Thinking Out Loud and Moving Forward

marie's desk

I know I’ve been way too quiet. I haven’t written much, actually next to  nothing for the series in 2015, and for that I  do apologize. You see, the muse and I haven’t been getting along so well for the  past year or so. In frustration and the resultant dip in confidence in my abilities, I put it down for a while. Once that happened, with every day I didn’t write, it became easier and easier to not do it at all.

Don’t know which one of us, the muse or  me, it is that has the issues, but I do know the conflict between us has been going on far too long. the harts in the bedroom doorway at the ritzStill love the Harts immensely. My mind is filled to bursting with ideas and story lines, but increasingly, they don’t make it much farther than the inside of my forehead. It didn’t used to be that way. I’m thinking I may have to leave the muse behind and strike out on my own. After all, I tend to be pretty independent in most other aspects of my life. Why not with the writing life, too?

In my hiatus; however, I have been reading up on and researching how to be a more efficient writer, more motivated, more creative, more organized. Up to now, I’ve been kind of flying by my coattails, dabbling in reading about writing here and there, picking up tips and technique as I went along. That served for a while, but the more I wrote, the more I felt the need to seek the advice and counseling of the professionally published.

I have also been using the time away to reread some of the older stories in the series to check for consistency and integrity in the story line. I need to make a”bible” to keep track of what’s been going on with whom; this series has grown in leaps and bounds from the one little story I thought I would “try my hand at” way back when, The Queen of Harts and a Diamond. There have been moments when even the “find” feature of the word processing program was no help to me when I needed to make sure things lined up. That meant trolling and digging through the stories to find what I needed. Writing this, I’m beginning to believe the lack of concrete, visible and deliberate  organization might have become a major inhibitor for me, too.

…not to mention my tendency to spend too long trying to perfect a section instead of getting the writing done first. The books say I shouldn’t edit as I go, but I’ll tell you, old habits die real hard.

In backtracking through the stories, especially some of the older ones, I found the errors in grammar, punctuation, word omissions/ transpositions, the style formatting that didn’t transfer when I changed website platforms, appalling. Lots of editing and revising to be done for sure. I also noticed a couple of gaps that need filling- possible new  stories for the childhood section. All of that will be writing, a way to keep my fingers and my mind moving, and hopefully get me back on track.

Anyway, I missed the goal I set for myself to have the next section of the prom story completed and up by New Year’s Day. I tried, but….

No excuses, I procrastinated and didn’t get where I said I would be. I hate when I’m not honest and forthright with myself.

It is in progress, however. I did manage to move the story forward, but not as complete as I wanted it to be to post. I won’t post it until it’s at that point, which would be finished.

In the meantime, I just wanted to say “hello”, to declare that I’m still here and writing- such as it is, and to wish everyone a happy, healthy, fulfilling New Year.

Onward to 2016!!

Marie

double hearts

 

 

9 thoughts on “Thinking Out Loud and Moving Forward

  1. Katie

    Of course, a true artist cannot express what they don’t feel, but I would be so sad if JJ’s story came to an end. I loved H2H when I was a little younger than JJ is in your current storyline and have thoroughly enjoyed your modern take on the Hart fairytale. In many ways, yours is more fulfilling because you have given the characters a depth that didn’t exist in the TV show due to time limitations. I hope you can find the inspiration to continue and tell us more about this fine young person’s introduction to adulthood.

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  2. Denise

    I only found this website a few weeks ago but have been spending every spare moment reading your stories. I am obsessed. Your style is so Sidney Sheldon-eqsue to me and I love it. You are so good! So much talent! ♡♡ please keep writing! Happy New Year!

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  3. Nancy Kell

    Marie: You are still the best writer ever – don’t need to second guess yourself! I miss the Harts so much, but I do have all of their seasons and movies ( which are romantically void!). Just wonder sometimes if Robert Wagner is really anything like Jonathan Hart and Stefanie Powers anything like Jennifer Hart. …wonder what a real marriage would have been like for them – probably wouldn’t have lasted as he was raising his daughters and she was off saving the wildlife. JJ Harts Room gives me real pleasure in continuing their love story – thank you so much! Happy New Year! Nancy Kell Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2016 03:08:47 +0000 To: gnkell@hotmail.com

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  4. Dia Ann Best

    Happy New Year Marie! I truly appreciate where you are coming from with regard to writers block. It takes a mass amount of energy to be creative and produce this story. That being said, I know I speak for others beyond myself…we love this story, please do not leave it. And I have enjoyed everyone’s fan fiction, but this one is special because it has taken our favorite Hart;s and told the story of what has happened since the show stopped. It has kept them alive. Not only are they still going but their child JJ. We love JJ. I for one cannot wait to see who she marries and if she has twins. Anyway, I hope this acts as encouragement to keep going, not pressure. Take it in your time, but please keep going.

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  5. Mrs. Diez

    don’t worry. hang in there! we are all with you but I have to be honest…. I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER…. but hey, it’s no problem for me as long as you still continue to write! 😛 You know you are my hero!

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  6. Tricia Flowers

    Hang in there Marie…I am with you on the bible…I’ve started making lists as I have three different story lines. Writing is still fun for me and I find myself posting chapters before I have given them enough editing time…but I hope I’m getting a little better. I just want you to know that I LOVE your stories and enjoy rereading them and I’m looking forward tI the the next post ! I’m betting on you and have faith you will get er done in time. Hugs to you and Happy New Year!

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