write a children's book

I made the changes that I envisioned a few days ago, and I think they are good ones. It makes the plot tighter and better-paced, as well as adding some of the concrete detail that I need. Now the beginning chapter takes you right into the big change and has more appeal, especially to the reluctant reader I am trying to target.

My next step is the harder one: going forward with the plot. This is always my biggest challenge, and I am somewhat resistant, because I’m not sure where exactly to go. I have to get over the resistance, face the fear, bite the bullet, and just keep writing. Where I’m going will hopefully come into focus once I start going there. :)

but I was asked to illustrate a children’s book for a friend and I’ve got about…half of the pictures drawn. Illustrating a children’s book is pretty close to my goal but I really want to come up with something that is totally my own. Good step in the write direction though

After a week or so of feeling down about the book, I am back in the swing of things. During a boring work training I had to attend, I let my mind wander and the wandering led me to a solution of a problem that I knew existed for my plot. This solution got me excited, and I started coming up with some other ideas for improvements in the setting description. (The trainer was so happy: he thought that I was excited about what he was saying!)

So now I have some new inspirations, a plan of where to go from here, and more changes to make.

Hurrah!

D’s extended comments on the manuscript so far really got me down. Maybe this is no good after all?

I know I can’t let others’ opinions let me falter, but that’s easier said than done. If this novel that I’ve been working on for almost a year (albeit very slowly) really won’t work, I’m going to take a tremendous hit in my self-concept as a writer.

It will play on the underlying concern: what if I really don’t have any writing talent?

...about climate change

... that I’d put this goal off for a while, I got a flash of inspiration and started drawing.. created my first storyboard, and am really pleased with it!

Another two hours, and less than two pages. I know it’s not a race, but it’s frustrating to put so much work in and get so little out. I wonder why I am so stuck?

Oh, well. At least I’m writing with some frequency.

I actually co-wrote a children’s play. Not quite the same as a story but I’m putting it in as ‘achieved’ anyway, cause the play had a story in it.
Me and a colleague wrote this ‘eco’ play for our pre-schoolers to do at the nursery’s summer open day. It was a Hare-and-the-Tortoise-type-fable with our eco heroes winning the race despite the eco baddies best attempts at sabotage. It was kinda cute!

I am so excited: the book is finished! I just sent the completed manuscript to the illustrator. I can’t believe that I actually met my deadline! Life is good.

And now that it’s done… I’m already planning the sequel! =)

Last night, I wrestled – I mean wrote- for an hour and a half, the words kicking and screaming, resisting their addition to the page. The intensely frustrating hour and a half netted me a thrilling seven-eights of a page completed.

Is this a sign that I need to re-envision the plot? Or is this normal ebb and flow of writing?

Auggggghhhhhh!