No Sleep, Character Obsession and Just Kept Writing

June 26, 2025 / ccsocialcreative / Leave a comment

Hey guys, welcome back! I hope you all got to see the bonus post I did filled with Summer Reading ideas. If not, it can be found in the ‘new posts’ tab, I’l also link it below this post. I am planning to put it up as part of the On the Bookshelf page as well as I’ve been really neglecting the rest of the site this year as far as updated pages. Also, please note that my links show up on this site in a darker color. They are (unfortunately?) not as defined as other sites.

Anywhoo, let’s get the post at hand, shall we?

Just going to say it, I haven’t been sleeping. Part of it is because it’s hotter than the sun here in the Northeast these days (and other places as well) and my AC is struggling to keep things cool. I mean, 90 degrees inside isn’t exactly cooling things off. I did treat myself to some Gatorade so hey, living the dream!

The lack of sleep has had me writing a whole lot. I have the house to myself this week and with my odd sleep schedule of staying up and night and sleeping during the day, I decided the other day to see how long I could go just writing.

I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve developed a pretty regular routine. To give you an idea (read:recap) of how screwed up my schedule is: I always start by reading the previous night’s work and editing as I go. This usually begins around 4am. At 5am I’m most likely done and then I write the new stuff until about 7:30-8am or until I finish a chapter. I type very quickly, so a chapter can sometimes only take me two hours or a little more. For a little perspective though, some of my chapters are short at only 11 pages or so. I take a lot of meds because of medical issues and I need stuff to help me sleep. Sometimes I will take something about an hour into writing so that I can fall asleep by 9-10am. (Boring you yet? Sorry)

The problem with this a lot of times, is that I’m just getting into the story or getting more ideas for where the story can go just as the sleep stuff kicks in. Then I’m stuck replaying it all in my head making it hard to get any actual sleep. Again, I have the place to myself and had nowhere to go the other day. So I decided to try something and not to take anything. To see how long I could keep going with the story. To just keep writing.

When I finished what is a very pivotal chapter, I went to do a page count and I had typed out 31 pages! I started at around 5am and went until 1pm. I just kept writing.

Will I keep a lot of it? Will the chapter be broken up into two? Is any of it good? Well, that’s what editing is for! But to know that I could keep going like that proved to me that I’d like to try doing this more often. That stifling the creativity just as it gets rolling may not be the way to go. And yes, I have tried starting earlier than 4am. It didn’t stick.

This story has really consumed me. Suddenly, scenes I hadn’t really planned on putting in, are taking over and I’ve been surprised at how they fit into the story as a whole. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that this new book is being written in the first person. The main character has invaded my thoughts and when I put everything away at ‘bedtime’, the story continues in my head like a movie. I will lay there trying to clear my head, only to sit back up and write stuff in the notebook I keep near my bed so I don’t forget anything later on. Yet still, the storyline keeps playing in my head like this week’s Netflix trailers.

There’s also a few things I keep going over, especially now that I’m 36 chapters in. Do I change things up? Do I throw in a major surprise? Is it time to start thinking of this as a series rather than a standalone book? I’ve created some characters and a location that has become so real to me now and that has become a great escape for me that frankly, I don’t want to leave it. But that’s me. What will readers think?

These are the things that are now starting to keep me up at night. That and a whole lot of heat.

And that is where I will leave you for today. I’m sorry if this one wasn’t too exciting but as I’ve said before, sometimes I just need to get out the thoughts so I can move on with my life. 😂

I very much appreciate your hanging out with me for a little bit. I hope you are staying cool and hydrated and that if you like it here, you’ll share this site with your friends.

Thanks again and until next time…

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It’s Summer Reading Time! <—Summer reading inspiration by yours truly.

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Thank you for getting this far and see you next time!! 🥰

Storyline, Re-Editing and Chapter Length Issues

June 10, 2025 / ccsocialcreative / Leave a comment

Hey guys, welcome back! Hope everyone is doing well out there. So happy to see this blog growing a larger audience. I’m hoping that means that what I talk about here is resonating with you all and that means so much.

Let’s get to it shall we?

