'Alexa.....Stop Distracting Me!'

Yup, that's right. Bit the bullet. Got an Echo. Amazon are now, more than ever involved in my life. So strange how I have voluntarily welcomed a microphone into my house. I've subscribed to a company to store all my recordings and oh so many requests. That's a small price to pay, to have 50 million songs on the tip of my tongue. How wonderful! I haven't yet began to get in cars with strangers though. I won't be making use of the Uber app.

So, that has been distracting me slightly. I will openly admit. I would put on an album - obviously trying that 30 day free trial for Unlimited and would be writing. The album would end and then I'd stand in the kitchen ( that's where it is, the Echo I mean ) and I'd be shuffling through songs from Brand New, New Edition, Keith Sweat, Twenty One Pilots, Billy Bragg, Knifehandchop, Drop The Lime, DJ Assault, 2 Live Crew and almost everything I could think of. I'm even trying to catch her out.

'Her' - so weird. I say 'morning' and everything. It's amazing.With that, I was trying to automate our lights. We've got Wemo bulbs, they stopped working but you'll be happy to hear I've now got those all synced. Alexa is now controlling them too. Soon, she'll be controlling me. Looking at getting those Hue lights to allow for a bit more colour and depth. Ya see, that's the sort of shit that can get in your head and distract you from what I should be doing. It's a little bit of a hobby distraction. My excuse is, it gives my brain a break. I was writing in between but I'd be taking more breaks than I perhaps should be to add stuff to IFTTT. At least I've completed that now. It's all up and running and I am back to writing. Head down, on it!

I've been referring to my notes that I've been making all over the place. As I'm not necessarily recording music or trying to write songs at the moment. I'm using all of the inspiration or little lines that I have made in the past and putting them throughout the story. They are fitting in quite naturally. If they don't fit in to the narrative anywhere and take attention from the plot then I don't include them. I do though upload them to Instagram. Soon after, I then discard all record of them. That helps too. Clear my head. I don't have to worry all that much that they are then just festering and I'm at least making use of that thought somewhere.

The story is moving. There's been a few humps along the way. Last word count was 55808. I'm sure on second draft that'll be decreased drastically. In fact, knowing my thoughts on some of the dialogue exchanges that may increase. Dylan is becoming more and more rebellious and perhaps even more isolated. He's getting there. Still enjoying writing it and taking it and the sub plots in different directions. I started reading The Great Gatsby again the other day. Lush, completely lush. It isn't too often that I use the word lush in that way but it makes me warm to read that book.

Also, I watched The Perks of Being A WallFlower, the other day. Great movie, really well written. Turns out it was by Stephen Chbosky who also wrote 'Wonder'. Again, beautiful. Sometimes I do feel guilty about what could be argued as 'leisure time' but in all honesty I analyze how characters are introduced, the structure of the story, query how it makes me feel at certain lines being used. So it's research. I'm a big fan of  Gary Vaynerchuk and I am working hard to 'crush it'. If you haven't or are not aware, give him a go. Really motivating and he shares his truth. Can't begrudge that! He's got a genuine out look on life which is positive and it's up to you to get on and do what you love.

I think it's good to have as much influence as possible. That isn't to say you have to make use of any of it. But, I think it's like with anything. The more you practice, whether that be swimming, football, writing or singing. The more you do it. The better you become. Surround yourself with water and you'll become a fish. True of writing. The more you write, the more you're a writer.

Until Next Time...

Do Good Things