Horror | Sci-fi | Romance

Madame, writer, or stunning Drag Queen?

[frenchielacreateur]

Hello, lovelies!

Its that time of week again where I prattle on about something that may or may not be as interesting as I think it is.

This time, it’s my office, or rather, what I’m using as my office. Currently I work out of my bedroom, on my side of the bed, with my laptop hooked up to a 32in TV and a lap desk to try and not feel like a total bum.

That said—I like it (for now). I have a storage situation that is workable right now, but things could be better…namely, I want my own dedicated office space. I used to have one before my bestie and roommate moved in, and my husband has the other spare room as his office, so I either get the living room or the bedroom.

Once we can get our own place (hopefully in a year or two) I should be able to have my own office, and when I do…hooo boy do I have plans.

I want two separate areas in my office. One being a dual purpose table, half for scrapbooking/art half for computer stuff. The table pictured is exactly what I want…it would be an island in the room and I could move around where I liked when I needed to.

The other area would be a seating area. Not this specific couch (though it does go well with the paint color I want)  but something that’s a 2 seater that can be a bed as well, or just a day bed, I’m not picky. It’d be in the corner out of the way probably with a cat tree nearby and I’d have a Bluetooth keyboard that goes to…

The Monitor stand. Yes. A rolling monitor stand, with shelf for my laptop. Why is this important? Well it’ll save space on my desk, keep a coffee table clear of cords and I can move my stuff where I need it when I need it. I’m sure it’s doable.

Some use of rolling carts and I’ve got a room that’s functional for me.

I just can’t wait to actually get the stuff for it!

[frenchielacreateur]

Hello, lovelies!

So it’s the first of December and thus comes the time of thinking up resolutions and how to ‘better’ ourselves, to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. To strive to be perfect, or as close to that as we can.

Usually I don’t do resolutions or ‘goal setting’ in the normal sense because I think that its all very hollow. Usually people only do ‘true attempts’ at goal setting at new years because it’s the beginning of a cycle, but once they falter, the idea is ‘ruined’ and lots of times people will wait until the next new year to try again.

I know I did that before I became frustrated with myself and called it off.

But then I realized…I just changed my way of repeating THAT cycle.

I just do it with notebooks.

Here’s the thing, I always write in pen because I’m left-handed and don’t want to get the graphite on my hand. So, when I do inevitably mess up, I can’t just erase the offending marks. I’m stuck with them and I’m devastated.

But why though? No one is looking at these notebooks/planners but me, usually, and I know I’m not perfect so why am I having a conniption fit over what I already know to be true?

My idea is that its because it’s a representation of that imperfection that I can’t hide or gloss over. Its there, in black and white and its not going away. I think that says a lot about who I am as a person. I want so desperately to be seen as this person to be looked at as a beacon of perfection that if my notes/planners/sketches aren’t perfect that maybe it’ll let others in on the truth…that I’m a fraud.

I know that no one thinks or expects me to be perfect. At least not people worth being perfect for. So why do I try so hard?

Part of it is because of the standards I hold myself to. I like to think I’m capable of perfection. That I’m just working on getting there—so I’m just falling short of where I could be instead of over-extending myself on a way to an unattainable goal.

The other part of it is because I’m trying to lie to myself and everyone that I’m doing better than I am. I’m typically in a depressive state—rarely am I manic/euphoric, and I don’t want to worry anybody so I guess if I look perfect/productive no one will see how bad I feel most of the time or question me. (I guess the jig is up, now?)

My bullet journal, for instance, is a great exercise in not fearing mistakes, or imperfections. My spreads can be just as beautiful with a crooked line. Stickers can go over an ink blotch, etc. The whole thing isn’t ‘ruined’ because I made an error.

Neither am I.

[frenchielacreateur]

So another week has flown by, and I’ve gotten so much done, and near none of it is actual writing. Wow. Just…how do I do that?

I wonder if its just because I’m in a ‘prep’ period still? I don’t know.

I didn’t write AH or 3HX this week. I’m not sure if AH is happening for a little bit due to holidays and issues arising from that, but 3HX needs to get some write time.

Today and tomorrow, though? That’s for Social Media. I’m doing my own daily post challenge on Instagram, and Wednesday and Friday are ‘off’ days where I don’t do any platform work—the only thing I can do if I’m going to work on it at all is write.

We’ll see how that works.  

Pushing AH on tapas worked out alright. Got a few more eyes on it. Going to keep on that and add Wattpad to the mix.

Product reviews? I have like 3 new bullet journals/planners to tell people about. So far, so good.  

[frenchielacreateur]

Hello lovelies!

So, Christmas (in part) came early for me, because of Black Friday, and the way that bills fall for us means that I have Christmas from my husband earlier than expected. Since neither of us can wait for anything he got his Warhammer40k stuff early and I got my journaling stuff.

I got a couple bullet journals, a Clever Fox planner, Some Ohuhu brush tip/fineline markers for the bullet journaling, and a couple sets of stencils that fit perfectly in the Clever fox box.

BUT what I’m most excited about?

My Canon Selphy CP1300—which is basically a fancy portable photo printer that can print as large as 4x6 photos. (For my scrapbooking) I tried it last night and oh boy, that thing is awesome—it prints in 90seconds.

 Anyway, I’m going to be reviewing the different things I’ve been getting and will let you all know how they pan out.

Now to get lost in my fucking social media prep for December.

[cwritesfiction]

Noooooo I’m not reusing the same tropes in all my WIPs, I’m just (checks notes) “creating an author brand”

[frenchielacreateur]

The fact that the internet is deciding to attack me? Rude.

[keepcalmandwritefiction]

Dear writers,

Don’t make yourself feel guilty about wanting to rest.

Resting is NOT synonymous with laziness. Resting is part of writing. It’s a time when your brain heals and prepares for the next round of tackling with words.