Ok so, yesterday I finished re-editing the first 28 chapters of the current book that I’m working on. Boy was I happy I did it! First of all, I read the first 10 with fresh eyes as it’s been a while since I revisited what I had written. I’ll admit, (and yes I’m sure there is extreme bias here) but I am loving this story. I am currently in my romcom era in reading, so to be able to surprise myself with writing my first one and making myself laugh in places, has been a nice surprise. It is the first time I’m attempting this genre and I think I may have a new calling. Do I sound a bit too overconfident? Absolutely! I have never talked this way about anything I’ve ever written before and I’ll admit, a lot of it is out of pure fear. I think because I have a lot riding on this book. After all, I’ve been talking about it here since the beginning! If I don’t do well with it, I’ll have more than egg on my face (and with egg prices being what they are, that’s a pretty expensive embarrassment). I think the fact that I’m writing characters from my heart is helping. There’s a little reality in many of the character traits of the group involved and let’s face it, don’t we all write what we know? I mean, isn’t that rule #1?!

So maybe it’s not the book itself I’m excited about, but rather the characters because I’ve been spending so much time with them. Annnnd I really need to get out of the house more.

While doing the edits, I have discovered a few other things…number one is that I found that I wrote something twice but in two very different ways.

I’ve discussed being a ‘pantser’ writer, (one who writes by the seat of their pants letting the story flow, rather than using an outline), this can cause overlapping scenes sometimes. I wrote a very meaningful scene early on and then later in the book, did the same thing but in a more lighthearted way. So I had to rewrite and cut a whole bunch out there and choose which I liked better. I won’t give it away, but I think how I resolved it fit perfectly with the tone of the character development.

The second thing I’ve found is that some of the chapters seem very short. I’ve found this to be a fast read and that can be both good and bad. So the question now becomes, do I combine chapters to make them longer or not?

Right now, I personally like the way each chapter ends. I’d almost rather leave them the length they are as they have a natural progression to their ending. Small chapters are not necessarily bad, of course. Ironically, as I discovered this in my own work, I started reading a new book which has, and I am not joking here, chapters that are literally 3 pages long. So here I am re-editing and discovering that many of my own chapter’s are 11 pages in length and I’m thinking, well, maybe they should be longer. But if this already published book that is in my hands has MANY chapters of maybe 3 pages, why am I so worried? Every day it’s something new to think about.

After doing these edits, I’m finally back into the writing stage. This story that has been flowing out of me for months, is now finding it hard to resurface. I think I just need to get back into the routine of actually writing, although I did do a lot of REwriting during the second edit phase. However, picking the story back up is proving to be a challenge.

Where do I want it to go now? Is the conflict enough? Will it build to something completely different? Inquiring minds want to know!

This book, while a romcom, is also one with heart. There are issues in it that are near and dear to my heart and have some edge to it as well. (No not smut, I’m not at that point, well…yet. lol) I address an issue in this that I feel needs a voice. So while it has its sweet and funny moments, there are others to remind us all that no matter what, real life can rear its ugly head and bring us back to reality while in a ‘happy bubble.’

After all, even Disney princess movies have their turmoil to overcome before the happy ending and tiaras are dolled out, right?

I’ve also been surprised at the amount of research I’m doing for this book. Now, I’m a research junkie. I love it. I’ve used that particular talent for both my own endeavors as well as helping others. Especially when it came to writing my history pieces (see menu bar above for those links). But creating authenticity with some of this storyline has had me Googling things that, well, make a lot of writing memes what they are. I also value Google Earth for helping figure out some locations and distances, etc. There is a lot more to writing a story than just writing it and I don’t think a lot of people get that. While yes, a lot can be made up, if you are using real life places or issues, the research must be done.

Anywhoo, this process has been cathartic. Both writing the book and documenting the process here. By blogging about it, it is keeping me grounded as far as keeping me on track and it also helps when I go to write the next chapter later on. As I write here, my mind either figures out my next move or suddenly discovers that I need to go back and redo something I’ve previously written. The old ‘distraction’ move as it were. Quick example, with my health issues, I have twitches in my hands. (Sucks when typing.) My neurologist gave me an exercise to stop them…when my left hand twitches badly, I do finger movements with my right hand and the twitching stops. The brain is so focused on the conscious hand movements that it lets go of my twitches. Same thing applies here. When I’m writing about writing, I get more story ideas. Crazy? Yes. Helpful? Also yes! So I thank you for letting me vent a lot of this out here, it’s been great for the process all around.

One more thing to add to this post…I officially announce that I’ve added a TikTok for this site. Will I post every day? Hell no. I post when it moves me, just like I do with my other accounts for my jewelry and Etsy businesses. I just wanted to have something fun that I could add, connect with other readers, #booktok-ers as well as other authors. Those who get it. The link is in my linktree which I always add below my posts. 🙂

So that is where I will leave you today. I thank you as always for joining me here and I really hope you connect with what I’m writing about and if you do, I hope you’ll share this site. It would be so great to have this keep growing. (and growing)

Until next time…Cheers All! 🙂

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If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much and I’ll see you next time! 🙂

Friday’s Here, Hitting a Lull and Just Start Writing

May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 / ccsocialcreative / Leave a comment

Hey guys, happy Friday! It’s been a busy one this week and for those of us who like to read during a good rain storm, it’s been another good couple of days for that. I was excited by the number of folks who came to read my post the other day as well as the likes and I can’t thank you guys enough for coming back each time. And to those of you who are new here? Welcome!

