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I did not win ScriptFrenzy, though I am almost finished with my original sitcom and I have a good outline (except for the end) for a Modern Family spec. Things got accomplished, just not all the things I wanted. I try to do too much because I think I can and when I don't, I feel as if I've failed. But if I hadn't had the goal I had, I wouldn't have gotten as much done as I did. Thanks to everyone who wrote or called and encouraged me.

I'm not feeling very good today. As if I'm aging right before my eyes, I'm beset with a series of complaints. The muscles around my sciatic nerve contract at least once weekly in the past few weeks to make me nearly lame, my shoulder hurts so bad sometimes it makes me want to throw up, my lower back gives me problems all the time. My advice: Don't be in car accidents after the age of 30. Well, I'm still alive and for that I'm grateful. This is the accident that happened in December of 08, so don't get too worried.

I have a book idea in mind. Not necessarily a good one, but an idea nonetheless. I never thought about writing a book (this one would be sort of non-fiction, though creative non-fiction - and no, not a memoir). I've always only wanted to either do short stories or write for television. Frankly, the idea of writing long fiction frightens me. I've done it. I won NaNoWriMo one year with a completely horrible 57,000 word piece of crap. I'm proud I completed, but not proud it exists.

Right now, I'm tired. I wish I weren't. This is when I feel old age, when I would rather just sit around than do the things I know I want to do. Maybe when I start my book idea, it will bolster my other efforts because working on the book will also give me stories for my articles and maybe the interesting characters I meet will provide comedic fodder for my other ventures.

I know I complain a lot (as the Honey says, I'm the Queen of Complaining), but I do know that I have a goal and I will achieve it, whether I do it in inches or in miles.

Marriage

Today, I'm going to teach my students about marriage. To that end, I'm going to watch a Tyler Perry movie called, "Why Did I Get Married", which I know my students have seen. I want to be able to pull from that.

So, yes, I'm watching a movie at work. On days like today, I like my job.

I will do a writing prompt later on today. Comments about previous writing prompts (especially since you know what I'm trying to accomplish) would be welcome. Constructive criticism as well. I will try not to take it personally :)

I have a little more than half the number of pages I need to have and by the end of the day, if I haven't written, it will be less than half. Anyway, I'm writing and working. I will finish my scripts and you all will be responsible for helping me change dreck into gold.

Because you love me.

Here We Go!

Day one of ScriptFrenzy and I am restless. I haven't written anything, don't even really have an outline, but I do have a goal. I'm not supposed to worry about that at this time of day, but I do. Oh well, getting home will tell the tale. If I write my four pages today, I will indeed be doing something great!

Today I was driving with the windows down. You don't always get to do that in Georgia. Right now, it's the right kind of hot, not the stifling heat that will be upon us in the next 4 weeks. While I can drive with the windows down, I will.

So, every day this month, I will do at least one writing prompt on Little Southern Girl. It will be unedited and maybe not make sense, but it will be done. I'm going to try for mornings, but some days, it will be afternoon. Anyway, if you have anything you'd like me to write about, write it in the comments.

Today's Writing prompt: It's time for you and Writer's Block to part ways. Write a letter breaking up with Writer's Block, starting out with, "Dear Writer's Block, it's not you, it's me ... ."

Dear Writer's Block,

It's not you, it's me. We've met so many times, it seems like we were destined to be together. Do you remember the first time we met, when I was trying to write that romantic short story about two people who thought they hated each other but in the end fell in love? You were right to try to stop me, but wrong for doubting my dreams. I remember you stepping in just when I thought things were going great. With one fell swoop, you took every word that I had in my head from me. You demanded my time, my thoughts, and my attention, as if I didn't have writing I needed to get done. I expected you to be my rock, not my block, and you never had my back. Do you remember when I applied for that screenwriting class in California and I almost didn't make it because you decided to make an appearance and took my focus from what I was doing? I think that's when I knew it was over, even though I didn't want it to be. You're comfortable. Hypnotic. Like staring at a blank white screen, cursor blinking. You knew the end was coming. I saw you less and less. Maybe you went to talk to that guy writing a cookbook - maybe that girl trying to finish her thesis. I know you thought she was cute. But I didn't get jealous and maybe it's better to not get jealous, but when I don't miss you, you know it's time to part ways. So, Writer's Block, I hope you can find someone who will love you like I once did, who won't use you as a crutch, but word of advice: try being a little more supportive of the people you get with. That makes all the difference.

