Woohoo, a whole chapter!

So I'm pretty psyched about how well this is going.  Knowing I need to report the amount of pages I've edited each day keeps it in the back of my mind.  So when I have a free minute or two, I try and dedicate it to editing.  Not only that, but now when I'm reading a book or listening to an audiobook, I'm constantly thinking about my own manuscript and feeling a desire to quit reading and continue editing.  It's like that feeling that drives you to finish reading a book, but my mind is putting that desire toward my own manuscript.  What an awesome way to feel motivated.  Like it isn't a chore, but an actual hobby and something to feel proud of/excited about. 

Anyway, today I edited FIVE pages.  A whole chapter (which is about 10 book sized pages...like I've said before, the pdf I'm editing from fits a lot more words per page than a printed book would).  So I'm at:

56 of 155

And I think I stopped the handwritten edits around Chapter 16 or 17, so I'm only about 5 chapters away from catching up with myself (I made edits and sometimes they're easy 'missing comma' type edits, and other times they're more time consuming and general 'fix' type edits, which take way more time).  Once I catch up with myself, I need to:

• Compress the whole file again with the edits from Scrivener into a new PDF. 
• Upload that PDF back to Goodreader.
• Start reading/editing the actual manuscript again.
• Send that back to Scrivener and open the PDF side by side with the actual manuscript to type out the edits.
• Finish this whole round of edits (I can't wait).
• Make a kindle file of this draft of the book.
• Reread the whole book from start to finish while taking just general overall notes. 
• Reedit (hopefully with much less tedious fixes).

That is, unless Scrivener comes out with an iPad version of their program before I catch up with myself.  I can't wait until that day comes!  No more converting to PDF, editing, then putting files side by side...just make the edits directly to the manuscript on my iPad...the convenience factor there makes my mouth water.

I'm feeling good about this though! 

And I've started working on ideas for a new YA Dystopian (I don't care if publishers don't want dystopian right now...it's such a cool theory to consider...especially with all the changes technology brings to cultures...imagining what our future is going to look like is fun).  I'm using the Index Card app for that, and I'm really enjoying it.  It also syncs with Scrivener (but only through the Mac version of Scrivener, which is a bummer, because I'm using my PC far more often lately).  I have the app on both my iPhone and my iPad and, annoyingly enough, the files don't automatically sync between the apps.  If I upload them to Dropbox, I can then make sure the files stay constant between both, but I have to do that manually, and it's frustrating.  So I am mostly just using this app on my iPhone and jotting down ideas when I think of them.

I guess that's enough for this blog post...I made a short story long.

Weekend and Journal Entry (8/5/96)

This past weekend was pretty great.  Not for any particular reason but because I got everything I wanted to do accomplished and still had enough time for fun and relaxation.  I made jewelry, listened to an entire audiobook (it was only a little over 4 hours long, The Giver, but it was still impressive in my opinion), finished The Storyteller audiobook (one of my favorite books now), did laundry, hung out with the kiddo, took the dog for a walk both Saturday and Sunday, visited a great friend I haven't seen in too long, worked out on Saturday, cleaned my car inside and out, and other little things (like dishes).  Though I was exhausted, I felt really content last night.  There are so many times that I feel like I've wasted days away, and this was not one of those times. 

There was something specific I wanted to write a blog about but I currently have no recollection of what that was.  I just remember thinking "I should write a post about that".  I'm sure it'll come to me eventually.

So on to the journal entry...

8/5/96
Diary, I was pretty mad last night ********(more info about that crush I wrote about in the last entry)

I chickened out yesterday night and just fell asleep!  I guess it's just easier said than done!

I wrote a letter to Mad About You last night, to keep me busy.  I sure hope they write back.  I collect autographs.  So far I have Tim Allen (Best), Jim Carrey, Cathy Ireland & The Cast of Home Improvement (other best).

I have my door open right now, because my brother isn't home, neither are my parents.

I'm supposed to do something with Rose today but shes not home!

Lately I've been thinking of ideas for inventions: A calculator, time, atlas, TV watch!  I wish it was already invented, I would have one!!!

I left a message on Rose's machine so she should (hopefully) call back.

I actually enjoy painting my nails, so I'm going to go and do them now!

                                                   Millie :D

I guess my iPhone would have made my 1996 self pretty darn happy.  I've always loved technology....but I'm glad I wrote about the tree house in this journal because I've also always loved nature and being outdoors. 

I did end up getting that Mad About You cast of autographs.  I think all of them are still in a folder somewhere in my current house (my husband being in the Air Force, I've moved quite a few times since then, so it's saying something that I still have that random childhood collection).

Obviously, I had an issue with being honest to myself about things like wanted to paint my nails.  I didn't want random future people (all of you who might be reading this today, I guess), thinking that my 13-year-old self was so girly and vain. 

My last thought on this one...what I wouldn't give to have time to write a letter to a TV Show requesting an autograph just to pass my time.....jeesh....I was telling my husband earlier that I wish someone would invent a way for human adults to live (with no health side effects) with only about 4 hours of sleep a day.  I'd LOVE to have a few extra hours of awake and alert time a day (and not have to take caffeine pills to accomplish this, or feel like death the next day).