I mentioned the other day that I’ve been quite productive lately and it’s been great. I’m actually about to start writing chapter 20 after I finish this post and just last week at this time, I was happy I had just passed the ‘dirty dozen’ mark. So that has been a bonus for this week. What has been driving me crazy though is that I hit a chapter that caused me to have a little lull. A little lack of, I don’t know, excitement maybe? For lack of a better word.

Let me be clear, I’m not writing an action adventure thing that will turn into a Summer blockbuster down the line (and who I will never champion Tom Cruise for). Rather, mine is but a romcom with some deeper stuff in it as well. Or at least, that is what I’m going for. However, every book that you read or write has those couple of chapters that are just there to bridge the story from one place to another and that is where I am now. I’m not saying they are boring. (Hoping they are not.) What I am saying is that I’m excited for the next chapter and wanted to skip over these last two to get to the next one. There is still a lot going on, a lot of information dolled out and even more character development of course, but as I am living vicariously through these people, I’m just excited for their next adventure.

Last night I even had trouble sitting down to write. I didn’t know where the words were going to take me and I still have yet to reread and edit them before I continue writing tonight. What I do know is this, much like I do with this blog, I just sit down and start writing. That’s it.

This is how I wrote my last two chapters. I had blocks, I had worries, I had “well now what do I do now that I wrote them into this issue” and yet, I just kept writing.

I ended up liking one chapter a lot. It turned out better than I thought it did and when I read/edited it, I actually laughed in some places. (Yes in the spots that were meant to be funny.) So somewhere in my mind, the story is still there guiding me. Yesterday was a bit tougher. I had a vision of where it was going to go, how to get past the lull a little bit more and make it not so, I don’t know, day-to-day? Yet after a bit of writing the first scene, the typing continued. I once again did an almost automatic writing session and because I did, I came up with a new twist I hadn’t even thought of before. A way to tie some pieces together that honestly, never crossed my mind once and again, this is at chapter 19! I was able to add some more depth, some more emotion and some more backstory to characters that deserve to have their stories told.

I hope I’m not building myself up here. This is by no means the next ‘great American novel’ and I’m hoping that if you are reading this now, I’m not ruining anything for you if you decide to read what is finally published. I’m just trying to share part of my process here. I sometimes start off blind. No clue where the story will take me. I just know that if I take more than a day off, I feel like I’m failing myself. That if I miss more than a day of working on this story, the story will leave me.

As much as I like to keep my schedule going, there are times when it isn’t meant to happen. I encourage listening to yourself and how you feel. This goes for anything, not just writing. Case in point, the other night, I had an idea for the next chapter and wanted to get it down, but I hadn’t been feeling good at all the entire night. When I sat down to write, it felt more like a chore, more like homework, more like I had some deadline I was supposed to meet when in reality, I have none. I read and edited the chapter from the night before, but when it came time to write the next one, I got three sentences in and stopped. My eyes and head were pounding looking at the screen. It was pouring outside and I decided to shut off the devices and dive further into the book that I’m currently reading, which, btw, I’m loving. There is nothing like reading during a good storm and once I got off the glare of my iPad, I started to feel a lot better.

What I’m saying is this…there are times the story needs to come out but the body isn’t willing. There are times when the story is stuck, but the mindset is to keep going. Just start writing. You may be surprised. It will either flow or you will get the clear sign that it’s just not going to happen in the moment. But you’ll never know unless you just start writing.

And that’s where I’ll leave you today! Thanks for joining me today, be sure to check out the links below and I wish you guys a great weekend!!!

Until next time…Cheers!

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To check out the book I’m reading now: Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson

(loving this book and will hate to see it end).

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If you ‘ve made it this far, thanks so much! 🙂

Fast Week, Pen Names and the Dirty Dozen

May 9, 2025May 9, 2025 / ccsocialcreative / Leave a comment

Hey all, welcome back! Man, this week FLEW!! I was about to say that it feels as if I just wrote one of these posts, but the truth is…I did! If you missed it, I posted on Tuesday and I have to say, it felt good to do a second post this week. Granted, that one was a bit more on the personal side of things and I think I just needed to get some stuff out, but still, it felt good.

