PINK. I got my postcard in the mail yesterday for Dragon*Con 2012 and.. it was -pink-. Like, highlighter pink. Pardon me while I hurl a moment.

*leaves and comes back*

Now then, where was I? Oh yes. Aside from the -unfortunate- color, it’s a reminder of things to come. It’s not until September but I’m already looking forward to it. For those that don’t know, Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film.

It’s held annually in Atlanta GA around Labor Day weekend. Quite frankly, it’s 100% pure awesome. It’s the one time of the year where I can meet other writers and editors in person. It’s the one time of year I can attend live performances of some of my favorite bands. It’s the one time of year where I can be me in all my geeky glory. I can’t wait!

*happy sigh*

Okay, enough about my favorite geek fest. I think I owe a status update if I’m not mistaken. So what have I been up to since I stepped away from ROW80? I’d love to give you an answer that would blow your mind but I can’t do that and still tell the truth. The fact is, I’ve been catching my breath. Sort of.

The first week I didn’t write or do anything with writing. It felt good to breathe but I was suffering withdrawals. I was getting cranky and my characters wouldn’t shut up. I tried reading fiction (*gasp*, I know right?) but that only made things worse when I started pointing out things to myself like the hook and the inciting incident. I was even, still am, looking at how the author was using description and dialog better than I have in the past. That’s not to say I haven’t been enjoying the book (because I have!) but my craft was calling me to return.

The second week I caved. I started listening to my characters and began to take a hard look at what I had previously come up with for the story. It was so forced it wasn’t funny. So with great trepidation, I tossed the whole lot into the garbage bin and vowed to start everything over from scratch. I’ve redone the character profiles. I’ve redone the setting profiles. I’ve even created a physical story board in my office to start plotting on.

The third week is in progress and I have to say.. I’m freaking excited about this project. I mean really excited. My inner writer is jumping up and down, like a squealing 8 year old on their bed, and screaming “Can we get started yet? Please? With cherries on top?” But my inner editor is playing the adult here and making sure that I don’t start until the story is completed on the board.

Like I said on Twitter this morning, brainstorming/plotting is a lot like writing. If you don’t put your butt in the chair, it WON’T get done. I can’t get that freaking kid to sit his ass down and plot. I’m aiming to have the board mostly completed by this time next week. I’m not sure if I can manage to meet that little “deadline” but I’m going to try. The sooner it’s done, the sooner that little kid can get cracking (and stop jumping on the freaking bed)!

I’ve never had a problem hitting the delete key on a manuscript or balling up what I wrote just to throw it into the nearest garbage bin. That’s to say, unless it has value or purpose. I’d never do that to my poetry collection (again) or a manuscript that I’ve published (or feel could be published). I’ve known lots of people who won’t let go of anything they write. But that’s not me. It must have current value or purpose, otherwise it’s just a waste of space.

That leads me to where I’m going with this, the “blog”. The site itself has had many incarnations through the years in not only in content but backend architecture and design. In hindsight, those incarnations were the result of my changing needs and goals. In the last few years, it’s helped me type and assemble my poetry collection, track my progress on getting published again and kept me on path to reach my goals. But yet again, its current purpose has run its course.

Or has it? I’m not a professional career writer yet. But I want to get there. I’m not at a healthy weight yet. But I want to get there too. Like everyone, I’ve got short term goals and long term goal. But I think I’ve been approaching my site the wrong way. It’s not about individual goals or a single purpose. It’s about the journey itself and that’s what my site needs to be geared towards.

Over the next little bit, given that life seems to be stuck in “hectic mode”, I’ll slowly be making some small changes (as I can) to the site to gear it towards the journey, rather than a specific set of goals or purpose. It’s time to reduce the extras and the stress, recycle what doesn’t work and reuse what does. It’s time to firm up my resolve. It’s time to narrow my focus. It’s time to get things done, MY way. It’s time to take a journey.