As my birth month is about to begin, it's that time of year when my energy is revving highest and I can really get shit done. Long-procrastinated tasks are getting accomplished around the house AND I somehow found myself editing my proposal until 2:30AM. Over the years, I have learned to make as much hay as I can while this particular sun shines. #WorkJournal #ADHDSolutions

My Google Drive-based online portfolio isn't fancy looking, but I think it's good to go. It took an excruciatingly long time not just for the scanning of all the old newspapers where I used to have an op/ed column, but also the extra detective work involved in finding and screengrabbing articles from a bunch of websites I've worked for that no longer exist. Sigh. #WorkJournal #WritingPortfolio #WritingLife

A somewhat challenging day combing through old writing archives to see what gets included or cut from the online portfolio. Your girl had A MOUTH back in the day, and it wasn't always a good thing that nobody else dared edit my stuff. It's a blessing in disguise that some of these publications never made it to digital format, because it means I can upload what's actually still good and omit the pure cringe. Growth comes to us all (if we let it)... even us former gonzo 'journalists'. #WorkJournal

Walking down memory lane as I assemble an online #WritingPortfolio of stuff that hasn't been archived (mostly because the publications no longer exist 😔). Wayback Machine is definitely doing yeoman service in this effort. I do still keep some paper archives (most of which I've also digitized), but there are still a few I need to scan. Amongst the cringey bits, I found some gold! I actually laughed out loud at an unpublished little niche thing that might still find a life elsewhere. #WorkJournal

Amazing DnD sesh last night, but of course now that there is other work to be done, I can't focus on anything but wanting to write the recap. #DMProblems #WorkJournal

Took a big swing at something earlier this month... and found out this morning I missed. Bummer. Rejection letters are definitely something I need to get used to going forward. It wasn't a publisher or agent query, and it needn't be a setback if I don't let it be, so I'm powering through the disappointment and determined to keep taking big swings. Regardless, it was a hugely valuable exercise and my #BookProposal is in a better place than it was, so there's that at least. #WorkJournal #Onward

Met the deadline! Allowing myself a brief moment of celebration before I button back up and settle back down. #WorkJournal #SmallVictories

How many things can I tweak and fidget with before I decide something is ready for a deadline that's coming up in a few days? I've already sent it round to my writer pals for their opinions and incorporated that advice, and now it's down to just one or two words that I'm quibbling over. WILL I SUBMIT IT TODAY? 😬 STAY TUNED! 🤞 EVEN I DON'T KNOW! #WorkJournal #writingcommunity #WritingIsEditing

Realized I'd still not seen an email w/ feedback from one of the #BetaReaders I met on Zoom a few weeks ago & glad I looked, because this woman DID send an email w/ even more insightful observations & suggestions, and some of the loveliest compliments I've ever received on my #writing. She also shone a floodlight on what could be so much better, & with that in mind, I think I know how to get myself there. On top of an already big few days writing my bio, I'm AMPED. #WorkJournal #WritingIsEditing

After meeting w/my #BetaReaders this weekend & hearing their comments, it's now sinking in that I need to rip out some guts & rewire my #NonFictionBook's transmission to get it where I fully agree it needs to go. Can't waste time grieving for the 'precious' book I'd imagined in my head when the one I'm actually #writing can be genuinely improved by real feedback from strangers who are in my target demographic. It's time to go 'kill some darlings'! #WritingIsEditing #KillYourDarlings #WorkJournal

I achieved today's writing/editing goal and I am CHUFFED. Baby steps. The proposal outline is actually coming together. #WritingIsEditing #WorkJournal #NonFictionWriting

Been getting bored by the repetitiveness of other #AestheticLofi #YouTube channels while I write, so I came back to the original #BeatsToStudyTo and #LofiGirl is just sitting on a bench listening to piano music while petting her cat, which is the exact background vibe I need for my #writing and #editing tasks today. #WorkJournal #WritingCommunity #WritingIsEditing #NonFictionWriting

Leaning in to the infotainment vibe, I've been thinking up some exercises to include in my book. My dear departed mother would love this development. #Writing #WorkJournal #NonFictionBook #ThanksMum

Big milestone today: just submitted my first 3000 words for independent (paid) critique to this #writing group's beta reader matchup! This is HAPPENING. Excited to find out just how crazy my ideas actually are (or aren't?!?) #WorkJournal #WritingCommunity #NonFictionWriting #TSNOTYAW https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

A bit of progress on writing today, but more so on editing. Setting microdeadlines for individual chapter work has been helpful this last 2 weeks. Keeping it bite-sized is helping me stay focused. #ADHDProblems #ADHDSolutions #WorkJournal #WritingIsEditing #NonFictionWriting

Did someone just slide a #Mame Dennis quote into her preface? HELL YES, A BITCH DID. I'm realizing that giving my #NonFictionWriting some much-needed #Hezzazz is ultimately an exercise in making it uniquely mine, with references that mean something to me & tell the story of who I am. #AuntieMame is foundational to me as a human being. It might get pruned out by a future editor, but I couldn't NOT get that in there. (If you know the play/movie, you'll probably guess the quote I used) #WorkJournal

After a long Christmas break - and bingeing a whole bunch of episodes of #TheShitNoOneTellsYouAboutWriting podcast - I plonked myself back down in the writing chair today and came up with over 500 words that have me quite pleased with my progress. Most importantly, I feel like I've FINALLY cracked the issue of tone... I can finally hear myself in the new opening paragraphs, and that's what I've been missing. Super happy for this #writing breakthrough. #NonFictionWriting #TSNOTYAW #WorkJournal

And lo, those I love & respect shall know the authenticity & heartfelt nature of my emails by my use of the phrase "Brava, my good bitch." #WorkJournal #YesISentThat

#WorkJournal -Turns out those dang kids upstairs don't go back to school until MONDAY, so I'm currently listening to a 3 hour sound bath on YT so I don't have to listen to them. It might be housekeeping chores instead of writing chores today. And I probably have some printing I could go do at the library. Tomorrow's plan is a neighbourhood walk followed by hot beverages and a brainstorming sesh with another writer pal. https://youtu.be/Md2CBLGdxeo?si=7uFP9SMwnbEn1htD

Had a great meeting yesterday with an old pal who was the art director of the alt weekly where I used to write & edit 20+ yrs ago. Get yourself a hype person who knows you so well they not only insist on you giving more of your special unique sparkle to your MS & #BookProposal, but they also help you co-create a new term for it.."Hezzazz". It's almost like this perfect word has been sitting patiently waiting for me to discover it for decades. I'm definitely in my #Hezzazz era now. #WorkJournal