Anywhooo, let’s get to this one shall we?

I have really been making a ton of progress on my new book. I am honestly having a great time with this story and it has been playing in my head like a movie both while I’m writing and when I’m doing other stuff as well. The funny thing is that I still have no idea where it’s going to take me next. I can picture the town and the people so clearly I feel as if I know them now. But as I am not an outliner and I’m still oblivious to where these good people are leading me to. And frankly? I love it.

I am known as a ‘pantser’ type of writer: one who flies by the seat of their pants. I do not outline and never have. Not even in school. I mean, sure, I learned how to do it, but my stories come to me fresh each day and that is how I type. I just run with it. Much like I do here but I swear my stories are more organized than the rambling posts I publish here each week. The only time I write something down is when I have an idea that may tie in things later, come up with a scenario for a character, or to make sure that I go back to something I said earlier for continuity’s sake. But going into a story? I have no clue about how it will all weave together until it is done.

What I have been doing, which is a major help this time around, is editing every night. I edit the chapter I wrote the night before as I reread it which also gears me up to write the new chapter ahead. I am proud to say that I’ve already passed the ‘dirty dozen’ mark and am now about to start chapter 15! This book is seriously flying. I’ve even designed the cover already and I’m so happy with that as well. It looks just the way I’m envisioning the Main Street of the town in my head.

I think my biggest issue, besides studying the best way to publish this one, is my name. You see, my own name is long. Very long. As much as I would like to use it, (as a sort of juvenile way to show those from my past that hey, I’m a published writer so take that) it is not a professional sounding author name. So as I am prone to do, I took a little time to do some research and found that the name I would like to use is available! When creating the book cover, I created several versions of it with different pen names and of course, my actual name. I gotta say, the one I had picked out originally really does look the best. However, as someone who lives inside a guilty conscience, I don’t want to hurt my parents at all. I know I am an adult, hell, I’m in my mid-50’s! (Ugh) But yes, I still have that child-like guilt that rears its ugly head at the worst times and this is one of them. (But the pen name looks SO good!)

The book I’m currently reading is all about authors and publishers. Although fiction, it really dives deep into the whole world I’m now basing my life in and I’m learning a ton. At one point the main character talks about how her book may offend her family, etc. While my book isn’t offensive, my using a different name may be. I caught a line in the book that has resonated with me: “You cannot authentically share your soul when you are always looking over your shoulder.” Where the hell has this quote been all my life?

(Btw, the quote has been attributed to controversial author Philip Roth but it still rings true.)

So after reading this, as well as a lot of other sage advice this book has been handling me, I’m leaning more towards the pen name…and then a big conversation with my parents. I will of course also need to promote my book like crazy to everyone making sure they all know that it really was ME who wrote it. Ironically, going back to my current read, the author’s name is their pen name and they give the explanation on the back cover. Another bit of inspiration? Absolutely. So maybe the decision has already been made and this ramble of mine is my own way of talking myself into it.

Either way, the cover looks great. The story is going well and I sincerely hope I can get this done in time to be a late Summer Read this year. Is that soon? Hell yes! I’m putting pressure on MYSELF here! However, it seems besides a pen name I have also decided to do this one as a self-published book and therefore I can get it out there sooner rather than later and then query agents for my other books. Wow, I just talked myself into something HUGE here. Will it happen? Who knows, but this is part of the ‘fun’ of documenting my writing journey for you all. Sharing the back and forth mental torture I endure on a daily basis.

And that’s where I’ll leave you for today. I wrote quite a long post a few days ago and there is no need for a second one. Friday posting is tradition and I hope that someone out there has gotten something out of this!

Thanks for sticking with me, letting me ramble on and until next time…Cheers!

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What book was I talking about? The Page Turner by Viola Shipman

(note: it is now on sale and the author’s newest release.)

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That’s it for the links for today. Other shops and deals can be found on the right hand side of this site as well as my On the Bookshelf page. Thanks for following!!

Accidental Routine, Caffeine and Editing as a Learning Process

April 25, 2025April 25, 2025 / ccsocialcreative

Hey guys, welcome back! First things first…I’ve been working on the site here and there. This week’s little addition and subtractions can be found in the sidebar to your right. I’ve decided to create a shop for the site that will have fun merch featuring my own designs that cater to writers and readers alike! So I took down the other shop icons and hope you’ll check out the new one. I am still building it with new designs and importing some other ones, but do have a couple up there now. Just click on the design to see all of the cool stuff you can find for gifts and yourself. I know I don’t normally push any kind of shopping or affiliate links on you guys until the end of my posts, but I’m excited about my Dashery shop!

