hoping that will bring me much closer to ‘the end’ and I’ll finally have that elusive first draft. To date I have managed around 10,000 words, so I’m not too far off achieving that.

  My second and final goal is to have fun. I want to try and enjoy what time we do have left as a family before school restarts, even if it is just going for a few walks and eating garden picnics.

  Once again, I ask for you to sign up to my newsletter. I’m not sure when it will start yet but, please sign up below and you will receive all of my news straight to your inbox.

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  Right! Time for me to do some housework and stop the living room from looking like a bomb has hit it.
  
  Stay healthy. Stay safe.

  Speak soon, Jodie xxx

  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged #august2020, #blog, #campnanowrimo, #catchup, #coronavirus, #divineprophecy, #donofavery, #goals, #inspiration, #sorceress, #update, #writing

• July – what do you have in store for us?

  Posted at 9:02 pm by Jodie, on July 2, 2020

  

  How are we all feeling? What’s the situation where you are?

  I hope June was kind to you, for me it was much the same. In the UK everything is slowly starting to open back up but I still very rarely go anywhere. To me everything seems so strange and alien, and I doubt we will get back to ‘normal’ any time soon. There is even talk of my local area being at risk of returning to a lockdown situation, so I’m just going to continue as I have been and keep our family as protected as possible.

  I didn’t do any writing during July, not new material anyway. As promised, I have been working on organising my projects better. I still have a way to go but, by looking through my old story bibles and updating all of the information, I have come up with an idea for the future that I think some of you will love. All I can say for now is, watch this space.

  

  I did manage to do a few little jobs around the house, one of which was updating my desk with some self adhesive film. It was originally white but had turned a nasty yellow colour from the sun and was peeling badly in places. I really started to hate sitting there, but now I love it and I jump at any opportunity to work at my computer. What do you think?

  For those that are interested, it didn’t cost a lot of money, I think I bought it from B&M. It also wasn’t very difficult, it just required a lot of patience.

  Something else I did in June, which I really enjoyed, was taking part in a Heart-to-Heart with The Magic Book Corner as part of #themagicbookcornerswednesdayatwiw series of interviews. You can check out my interview here.

  Now we are into July, what plans do you have? Do you have any goals or a burning desire to learn something new?

  For me, July brings with it another round of Camp NaNoWriMo. I often call this the laid back relative of National Novel Writing Month, where I get to choose my own goals but still have the support and camaraderie of other writers and creatives cheering each other on.

  

  With the characters of Sorceress of Flame seeming to be hiding out in their own lockdown, I’ve decided to turn my attention to another project for now, the Don of Avery.

  This is a working cover and title but, as you can tell, it is a very different story and setting to the Divine Prophecy series.

  The thing is, I’ve already written the first draft but there are a few extra scenes and chapters that I want to add before it goes through any major edits.

  Unfortunately this won’t be released until after Sorceress of Flame, and Tory’s story has reached a conclusion, but I wanted to give you a heads up that there is still a lot more to come from me.

  So, July I aim to complete 7,000 words, as well as finish a book I just started, and write a review for another I’ve recently finished. Home wise, I’m not pressuring myself to do anything other than get through each day with my sanity intact. I have just started the Zombie Run equivalent of Couch to 5k, I managed my second run today, so I also want to try and complete that and cut down on the cakes. I was enjoying all the baking to pass the time, my waistline not so much.

  As a side note, I’m gradually trying to get my butt in order to start a regular newsletter. When I say regular I mean maybe once a month, I promise I’m not organised enough to do it any more often than that, so you won’t be inundated. I’m not sure when it will start yet but, please sign up below and you will receive all of my news straight to your inbox.

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  Anyway, I think I’ve probably gone on too long now, so I’d better leave you to get on with the rest of your day.
  
  Stay healthy. Stay safe.

  Speak soon, Jodie xxx

  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged #blog, #campnanowrimo, #catchup, #coronavirus, #divineprophecy, #donofavery, #goals, #inspiration, #July2020, #Q&A, #sorceress, #update, #writing

• June – a few days late

  Posted at 10:30 am by Jodie, on June 5, 2020

  

  It’s safe to say my creativity has taken a nose dive and I’m struggling to find the motivation, and time, to sit down and write. To be fair, I can’t just blame it on our current situation. I often struggle to write at this time of the year as I have so many other things pulling for my attention, like making the house and garden clean, tidy, and an enjoyable place to be. The hot weather doesn’t help either.

  Surely I can’t be the only writer to think that writing is more of an Autumn/Winter activity? Those moments when you lock yourself in your office, or bedroom, or anywhere remotely cosy, with a cup of your favourite hot drink and a blanket over your legs as you hide from the wind and rain. Or, when you are all wrapped up and find yourself in a dark corner of a coffee shop where you can be alone and let your mind wander. Those are the stolen hours and minutes when I am at my best as a writer.

  From my target of 15,000 words towards Sorceress of Flame, I managed just over 5,000. I had to stop. The words just weren’t coming, my characters had abandoned me. They too had gone into their own lock down, so I stepped away and didn’t attempt to write for a few weeks, and then something happened.

  Years ago, as a teen, I had written the beginnings of a story based around the Formula 1 community. I’d come across it recently when checking through some old memory sticks and, wow, what was I thinking? It was terrible! I can say, hand on heart, that my writing is a million times better, but the idea of an F1 based story kept gnawing at me. Then, like a phoenix from the ashes or, perhaps more accurately, a leviathan from the drain water of the shower I was taking, a whole new story line came to me.

  Within a few days I had worked out some back story, and had enough of a clue as to where these characters were going, that I had an itch that needed to be scratched. If you’ve never been a creative, and in particular a writer, it’s hard to put into words. You have this burning desire to sit down and get the words out, either by hand or on a computer. Your hands almost twitch to just get on with it, and all these scenes and conversations keep running through your mind, stretching the seams and bursting to get out.

  Anyway, I ended up writing the first 2,500 words. It’s not a lot, but it was enough just to calm the beast. I really don’t want another project. If you saw everything I was working on, I’m sure a lot of you would slam the door and run far, far away. I have a separate 3 book series in progress, along with an accompanying novella, a children’s book, a fantasy, a thriller, a murder mystery, and now this F1 based romance (to name but a few) all at different stages. For some reason this seems to suit my chaotic way of working, but I really need to have words with myself and finish something soon.

  So what does this mean for June? Well, firstly I’m going to try and organise myself and my research a bit better. I want to try and make sure that everything tied to each novel is together. Ideally I would love to finish the first draft of Sorceress of Flame, but I know that’s asking a lot in the current climate. For now, I think my best course of action is to just take it as it comes. If I feel like writing, I’ll write. If I feel like reading, or painting, or baking, or gardening, then I’ll do those.

  Now isn’t the time to get angry and frustrated with myself, and that goes for you too. We are dealing with so much already, let’s try not to pressure ourselves. Enjoy each day as it comes. Spend time with our family, and be thankful that they are safe. If you have the capacity to help and give to others, then do so, but remember that you are important too.
  
  Stay healthy. Stay home. Stay safe.

  Speak soon, Jodie xxx

  Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments | Tagged #blog, #catchup, #coronavirus, #divineprophecy, #f1, #goals, #inspiration, #june2020, #sorceress, #update, #writing

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