I only wrote about half what I'd hoped to tonight. Then again, at least I had some time to write. You see, my oldest daughter plays hockey, and we've just received the schedule for the year. I've just spent the better part of 2 hours entering practice after practice after game after practice after tournament etc. into what may be one of the clunkiest web forms ever created. Then double and triple checking it against the excel spreadsheet I received.
All in all it was a worthwhile use of my time, at least I'm not in charge of fundraising this year (ugh!).
I had a great day with my family today. Instead of the regular tradition of Canadian Thanksgiving, which we did with my wife's family on Saturday, and we're doing with my family next Saturday, we went to the Science Centre and played with Sciencey stuff all day. And when I say all day, I mean for 3 or 4 hours out of our planned 5 to 6 hour planned time there, traffic on the way down was awful.
There's something about seeing your children not only play with science, but enjoy and understand science that makes a geek's heart beat louder. Buying the family pass this year was definitely worth every penny, we've gone six or seven times now and have learned and had fun every time. Everyone should support their local Science Centre.
Now as for the writing that I've done. I spent an hour and a half writing this evening and only added about 900 words to the draft. It's not that bad when you consider that I spent a few minutes of that time playing with the dogs and making tea. I guess it just wasn't a full-on night for me, still, as long as I spend SOME time writing every day things will continue to go in the right direction.
Someone asked me today why I write if I'm not getting paid for it. I wasn't prepared to answer at the time so I just responded that I'd get back to them on my blog. It's such a massive question that strikes right to the core of me, my blog, and how I identify myself.
Simply put, I have a lot of fun writing, even if I never get published or face a hail of rejection letters when I'm done this book I'll still do it. I love it and it's part of who I am, a storyteller. As long as I can remember I've taken a special joy in telling and experiencing stories, whether they're mine or someone else's. Whether a story is written, acted on a stage, in a movie, or passed on by word of mouth, I savour them all, looking for that little kernel of knowledge each one imparts.
I've loved to read and write as long as I can remember, writing my first book, about a bear in a cave, in one of those primary writing books with the bottom half page of lines alternating with hashed lines (presumably so you would know how big to make the bubble on a b, etc.). I don't remember how it ended, but I do remember being immensely proud of the fact that I had written (and illustrated, everything I knew up to that point had pictures) a book!
So I write because I have stories I want to tell, and this is how I can best do that. Every word that struggles or eases its way onto the page is a word that I needed to put there, otherwise it will just bang and rattle about corners of my head getting forever louder.
Odd, when I put it like that it almost seems like a compulsion. Either way, I love it and how it makes me feel once it's done (yeah, way to go champ, not exactly selling the whole 'sanity' package are we?).
Would I like to get paid for my writing? Absolutely! It would mean I could devote even more time than I already do, which would just be fantastic for me.
Besides, as a young child I had two careers I wanted when I grew up. I wanted to be a writer, or a high-end thief. Both of which I can do as a second job to something considered more traditional and steady work. And hey, they're not exactly mutually exclusive, I'm just working on being a writer first, it has a lower cost of entry.
- Grimm
P.S. Kat Ellis has a series of Pitches critiqued (including mine) over at her blog in advance of Hook Line and Sinker over on Dee's Blog, which is an amazing opportunity for YA and MG authors to have a chance to get their finished manuscripts in the hands of real Agents. If you fit any or all of that criteria, go check it out, you have until this Friday to get your pitch in. #HLandS
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