Saturday, May 21, 2011

Live-Blogging! Edit Version

I have edits due. Soon. And while I've been plugging away like a good little writer, I've noticed in the last two or three days that my productivity has....fallen. Drastically.

I think the answer to WHY my productivity on edits has fallen can probably be found in this video, but I kept getting distracted by the awesome British accent and therefore didn't learn a thing.



So anyway, the husband has the guys over for boy's night (read: bacon-wrapped-hotdogs, beer, XBox, Risk) and, as I usually do during boy's night, I have holed myself up in my office. With my laptop. And coffee. And I'm going to stare at these edits until either they're done, or my eyes bleed. And while I do it, I'm going to live-blog.

If you don't know what I mean by live-blogging, then check here first (with links to more live-blogging sessions in that post). Basically, my biggest distraction from doing work is the internet. So, when I really need to focus, I live-blog: I work on my book, and when I get tempted to play online, I start off by logging my time here--and then I usually guilt myself into not really slacking off.

How will it go? Stay tuned to find out!

---

8:45pm: 1st cup of coffee. I'm a little worried about how this is going to go, btw, because I mowed the lawn and have allergies now and I'm already feeling blargy.

8:51: And I immediately got distracted by blogs...

8:57: Put my mitts on. STUFF JUST GOT REAL, Y'ALL.

9:01: Had to Google Image "stoop." Because...while I used the word, I realized I actually don't know what one is...

9:03: In researching stoops, I found this. That's rather stupid, no? I mean, don't you always need steps? Why even have this? I guess maybe it's not real steps...but. I don't get it.

9:09: Woot! Edited...three whole pages. So...uh...that's 3 pages in over 20 minutes. Hrm. Not good.

9:15: Hello Failbook. Oh, WAIT. *ducks head* *goes back to editing*

9:19: ZOMG I JUST SAW MY EMAIL! THANK YOU LAURA!!!!

9:42: THIS is what has been distracting me!!!


THIS is what distracted me!!! See the wording on the picture? DISTRICT 12. As in...THE HUNGER GAMES! They're filming in the town I used to work in, and my friend Laura snapped this picture. I am now plotting on a time/day I can go stalk the set  stroll around casually STALK THE SET.

9:54: ...annnnd back to work.

10:00: OK, seriously this time, back to work.

10:10: I love it when my editor makes a note about how much she likes a certain scene. :)

10:32: Got distracted when getting another drink. The boys are watching HUMAN CENTIPEDE. There's no hope for them.

10:33: YAY! I finally got the email all the other authors are getting that says, basically "I'm your biggest fan, now can you please send me a free signed copy of your book?" I feel like I'm in the cool club! ;)

(In related news, if you'd like a signed book, you can order one here. But...uh...I can't afford to just pass them out like candy. Them suckers get expensive over time.)

10:57: DUDE. I've gotten so distracted!!! But I found this awesome Etsy shop--and in particular, this item--and...*sigh* I told you the internet was my distraction!

11:23: Crap. Yeah. Getting offline....NOW.

11:30: Back online. But for legitimate research purposes! Researching...a toilet. (Seriously)

12:06: See? This is the dangers of researching toilets. One things leads to another and a half hour has passed and *sigh*. Internet, you are evil.

12:26: INTERNET YOU ARE EVIL. *disconnect*

12:35: Nearly 20 pages edited! Woot!

12:43: It's the little words that make me stumble. It's dithering between "viciously" or some other adverb that leads me away from the document. If I can't decide immediately on whether or not to change (or in what way to change) the manuscript, I trip off to the interwebs.

1:10: Oh, hello WALL. Let me just go ahead and CRASH into you.

1:36: I think I've got a way to insert this particular scene from one chapter into another, but... *I feel like I'm playing Operation*

2:10: I'm at the 150 page mark in the manuscript--not bad, but not great. Still, more than I'd done in one sitting before!!

2:17: Yup, I'm calling it a night. Sort of. I'm going to take off to watch Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS--it's for research, I swear!


PS: Comments are greatly welcomed and fill me with joy!

16 comments:

Jessica said...

You can do it, Beth! Keep plugging away...and keep tissues handy for the allergies. Good luck!!

L Parker said...

Good luck! If you do need a break....I sent you an interesting e-mail with pictures. Hate to be the voice of temptation, but consider it something to look forward to at the end of your edits! I hope you get finished tonight!

Anonymous said...

Are you reading this?

NO! STOP! GO BACK TO EDITING!

We love you. :-)

Cheyenne said...

You just got me addicted to Failbook. First CharlieIsSoCoolLike, now this? Beth, your procrastation is contagious!

Miriam Forster said...

So... I was totally meaning to write tonight. And now I'm procrastinating by reading your live-blogging. It's like a mobius strip of procrastinating!

Mary said...

Keep going, girl! Then you can come and hang out on my back stoop with me and share a drink. 'cuz that's what you've gotta do on a stoop. Chill, drink & visit. AnyHoo! EDITs first -- keep going, you can do it!

SarahEm said...

OMG, I would shat myself if I live (or used to) where they're shooting The Hunger Games. Then I would probs get arrested for stalking and issued a restraining order within the week.

Jessi E. said...

I have so been following The Hunger Games movie like a deranged school girl. I would be even more distracted if people I knew (or I myself) could get close enough to snap pictures with my own camera!!

Also, that Etsy store may well make me die with joy. Seriously, it has so many cool things I could plaster all over my classroom and/or my writing room (if I ever clean it up and turn it into one).

storyqueen said...

Stop finding cool stuff on etsy or I'll never get MY work done!

(I was going to edit tonight, too. But, alas, it is my daughter's prom....so I won't be able to focus until after the promming is over.)


Shelley

Melody said...

So, that picture kinda made me *squee*! Not kinda - really. Omgosh, it's REAL!!! :D

Tez Miller said...

Researching a toilet, Beth? You'll have to tell us why - it's not "procrastinating", it's "networking" ;-)

IanBontems said...

Hilarious!

Live blogging is such a great idea and it looks like it works, too.

lexcade said...

LOL i'm glad that i'm not the only one who edits this way ;)

really can't wait for A Million Suns! *does happy dance*

Natalie Aguirre said...

Funny you watched The Birds. My husband just watched it with my daughter. Hope the edits go well.

KT said...

"1:10: Oh, hello WALL. Let me just go ahead and CRASH into you."

<<<333 soo much!! I totally relate.

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