Twenty-Fifteen on The Writer Within

Hello Lovelies,

For this week’s post, I’d like to share with you my plans for 2015. A little more than a year ago, I started this blog in the hopes of encouraging myself to take my writing and creativity more seriously and take it to the next level. The year resulted in many new ideas and a range of different plot ideas, which I began to explore, causing me to be jumping back and forth between multiple WIP. I realised later in the year that not only was it extremely confusing for myself to do this, but also if I were to really get anywhere with these WIP then I needed to seriously concentrate on one thing at a time and stick it out until the end.

So this is when I chose to stick with Thomas and Rose’s story as it was the one I felt most invested in. Through the name changes, changes in POV and the realisation that I had began their story in the middle of what I hope to eventually be a series, I went right back to the very beginning and things seemed to be working out. Then life got in the way and my highly developed ability to procrastinate.

I’ve done the math and in order to finish Lonely Hearts in 2015, I need to write an average of 6000-7000 words per month. Given the fact that I have written this amount in roughly two days before, for an assessment I left until the last minute, it’s beginning to look entirely possible that I would be able to accomplish this goal. What’s even more promising is that a few nights ago I wrote roughly 1000 words in less than an hour!

So this is what I need to get done in 2015;

• write 6000-7000 words a month to finish Lonely Hearts (This is the most important!)
• Stop procrastinating!
• finish my Masters degree (only two units to go!)
• Stop procrastinating!
• Weekly blog posts (which I do anyway)
• Stop procrastinating!
• Keep to one WIP at a time (but keep note of new ideas in one of my many notebooks, to be explored AFTER Lonely Hearts)
• Stop procrastinating!
• Recruit Beta Readers (already recruited one!)

And finally;

• Stop procrastinating!

So, there it is, the plan. Let’s hope I can stick to it!

As proof that I have been writing, here is a small excerpt from Lonely Hearts.

Enjoy,

KK

His words beautifully etched on the card, caused my stomach to flutter and my cheeks to warm. How could something as seemingly innocent as the word ‘tonight’ hold so much power and promise? I wondered what his plans were for the night, he spoke of dinner but I was beginning to get the feeling that what most men meant when asking a woman to dinner was not exactly what Thomas would have planned. Would there be dancing, music, where would we go? There were so many lovely restaurants in the luxurious hotels in the city I wondered if he would choose one of those. I’d been inside the lobby of a few of those hotels to deliver suits and other items that some of their guests had ordered and each I was overwhelmed by the extravagance each building and that was just the lobby! I was so caught up in my daydreams that I failed to notice the woman who had entered the shop until she was directly in front of me. The woman had dark chocolate coloured hard which she wore pinned back at the sides, she was probably in her forties and she carried a small bag, what seemed to be a large garment box and another smaller one which she placed on the counter to my left. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. Can I help you? Do you need some alterations done? I’m free now if it suits you.” The woman smiled at me kindly and shook her head, “Oh no dear, you don’t understand. I’m here to help you.” I stared at her blankly not understanding what she meant and she continued, “You see I understand you have a gentleman admirer who has planned something very special for tonight…” I nodded vaguely beginning to understand where she was going with this. “…Yes, well I have specific instructions that I am to get you all dolled up and ready…”

“Oh, well I’m not quite sure what I’m wearing yet.” I actually was sure I even had anything suitable to wear, especially considering the extravagance Thomas has already gone to, I was actually positive I would have nothing fit to wear.

“That’s fine Miss Greene, I have already taken the liberty of choosing a dress and shoes, under Mr Heath’s guidance. I’m sorry but I had to guess your sizing, but if it’s wrong I can get someone to pick up the correct size and bring it over in a jiffy.” Before I could gather myself and the extent that Thomas had clearly gone to, József wandered out from his office, “Rosie, has the papers from Mr Hea….” His voice trailed off as he noticed the woman in the store, “Oh I’m sorry, I did not realise you were with a customer. I will speak with you later.”

The woman, whose name I still did not know quickly corrected József. “I’m not actually a customer. Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lillian Jones, a personal assistant and secretary for the Heath family.” She smiled politely and extended her hand to József which he shook, but with a rather confused look on his face, mirroring my feelings exactly. “Very nice to meet you Miss Jones, is there something I can help you with or has my Rosie got everything under control?” The woman who I now know is called Lillian Jones, took a moment to understand József and his strong European accent, it is sometimes difficult for people to understand József at first, especially when a word has a ‘th’ sound, it always comes out as someting, anyting, everyting. “Actually, there is something you can do for me, if you don’t mind.” József listened as Lillian Jones spoke, “You see Miss Greene here is to accompany Mr Heath to an important dinner engagement this evening. Would you mind terribly if she finished work a little early today?” József looked as shocked as I was mere moments ago and he hasn’t even seen the jewellery yet. Shaking of his moment of shock he pulled me into a quick hug, “Of course not, off you go édesem, enjoy your evening.” Turning to Lillian, his fatherly instincts took over, “It was lovely to meet you Miss Jones and please tell Mr Heath to make sure he looks after my Rosie.” Smiling like she was privy to some hidden secrets she replied to József, “Oh not to worry Mr Szabó, your Rosie will be very well looked after.” I mouthed to József a quick, “thank you” before handing him the papers that were delivered earlier and heading out the door, helping Lillian Jones –Personal Assistant and Secretary, with her things- my things I guess. “So Miss Greene…” she said as I led the way next door, “Are you ready to be all dolled up for a night on the town?” She smiled that smile again and I knew she was the one who helped Thomas hatch his undoubtedly grand plan. I let out a nervous sigh and opened the front door, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

© Katherine A. Kovacs and The Writer Within, (2013-2015). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Katherine A. Kovacs and The Writer Within with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.