Sincerely, Tired Writer

– June Hur (Author of Ten Thousand Rivers)

[frenchielacreateur]

Well if this Ain’t me. I’m now scheduling Days off, cause that’s the only way i’ll do it.

[writingdotcoffee]

People write for different reasons. For me, it’s a compulsion.

David Sedaris (via writingdotcoffee)

[isabellestone]

Good beta readers are a life saver and you cannot convince me otherwise

[northernrosewritings]

In light of the recent conversation about Writeblr, I’ve decided I’d like to engage with the community more than I have been since I made this blog. So could active Writeblrs please reblog this so I can figure out who is still posting content??

[allcutified]

[frenchielacreateur]

Hello lovelies!

I’ve been trying to think about how the hell I’m going to find my ‘thing’. No one follows an author (unless they’re a reader who’s legitimately interested in their writing) unless they feel the author in question has something to give back to them.

I’ve been trying to think of what exactly I have to give back to my fellow authors who follow me (thank you by the way, I’m happy to have you!), and for the readers who have a particular interest in seeing the behind the scenes of what I do.

Most people like to think that they have something interesting about them, and I admittedly am one of them. I’m not super-interesting-to-the-max™ but I’ve got enough going on that I’m not a totally boring shut in.

For one, know I’m becoming adept at decorating for being on Team Broke-AF. I shop sales, I make do with things that aren’t AS nice or are ‘nice for the price’ to cover up the fact that my walls are a ghastly puce color. (My entire apartment is puce—and it’s disgusting). Mostly that involves tapestries, and string lights that pull focus from the shitty wall color, but still, it works for me, for now.

Another thing I’m good at is playing room Tetris. My roommate benefits from this greatly. She’s got an ASTOUNDING amount of stuff in her room thanks to me and figuring out how to fit furniture so its functional and looks good. I’m currently in the planning phases of doing the same to my bedroom, which is my current workspace. (It has a door and keeps my needy cat out of my lap.) Right now, it ain’t cute in here, but once it is, and is decorated there’ll be a workspace tour.

The thing I’m AMAZING at, however, is keeping myself organized. I have a bit of an obsession with organizational things (pads, planners, pens, markers, post-its, tabs, etc). I have an A5 size planner and 2 desk pads that I use to keep myself organized right now, because due to various conditions my memory is shitty. I need something in pretty much every direction I look telling me what I need to be doing at any given moment, or how MANY things I need to be doing. Example: I have to work on five posts for Facebook, so on each pad/planner page I have five circles that need to be filled in. Once something is done—I can use my cool pens to fill in the dot.

I’ve also been making planner pages…simple ones, but planner pages nonetheless. Ones more suitable to what I need in my planner (daily stuff as well as writing stuff). I might offer them when I get ones that look nice. Who knows?

What I DO know is, I’m good at keeping myself on task, and I think I’d like to help others keep on task as well, especially others who are motivated by similar things I am (I’m a sucker for sticker charts).

So, I’ll probably get working on a post for next week with more information on how I keep organized. For now, have some pictures of my planner, my desk-pads and one of my planner insert books.

[frenchielacreateur]

Hola lovelies!

So today in ‘what does Frenchie have going on’, we’re delving into my short stories…well, not really. I’m not going to spoil them for those that care about that sort of stuff, but we’re going to be talking about my plans for my Collected Short for the upcoming years.

I have damn near 40k words of short stories, mind you this is before edits, so it could end up being more or less, Some of the stories are needing serious re-working which is going to happen Q1 of 2021. I’ve been taking time from looking at them so that I have fresh eyes for editing/revisions.

There are seven stories and two flash fictions, and while three of the nine pieces are solid, the others are either getting re-done or just need serious polishing and that’s BEFORE an editor gets their hands on it.

Q2 is going to see my stories go off to an editor for ALL the edits. Dev, line—the works. Fuck me up, fam, I’m ready. I want these stories to be the best they can be, because I don’t just want to put out a book and call myself an author…I want people to enjoy my work, too.

I’m hoping to have all the edits, the cover and all the back-end stuff done by the end of Q3 for a beginning of Q4 release date.

This is a full year from my original planned release date of November 2020. Things uhm…well, because of health issues leading me to stress (we’re talking insomnia inducing, hair falling out stress) I didn’t get my revisions/edits/back end stuff done in time.

But, life happens, and I’m learning to not be so controlling and let things go that I cannot control. Otherwise I’ll be bald and have to re-do my branding…again.

I’ll start posting some snippets / non-spoilery excerpts of the early drafts very soon.

 Anyway, I know this is a short one, but Timelord Frenchie back in October has a billion things to do.

 Stay safe, lovelies!

 <3 XO

[writingdotcoffee]

When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.

Stephen King (via writingdotcoffee)

[catasters]

[frenchielacreateur]

I have four and shit is still hard...uhm...what does that mean, exactly?

[frenchielacreateur]

Hello Lovelies!

               This time I did a little bit better than last. I still didn't write twice a week for Agony Hill; however, I did write once for it this week, which is an improvement.

               Still, didn't meet the goal so I'm dialing it back this week to see if I need to be a bit softer with my goal setting.

               Speaking of Agony Hill, I haven't really been pushing it on social media, and that is just pure laziness on my part.

               Agony Hill deserves more than it's getting, there's maybe a handful of reads each week, but that’s it. No comments, nothing.

               I'm going to spend time on Tapas.io and other platforms pushing Agony Hill to get more eyes on it.

 ALSO....

               -Keep up with Instagram.

               -Keep two days for social media.

               -and work more on 3HX.

[catasters]

[frenchielacreateur]

I really wish my cats would do this. Best pen holder ever. 10/10

[urban-hieroglyphs]