Friday, April 04, 2008

Things are Going Great Around Here!

Well, I know. The picture hardly suits a bouyant mood. I am far from feeling blindfolded on a balcony in...what's that...Miami? Venice Beach? Somewhere in the South of France?

It's only...

The guy. It's a about the guy. Yeah. That one, the gorgeous one, in the blindfold? Raoul again. Oh, my! I loved this picture so much, I just wrote a love scene involving a blindfold. Nothing like the proper inspiration, I always say.

So I read this article by the amazing Barbara Samuel in the Romance Writers Report. Taming the Internet Monster, it was called. All about the ways writers--or anyone who regularly uses the Web--can be sucked in to spending more time here than is really good for getting things done.

I mean, there's a lot to like about the Internet. Scratch "like." There's a lot to love: instant connection, answers to just about any question, fabulous eye candy (see picture above), cyber-friends galore. The benefits of life on the Web go on and on.

But the Web can be a monster, taking up precious time we should be using to, oh, say, write better books. Or even more books. Barbara had several suggestions for getting control of the monster. Among them, don't check email until noon. That one really struck me. I mean, Don't check email til noon. Simple huh? I thought, I can do that. How hard can it be?

Well, pretty dang hard if you're an email junkie like moi. So I took the suggestion and modified it a tad. I check email first thing, but only to see if there's something urgent that requires a reply right now. If not, I turn it off. And go to work. And don't check it again until noon.

Good googly moogly! Amazing. I've been writing like the wind and having lots of time to go on the Internet later. Or to do other things that suit my fancy. Shop. Cook. Read.

So as of now, I know who my characters are and I love my story and it is flowing so fast, it astonishes me daily.

Thank you, Barbara Samuel.

And how are things going in your world?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Christine!

I am so glad to hear that you have gotten to know the characters the way that you needed.

I know what you mean about e-mail. I am guilty of having my e-mail open the whole day at work. Is it necessary?? Not always, but its a habit I haven't been able to break. But if I were working at home....I would have so many other things distracting me. Oh my!

Keep writing--enjoy Spring!

Hugs!

Husker Kim

Anonymous said...

LOL yes that email is a monster. I don't start the computer till I do whatever I NEED to do first ;) like clean house or if I have a morning appointment.

Glad to hear that writing is going so well!

Spring in OK? it has arrived here in Northern CA. Should be nice next month too

take care
Barb

Christine Rimmer said...

Kim, yep. Lovin' them. They're just about to get bust out of being snowed in for three days and face the real world.

Raining here today, but everything's budding and blooming. Getting so pretty. I need to take a pic of our big oak damaged by the ice storm. It's a little sad, but better with leaves.

Re email, well, I hear ya!

Hugs back.

Christine Rimmer said...

Barb, such a good idea not to even start it up until what needs doing is done. Email: the evil temptress fershure. Mwahaha.

Yes, spring here. Cooler than usual this time of year, but very nice!

Anonymous said...

Love scene involving blindfold? Can't wait to read it! ;-)))

Yeah, I read the article, too. Good suggestion.

Paz

Christine Rimmer said...

Paz! Hope you are well.

RE reading the blindfold scene--well, I sure enjoyed writing it!

Re that B. Samuel article, funny how it's good sometimes to be told what might seem obvious. The DH has been trying for years to get me to stay off the email until I get going on my day's work. Of course, I never listened to *him*!

LOL

Anonymous said...

I hope the regime works for you, Christine. I've been falling off the wagon this week. Must get back on!