Bonus writing

Want a tip to boost the number of pages you produce each week? Try "bonus writing." When you are done with what you are working on, when you feel like you have nothing left in the tank for a project, pick something else and write. It may be a new section of an article, a new article, a new chapter. There is something about writing when we think we are done that pushes us forward. It is often easier when we have less expectations and see it as "bonus." If we don't do much, we still did more than we had planned.

Sorry readers, I have been writing!

Sorry for my lack of posts here; I have been making sure that I am attending to my own scholarship first! (trying to do as I say). 35,000 words into the new book on writing/publishing for international/ ESL scholars- it is going really well. This is also how I roll; I become somewhat obsessed with longer writing projects, and it is all I want to do. Go where the energy is, I tell others, so I am going with it.

Thanks to the couple of you who have emailed me with suggestions for the book- they have been super helpful. I think we have only bout 5-10 thousand words left on the first draft; my hope is to have a finished first draft done by December 1. I will be presenting at a conference in Thailand in the middle of December, and will spend a week or so with my coauthor (journalist and ESL teacher in Thailand) after that, and hopefully we can finish it up shortly after!

Will be blogging more soon; I promise.

What do English as Second Language Scholars Need?

As I mentioned briefly before, a colleague of mine and I, ESL teacher Greg Lamphear, are working on a book for English as Second Language scholars in the US and scholars around the world. It is geared toward those who wish to publish in English language journals. The book will basically have three sections: writing productivity, publishing and writing tips in general, and writing in English.

We are really excited about this project. So excited, we have written 30,000 words, or perhaps 75 percent of the book, in about six weeks. Of course, it so drafty that is shivers, and the organization is a mess.

We are at the point where we would love feedback from those of you who have ideas for us. What are your thoughts about the needs of  ESL scholars who wish to write and publish in English? We would also be interested in your thoughts about appropriate publishers.

I would be most thankful if you would email me your thoughts:  Richfurmanphd@gmail.com

Think of this as your chance to have material included that would help our ESL audience in the US and internationally.

And another thought...

Not only does it not always have to feel good, but it does not always have to be good. Sometimes just getting the work done is just enough, good, bad, or even purple!!

200 words now!

Well, if you have time to surf the web and read my blog, you have time to write. Writing first, everything else second.

Stop reading, write. See if you can get to 200 words on an old or new project, before you start the 1000 things you need to do today!

Headache

I have headache. I am not sure if I am getting sick, or if I just happen to have a small headache for some random reason. Its onset happened to coincide with an hour I set aside for writing.

So what did I do?

I wrote.

How did it feel?

During? Not very good. Tight, constrained, annoyed, yuk.

After? I feel good about myself for having done so, for having pushed through. I wrote about 500 words on the next book we are doing on writing and publishing, a book for English as second language and international scholars.

This is the most important work I do, for me, writing when it seems unlikely. It is the writing I do that makes me productive. It is easy when it is easy. Kind of like working out, or relationships, or life. It matters not when it flows, but how we do when things go against us.

Is it going to be great stuff? I doubt it, but I got it done, and always can edit it later, and met my goal regardless of how I felt.

It does not always feel good, and it does not have to.