Let’s start with the facepalm. I had that moment where I was working, trying to figure out an issue with Scrivener that has been frustrating me for a very long time (think a year of annoyance) and I finally decided I needed to take the time to figure it out. I couldn’t concentrate on the writing because the formatting was getting in my way. I decided to Google it. I figured out the problem. I went to immediate facepalm. The thing that had been bothering me for months, twelve of them consecutively, was a simple matter of changing the margins with the ruler. That one at the top of the document that I didn’t think was there. Facepalm. So. Bad.
The good. I pulled out my sketchbook and created a small art caddy to live in the cubby by my desk. I’ve been wanting a creative medium to lose myself in, to both inspire and take a break from the writing. I’ve had some supplies hiding in my cabinet, but wanted to have it more readily available. I also pulled out a sketchbook from the filing cabinet and am going to use the art to escape and to inspire. I’m very excited about it. 🙂
The bad. No, not really. Just the thing I needed to change up a bit. I’ve found that some work does not lend itself to a playlist of songs that makes me think, makes me feel, or makes me dance in my office chair. Yes, that happens quite often. Some work requires a playlist of songs that act as white noise in the background, noise that will keep my mind from being distracted by anything happening around me but won’t distract me from what I’m concentrating on. To that end, I created a playlist of my favorite ocean and rain soundtracks. I’m able to do the office/work tasks of drafting queries or creating meeting notes documents for my peer critique group while listening to a soothing sound track that I love.
For all the good, bad, and facepalms, I’m loving the groove I’m in with my writing this year already. This process of finding my stories, of chiseling them out of the stone or molding them into the work of art they are meant to be never ceases to fill my with joy and light. I love this thing called writing so desperately and savor each part of the journey.
What have been some realizations or things that have happened so far with your writing process this year? How are things going?
Happy Writing!
Nikole Breault 
The problem with Scrivener is that sometimes it is just not intuitive – I often have to look up how to fix things that would have been super easy in Word. At the same time, it just has so many things that are super convenient when you’re revising, like being able to have notes and character outlines and research all in one document…
I have several writing playlists – sometimes the playlist needs to get me in the mood of the story, and sometimes I need music that helps me to focus. Spotify has some great “focus” playlists that are ambient music, but I agree that the ocean and rain sounds work well too! And very rarely I can create a playlist that helps me do both!
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No it isn’t, especially when it’s not a Mac. I do love all of the ways it’s convenient and the ways I can keep notes and such. I should totally play with Spotify! I haven’t done that before.
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