Baby Steps

I just realized recently that I have difficulty breaking things down and planning. I get overwhelmed with the number of things to do, to the point that I get completely overwhelmed.

This is not an advantageous character trait for someone who writes 85,000 word novels for a living.

Pretty much, if I try to do much else than the book - you know, laundry, forage for food, that sort of thing - I tend to get wigged out.

So my new thing is to break things down into steps for myself. My new stationery item o'choice is magnetic notepads for the refridgerator. (It used to be post-it notes, lots and lots of post-it notes. While I still have an affection for them, I don't work at a proper desk very often. The fridge, however, isn't going anywhere.) The method at hand is to write the things I want to do, specific to the day, on the pad. Then I'll write the other things I want to accomplish over the week.

We'll see how goes. In other news...

My editor sent me this link in my email this morning. While Angela Hunt is at the top of her writing game, I'm still convinced that when it comes to procrastinating, I could take her.

Also, with the Toronto International Film Festival going on until Saturday, all the likely Oscar contenders are being rolled out. Can't tell you how much I'd love to be there. Because I'd love to see this -



And this -



And, honestly, I thought The Young Victoria was the one I was most excited to see. It had princesses, right? Well, then I saw this trailer -



It had me at "Jedi Master."

I'm giggling just writing about it. And sure, while we could have a conversation about how psychics are at best fooling people, or at worst demon-possessed, I figure we're in a fictive world. If George Clooney wants to knock over goats with his gaze, I say go ahead.

In fact, my mom has a look (the death mommy look) that would probably knock a goat over. George Clooney doing it - maybe not out of the realm of possibility.