Category: Writing Life

Monday plans

You may have noticed that the title for this post is different from previous posts on Mondays. Don’t think of this as an update although some news for the blog will be in here. Think of it as a place holder. I have decided to make the updates bi-weekly, but I don’t want this day to go w/o a post. I am constantly looking up ways to authentically improve this blog. Not every idea mentioned is used or effective. One of my many struggles is keeping up with the posting schedule I made for myself. It felt like an epiphany when I realized all the ways I was self-sabotaging myself. It is fortunate that I could find ways to tackle that issue. They don’t always work but when they do the feeling is amazing. I sigh with relief. I am being the writer; I tell everyone I am.

I like many listen to podcasts. It is a safe bet to state that I have a growing To-Be-Listened list (TBL) as well as a TBR, which means To-Be-Read for those who don’t know. Now that I am thinking about it, there is a TBL for podcasts and a TBL for audiobooks. That is something I have to get back to. The point of this paragraph is that podcasts feel like the new blogs. YouTube had its 15 minutes but once 2020 became the pandemic year and everyone was stuck in their homes. I feel like there was a podcasts explosion. Making it near impossible to be seen in the vast sea of the internet. There is now a wide range of podcasts out there and there is a bajillion on writing. I have been considering a podcast for at least five years. However, I need to be an establish author first. The upturned red mushroom is an homage to the podcast title I want to use.

Podcasting has become easier, recording app on your phone and laptop etc. WordPress even offers a plug-in or affiliation with Anchor. The podcasting platform that is free and accessible to everyone. Every time I hear an Anchor commercial for a podcaster, I feel tempted. I have an account with Anchor already. I have a decent set up, if 2020 had gone differently I could’ve been telling you about an upcoming podcast. With a deep, deep sigh, I am trying to let go of the regrets of what 2020 could have been. It is going to be difficult b/c it burned its way in the brain of everyone. Thinking about the next 3 months, I am amazed that it took most of 2021 for me to understand 2020. Before I go into another major project, I need to fix this blog/website to my satisfaction. I want at least a book, a novella and a couple of short stories to have the name J.C. Henry and out in the world. Podcast dreams are on hold for the next 2 or 3 years. I will do an interview and guest host if anyone is interested.

In the future, the goal is to post something entertaining on Mondays when they are not update Mondays. I am seriously not sure what it will look like. I just don’t want it to be a vanity post. I have a plan and for the next three months it will be in the works. I hope that made sense. There are times when I don’t know what I am doing and it seems like throwing things on this blog to see what sticks is the only thing that can be done. I am no longer of that mindset. I am up for trying new things but reasons for putting them up with be more concrete.

I hope you all have a good week, full of possibilities and opportunities.

End

Updates September 20- October 01

Hello,

Thank you for the likes and follows.  

The last three weeks have been problematic for me.  There were promises I made to this blog that I was not able to keep.  I blame myself and acknowledge that I would do better.  Then promptly get trapped in parts of my life that have nothing to do with writing  or this blog.  Time would pass and I would find myself unprepared for whatever I planned for the blog.  Confirming again to myself that the JC Henry Universe is nothing but chaos. It was frustrating and it made me an unreliable blogger.  I understand that blogs are not as popular as they use to be, vlogs, Tik Tok and podcasts have taken a good part of the audience.  However, I still believe in them, and I want this one to be a success. That is my goal for the future.

On the day this post will be live it will be 102 days until the end of the year. I’m sure more competent content creators already know what they are doing for that time. I have an idea what I want but they are too vague to be typed out here. I kept getting stuck in the story I wanted to write. So, I had to stop and reflect on what I’m doing and why I am doing it like that. I have come up with different methods. I have mentioned this before instead of a weekly update, it will be biweekly from now on. I am not sure how it will be, but I have about 100 days to figure it out.

October is coming up and for people who are artist, they may participate in Inktober. It is a drawing challenge for those who wish to enter. The artist will draw a picture for the 31 days of October. The official site offers prompts, but I don’t think it is something set in stone. You can post your results daily with the Inktober hashtag. It was started by an artist and has a little bit of controversy attached to it. I don’t know much about it. I have seen some YouTube videos with artist that are for it and some with artist against it. I live the choice up to those who want to hone their skills.

For those who are more literary, October is also Preptober. The month before November which is National Novel Writing Month. Many who choose to participate in that event/challenge will be preparing for it. By making plans for the months and possibly developing characters, ideas etc. I will be writing for Nanowrimo. I have some prep notes already, but nothing is set in stone.

Some might remember I have two major writing projects in the works. With a deep sigh in the next two weeks if nothing changes with them. I will mostly likely put them aside or chuck the words and start again Nanowrimo. I wrote the first 15000 without any prep. Think what could happen with decent prep time. I have been thinking about these things most of last week.

Another facet of my complicated life is time management. I find that I am utilizing my time to be most effective, and it has been bothering forever. I have been looking into methods that will help. It is how I realized that there is 100 days more or less till the end of the year. Some business types call this time the end of the fiscal year or the beginning of the next. I am doing research to make writing a creative and effective business. I never planned for writing to be my only job but I was given these lemons.

Writing goals are to get better organized, write decent and coherent summaries of Star Crossed and Verona, complete and write a review on the current book I am listening to.

I look forward to the next update in two weeks. Until then let us all try to be kind to each other.

End.