Summer Cleaning

It is good to follow writing resources such as Create Space or Amazon KDP on Facebook. They provide much useful advice, though often common sense, through links to various articles and inspirational quotes. One such link lead to an article about having a clean organized space to stimulate your creativity.

Well, I was thinking about buying a new file cabinet with a lock to dedicate to my writing files; the various steps in the draft process, character sheets, etc.. I looked at my fairly large existing filing cabinet and decided I could make room and put an end to my open milk box filing system for my writing. Away I went sorting and disposing of obsolete and unnecessary paper matter.

Three days later, after my wife was inspired to join in and rooms were cleaned, furniture and other old and worn objects disposed of, and a more efficient system of storage opened up more pleasant spaces in our home, we were finished.

When all was said and done with our cleaning adventures I was suddenly hit with an inspiration for an entirely new story line, which I quickly began to put to paper. Yes, to paper and I am hitting myself that I have been relying on the computer these many years. The story comes more smoothly and I see it more complete as I proceed. I easily back track and add side notes as I go along. My process, at least for anything short of a full sized novel (over 100,000 words which Loyalty’s Fertile soil will be) will be to go from pencil to typewriter to a word file. Most all say one must print out their work and edit in paper form. After many hard and barren years with many daunting hurdles and realizations I see myself reaching a lifestyle of true industry and filling my days productively and completely.

Even as my CAD computer has become long obsolete and I have returned to hand drafting I feel much more fulfilled and satisfied to create something coming from my own hand. Ultimately I believe the computer will not be deemed a creative tool. That said I have come a long way as a writer having blogged these last seven years or more. Putting out pieces from 200 to 1,500 words at a shot seems appropriate to the computer. The instant Internet research capacity is invaluable.

A month ago or so my flash drive had a catastrophic failure and many writing files were lost. Of course I had a backup disk but I lost over a months work on “Loyalty’s Fertile Soil” and edits on “A Vendetta’s Wage”. After some great expense per our budget and over a month gone by I recovered the latest “Loyalty’s Fertile Soil” file but all my edits on “A Vendetta’s Wage” were lost. It was a set back and a discouragement that lead me to drastic reactions, namely cleaning.

Currently I am working to finish all my character development for “Loyalty’s Fertile Soil” before I proceed. It has over 100 characters and at least two dozen need to be substantially developed. Running into a new character as I proceed, though I have a image in my mind for them, if I do not have particulars written down the whole process gets bolloxed up. After I complete the first draft of the first story in my new story line (I already have the first two novellas working in my head) I will commit to the edits of “A Vendetta’s Wage”.

The new story line as you can see in the photo is:

 

Partisans of the Blue

A Dauntless Recruit

 

 

A storm is coming.