Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Wednesday Reads and Fixing My Routines

I started exercising first thing in the morning back in December. Is it a coincidence I haven’t gotten much writing done since then? Nope. None at all.

I took this class on marketing (which didn’t help me in marketing, strangely enough) that suggested we have only so many hours of creative time in a day and that we shouldn’t waste it on non-creative stuff. That got me thinking (which can be a scary thing at times).

Last May, while at my mother’s, I got up early and wrote before everyone got up. It worked really well, and I had been continuing doing that…for the most part. But now I was exercising first thing in the morning and not writing. Hmmm…

So on Monday I switched things around. Got up and wrote first (and ignored the e-mails—that was hard!!) THEN exercised. Two days in a row. Wow! What a difference. I actually felt…PRODUCTIVE!! Now to see if I can keep it up until I get my WIP finished.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #3

Dates read: January 8-15
Title: Driving Heat
Year of publication: 2015
Author: Richard Castle
Genre: Crime Drama
Series:  Nikki Heat #7
# of Pages: 329
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Borrowed from daughter (but bought it for her as a gift)
Blurb from book: On the morning of her first day as the new captain of the Twentieth Precinct, Nikki Heat is rocked when her NYPD shrink washes up dead on the banks of the Hudson River. But the jarring murder of the man who knew her most intimate secrets is only the first of a series of blows to batter New York City’s top homicide detective. She is soon blindsided by the discovery that her fiancĂ©, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Jameson Rook, had been secretly meeting her psychologist as part of an explosive investigative article he is writing for a magazine.
    Nikki’s sense of betrayal deepens when Rook refuses on ethical grounds to share confidential information he has learned about the victim. His headstrong stance and continued meddling in Heat’s case strain their engagement to the breaking point as their professional lives drive straight for a collision.
    In this riveting new novel from his blockbuster series,
New York Times bestselling mystery author Richard Castle steers Nikki Heat full throttle through the heart-pounding obstacle course of her most daunting and dangerous case yet. Her stakes have never been higher or more emotional as she races to stop an ingenious repeat killer with a chilling MO and a long list of targets. In her quest for justice, Heat confronts a narcissistic dot-com tycoon, deals with a headline-hungry auto-safety whistle-blower, weathers a hacking attack that cripples all of New York City’s police technology, and faces unrelenting danger to herself and the man she may yet marry—if they both survive this deadly ride.
My thoughts: These aren’t always the best books to read if you’re looking for a straight crime mystery (the person whodunit was a surprise for me—yay!). Not really told omniscient, but does some head hopping (although for the most part it is in Nikki Heat’s POV), which kind of pulled me out a time or two. But if you enjoyed the television series “Castle,” then you’ll enjoy these books (especially Jameson Rook). And that’s why I read them.

So… Have you been having trouble being creative? Try mixing up your routine. Maybe that’s the kick you need.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

9 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Good for you! If that routine works, stick with it.
I used to write in the evenings, but the older I get, the more difficult that becomes. I'll have to readjust and find a better slot.

JeffO said...

Well, you already know my situation (and thank you for the comment; I appreciate it, just haven't responded yet 'cause I'm lazy right now). I actually like writing first thing in the morning before work. The brain sort of wakes up before the body really gets going--or maybe the brain isn't entirely awake and that makes it easier to tap into the creative side of things. When I do write first thing I tend to come out of it feeling clear-headed and less depressed than when I sit here surfing the news.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Alex - It's working so far, so I'm not going to change it.

Jeff - Clear-headed and less depressed: EXACTLY! I want to stay that way, too.

Jennette Marie Powell said...

Having a routine is critical for my writing. Lately what's been working for me is to write after dinner - not putting it off until last because then it doesn't get done. Glad you found a time and routine that works for you! Good luck finishing the WIP.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jennette - I used to write after dinner, when I had a day job. Glad those days are past! I missed watching TV. :D

The Happy Whisk said...

I am 100 percent for waking up and doing the writing first. Emails can wait. Writing needs done. Good on you for getting back to it.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Ivy - Yeah, checking those pesky e-mails wasn't helping me, either, but neither was exercising first. It's so much nicer to write first then exercise then check e-mails. I just feel more organized that way!!

Gina Gao said...

This sounds so amazing! Thanks for sharing!

www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com

The Happy Whisk said...

Oh yeah, to me, there's nothing like getting the writing done first. I don't even turn the computer on before I write. And, I have a two typing devices that don't even go online. It's HEAVEN. Nice, quiet, heaven.