Yours truly,
ThisGirl

Month of Discipline

Ahhh, it's that time of year. I would say again, but I can't remember the last time I was actually disciplined.

So, the game plan. This year, I'm doing ScriptFrenzy, hopefully getting a first episode of an original spec and writing a spec for a current show. So, getting disciplined about my writing.

Start walking for 30 minutes - 1 hour a day. Disciplined about my health.

Stop going out nearly every night. Pick nights and times and stick to them. Disciplined about my time.

Stop drinking as much, which goes back to my health. Not cutting out drinking, just not drinking as much.

Get a little more organized and set up a schedule I can (and will) follow.

I'm hoping the month of "practice" will give me the impetus to follow this discipline for the rest of the year. I will add more socializing, but I kind of want to start from nearly zero and go up from there. I also want to get some of these projects I've had in my mind for a while and put the down on paper, finally. That's my problem. I don't get everything on paper like I want.

Maybe it will work, maybe not, but at least you will get to hear me complain about it. That's right, one of the disciplinary things I'm adding is to write about my day on this blog. I may also post my entries for my writing prompts. I need to write everyday, not just on my scripts for ScriptFrenzy, but also on the other things I want to write. So yeah, writing prompts, and story research, and grant finding, and all the like...

Only a few of you know how badly I want to be able to leave my job and just write. My job isn't bad, it's just no longer satisfying. My job is frustrating and uninspiring. Writing is frustrating, but when you break through and have a finished piece that you're even partially satisfied with, that is something. I want to do work and feel like that. My students adore me and listen to me and talk to me and that is satisfying, but they don't agree with me and that's the hard part, seeing them after I've taught them and having them say they wish they'd listened to me. It's hard and that part is not satisfying. Of course, I've talked to one student who said that they're glad they listened to me. That is satisfying, but it doesn't keep me going and striving for the ends I strive for when I teach.

Anyway, that's another story and one not thankfully told. I have other thoughts that reside outside of this post. I'm just challenging myself by letting you know. At least two people who read this page will keep me accountable (you know who you are) and maybe, just maybe, I can emerge from the month of April with some new habits for becoming a more successful writer.

I've Got It All Figured Out

Really early Sunday morning, I sit at my desk, watching the latest television that I missed last week, hoping I can get through about 14 hours of television before it starts all over again. I don't have time to do everything I want to do.

Writing isn't going to be the hard thing. The hard thing is going to be trying to do everything I need to do in the next few weeks. For about the next three weeks, I will be working more than 40 hours a week because my second program is taking effect. Next week, there is spring break, so no classes, but the week after that, I work 12 hours Monday, 9 hours Tuesday, 10 hours Wednesday with no actual lunch, 11 hours Thursday, 10 hours Friday, 2 hours Saturday = 54 hours = 14 hours off the next week... EXCEPT... I still have to work with the other program the next week and despite having a day off on the calendar, I still have the crazy work schedule for that week.

Why is all of that happening? Because it is time for Script Frenzy. My life wouldn't be interesting if my life went normally, if I had the same time. But it will be interesting to see what my time off will look like when I get over these next few weeks.

I'm just tired. Don't mind my bitching, incoherency, or anything else below the pale.

Script Frenzy: Another Attempt At Craziness

So, I follow up my NaNoWriMo win (50, 781 words in 30 days) with a shot at something even harder, but exactly what I want to do ScriptFrenzy. ScriptFrenzy is the script writing arm of NaNoWriMo. This will be writing 100 pages in 30 days. Starting April 1, I will be hunkering down for hours per day trying to coax at least 4 pages a day our of myself.

It's harder than it sounds, thank you very much.

I will be writing two 30 minute specs - I'm not sure which now... Maybe you guys get to vote. Tomorrow or later today, I will put up the choices with a brief synopsis and you guys get to pick the two that I do. They will either be specs of show already on television or specs of my own original ideas. I want to do at least one that is already on and one that is my own. The one that is my own is the one I want to work on creating and completing in my hometown. The other one is the one I want to perfect and send to my contacts in Los Angeles and enter into contests.

I'm striving because I need to work for myself (I chafe under the rules of others) and still make enough money to keep us from being evicted while The Honey finishes school. I think it's time to get started!

PS, If you want to join me, go to ScriptFrenzy.org