*Upon walking into a dark lecture hall, the audience takes their seats* 
*lights go on*

*Catherine turns on her mic and walks out onto the stage*

When life circumstances change, other things have this funny way of changing too.

I'll tell you, my dear friends.....adjusting to this new job, it's been a rough road. Cramming your normal life into 4 hours a day is not an easy thing to accomplish. Never mind trying to work ongoing and future projects into the mix.

Originally, I was going to work on one of the WIPs that's on my WIP page - it was a tossup between The White Rose (which I started in April and am now 15k in), "Shattered Chandelier" or "Rose of Culmore". 

But I know realize that this isn't going to work.

And so....

I have decided to work on.....

ALL 6 OF THE WIPS!!

*Dropping the mic, Catherine dramatically leaves and the stage darkens* 

*audience is stunned*

*Catherine hides in wings*

*mutterings start*

A sane person: She's crazy! Crackers! Round the bend!

Another sane person: Well, she is a writer, guys. She was bound to develop a small strain of insanity eventually....

(gee thanks, Sane Person 2. That's comforting....)

Sane Person 1: Come on! We know she can't work on ONE WIP for more than a month or so. How is she going to handle 6????

(oh peanuts. I'm doomed.)

*nerdy girl scrolls through her phone*

Nerdy Girl: Hey! Didn't Catherine say in her last post that she was in bad need of spring cleaning?

(yes, yes, go on.....)

Sane Person 1: But it's almost summer!

(*glares at SP 1*)

Nerdy Girl: Do you think she was trying to tell us something?

(maybe.....*pulls down projector screen*)

*words appear as voice booms out of speakers*


This is not a story. This is not editing. 

This is me trying to get my scrambled story notes in one spot. 

I've been plotting/writing several WIPs over the past few years. In that time, I've created skads of notes, and other media, that NEED to be collected and documented so that I can use it for actual writing. I've been putting this off for years and it's high time I actually did something about it. After the notes are transposed, I'll start world-building and potentially doing some plotting for selected WIPs (first priority being the Epic of Verden series!)

*Catherine reappears*

Gotcha, didn't I?

Yes, I really am working on all six of my current WIPs. Even with my 50 hours a week work schedule, potential room renovations (Operation Vintage Makeover is being accelerated!!!), and other crazy stuff that is happening in my life....

There is a method to my madness though.

I know that several readers have been waiting for news and development on different WIPs - and are probably frustrated at my constant jumping around. The only excuse I can give is that things come up and tickle the muse's world-jumping machine - which apparently is supersonic.

Those who have known me for a while know that I'm a plantster - a combination of a plotter and pantser writer. Oftentimes what happens is that a scene or a characterization will pants itself out and I will make a note of it...somewhere.

So, this month is going to be dedicated to writing up all the handwritten story notes, creating character sheets and some outlining. I'd like to get my note/planning style more consistent so I don't have to spend days refamiliarizing myself with the story should I decide to work on it again after months of inactivity. 

Obviously, this is not a project that I can do with a word count - so I've decided to try an hourly goal. I set it rather low - only 30 hours, which would be an hour every day. Considering my schedule, I don't think I can do more than that.

Soooooo....what do you think of my crazy idea? Think it will work or am I doomed to spend Camp flailing around like a dead fish?

Scribblingly yours,

Catherine