Ok, enough of that, let’s get to it shall we?

I read a ton of stories and watch lots of videos from fellow writers trying to learn from them. Everything from their processes to how to publish and so much in between. One thing that seems to be a recurring theme is that many have a routine for their writing. I personally never did this. I write when the story needs to come out. When my creative juices are flowing. I couldn’t understand how others could just ‘write on command’. I can’t tell my story, ‘look, at 6pm, I’m going to sit at my keyboard and write you.’ It’s just not me. And if you’ve read my previous posts, you know that authority and I do not get along and that is how it felt to me. Like everyone was telling me that I ‘had’ to do it this way or else. So, I didn’t.

Imagine my surprise when just this week, as I was setting a cup of tea down and grabbing my keyboard to lay down a new chapter, it hit me. Shit, I did this at the same time last night…and the night before. I really started to think about it and yes, somehow, I ended up with an accidental routine! How the hell did that happen?

It’s sad but true, I have apparently caved. Happy to say though, it’s not because anyone told me to do it! (I have to maintain some of my dignity damn it.) I have become so focused on routines lately. For example, when I have dinner or how I get myself ready for a binge reading session…it’s not because I am a boring person. Ok, I may be just a little bit these days, but I started doing this because of my memory issues. If I fail to follow a routine for some things then I miss a step and then I’m just lost. Crazy? Maybe, but it’s how I roll.

By the way, allow me to just state for the record that I wasn’t always like this. I used to be spontaneous, fun and out every night! There was never a set in stone time. I didn’t have to do things one by one with a mental checklist to make sure everything was taken care of. I’d go for spur of the moment day trips, stay out until after closing time and there was no such thing as binge reading. I just went out and had a blast. (I miss those days!)

To now have designated times where I get myself ready to type something has me baffled, but you want to know the punchline? It works!

I have been very serious about this new book I’ve been writing. I always thought my draft of my other story would be the one to get out to the public first. But the more I write this new one and the more I get involved with both the story and the characters, the more I’m thinking that this one is the one I may want to present first. I’m having fun with it and I can’t wait each night to get to it. The strange thing is that I have lots of time before my ‘keyboard appointment’ happens to get it started early each day and yet, it never feels right when I do. I need it to be at the same time every night so that I can involve myself back into where I was the night before. And thus, my routine was born. I grab some kind of caffeinated beverage, my iPad, my keyboard and get myself comfy for a few hours of writing. With the exception of just a night or two here and there (I’m fighting a brutal respiratory infection as my parting gift from Covid back in early March), I have been loyal to this system and in the last two weeks have written eight chapters.

One major change I’ve been doing with this book that I didn’t my first time around is the whole ‘editing as I go’ process. I think when I wrote my first story I was so determined to get it all down that I wrote first and then went back to edit later. Which is a big reason why it is taking me so long to do. This time however, I fully edit the previous chapter before writing the next one. I do not allow myself to write any new words until I have slashed, corrected, moved around and in one case, completely rewritten an entire chapter. It is only then that I print it out.

By doing this, it not only lets me put my best work forward, but it also familiarizes me with the story thus far. Where did I leave off last night? What was that detail that one character dropped? Did I mistakenly mix up a date from chapter one? Asking myself a million questions is vital; keeping a printed hard copy next to me so I can quickly reference between chapters is super helpful; I also keep my trusty notebook to write down any ideas that come to me for the next chapter…this is a major tool for me.

Just last night I thought I had finished writing my latest chapter and it was perfect timing as I got incredibly tired and my eyes and fingers were just on fire. I was about to congratulate myself for doing a whole one in like 3 hours when I realized something was missing. I looked at the notebook and sure enough, there was a major passage I had handwritten out that I wanted to include in this scene. So ok, I didn’t officially finish. At least I know in advance where I’m picking up tonight! I didn’t do this at all with book one or its half of a sequel that I’ve started. Why? I have NO idea. This has been incredibly helpful and it has been making this story flow much easier as well.

Writing, like anything, is a constant learning process. I’m proud to say that I not only I have not only been learning from other authors but I have been learning from myself as well! I feel that I am growing as a writer the more I get done. My hope is that at the end, when this book is finally out there for all to see, it will be well received. (Please please please let everyone like it!)

And that is where I will leave you for today. Thanks for hanging out with me again and until next time…

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Thanks for making it this far. See you in the next post! 🙂