Newton: We were invited to participate in the My Writing Process blog tour by the kitties of The Cat on my Head (and their human, Janet). They have been blogging since July of 2012, and one of the really fun things about visiting their site is reading the their sidebar. You don’t read sidebars often, but they used to have original poetry there, and now they feature tales from the cat scouts. It’s a fun bonus to keeping up with Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, and Calista Jo.
The blog tour asks you to answer a series of questions, so I had better get started!
Actually, I’m going to delegate this questions-answering stuff to the head peep. This sounds too much like work, and I’m a spokescat. I’m too handsome to do work.
What am I Working On?
The most time-consuming posts for the blog are Topical Thursday posts, since they usually require research. I often have one or two of them in draft form and try to have at least one ready to go. At the moment, I’m gathering photos for a draft about alternative litterboxes and finishing photo edits for a blog post about a visit to Big Cat Rescue last week.
I’m also working on getting more familiar with our local rescue community to better locate the special needs cats in our area to be featured as adorable adoptables. Rescuing Ashton made me realize how many less-adoptable cats were out there, and they all deserve to be part of families the way she is. The local cat rescue community isn’t very cohesive, so this is an ongoing challenge.
Additionally, I’m working on some research for a (non-cat-related!) urban fantasy novel that I may draft during this November’s NaNoWriMo event. I have a rough draft of another completed, but unlike a lot of writers, I write novels because I enjoy the process, not because I want to publish them. Yes, I write novels for fun. That probably defines a writer!
How Does My Writing Process Work?
I keep a list of potential Topical Thursday subjects in a couple places… some are on my phone in the Notesy app, which replicate to my PC using Dropbox. Others are in text files in a designated folder on my PC, which is backed up to Dropbox so that I can access it anywhere. I sometimes begin drafting topics in Notesy on my phone so I have a head start before I sit down if I find time when I’m away from the PC. Otherwise, I sit down at the computer and write up the topical post, then go hunting for relevant photos.
My process for writing most other posts about the cats is the opposite. I take a ton of photos, then go through a folder of raw photos to find the ones that can help tell a story… then it’s just a matter of helping the story along with some dialogue or narrative.
Unlike a lot of other folks these days who use laptops exclusively, I do my work primarily at a desktop computer. I have a geeky background in gaming where desktops are preferred for their graphics processing power, and though I don’t have time to play games on the computer any more, I stick to some of the workflows on the bigger PC. One of the things I use a lot is multiple monitors. I usually write on my left screen and edit photos on the right screen. This has the bonus effect of making it harder for Pierre to stand completely in front of all of my monitor space when I absolutely need to get something done.
Pierre: I heard that!
Challenge accepted!
The blog is currently publishing Monday through Friday, and I try to have the week’s post queued up by Sunday night so that I can work on other things and find time to visit everyone else’s blogs during the week. I use a WordPress plugin that displays a little calendar and marks the dates that have future posts. It’s very satisfying to see a week’s worth of day’s marked off ahead of time, and I had no idea how much of a relief it would be to not scramble for a new post nightly.
Why Do I Write What I Do?
I’m a writer. I have been writing most of my life, and I have written professionally for many years. But my professional writing is boring, technical stuff, not anything you would be interested in reading here!
I started writing Topical Thursdays features in part because it seems like among my friends, I’m the one that everyone comes to when they have a cat question. I realized that I end up knowing things about cats that others don’t simply because I read about them. I’m not an expert about anything about cats, but I like consolidating the information I know and gathering new facts to complete the picture. Occasionally, a Topical Thursday post goes live, and I have second thoughts, afraid that the content is totally obvious. When that happens, inevitably someone who I respect comments that they didn’t know about whatever it was. That really makes me glad I spend the time writing those posts.
For the rest of the blog, I post about the cats and their interactions because they’re in charge and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Pierre: Weren’t you supposed to be writing? I don’t even see a rough draft here.
Newton: No peeking!
Newton: The last part of the blog tour rules is that we are supposed to pass this on to three other writers. The problem is that I was lurking in the kitchen for treats instead of keeping track of who has already done the tour. So if no one has invited you yet, please consider yourself invited by me!
I really enjoy reading these! I still need to write mine.
Pierre, good luck trying to block both of those monitors! Maybe you can get Newton to help you with that 🙂
It’s been interesting reading how other bloggers work.
Pierre…we only have one…you can come here and block ours if you want 🙂
The Florida Furkids
I am Hannah and Lucy’s slave and I spend Sundays doing drafts of their blogs for the week ahead and getting their pictures ready. If something else crops up to take priority I just keep the blog post I wasn’t using as a spare and post another time. BTW I always do the posts on my main computer as my laptop is purely as a backup in case the main one gets a fault and I need to get a clever friend in to sort out whatever is wrong. I thought I was the only person who did it like that but at last I have found someone else.
Hannah and Lucy’s Mum Sue
We’ve enjoyed reading about everybuddy’s writing process. We were invited to do this and we gotta get working on it!
We are in awe of your organization! Love how high tech you are with the way you keep it all organized and you are a great wordsmith!
We love these posts on how all the magic happens with our favorite blogs 🙂
I think the woman drooled a little bit on your gaming computer! But we like seeing how you work…
You just made Dads day as he got axed to do this tour a few weeks ago and could not get to it for technical reasons. (Ouchie shoulder) We have really great home made litter pans that really help out with our big family who live in a small area. Dad has pictures of construction if you would like them just ask.
Purrs
Timmy Dad and Family
Sheer genius Newton. I knew there had to be a format for your informative and creative blog posts..and of course Pierre is the comic relief.
Bravo hugs madi your bfff
We sent our email by the contact link on your page for the litter box info
Let us know if you got it
Timmy
We enjoyed reading about your process! MOL, we don’t even have a desktop anymore!
You are very organised with your writing process. My mum prefers to use the desk top too and mostly uses the lap top in winter so she can sit by the fire with it.
I envy your multiple monitors, although apparently you’re not allowed to view either of them! I use my laptop or the networked PCs at work when I post. You are SO ORGANIZED, it’s sickening. (nb: berate self for procrastinating some MORE)
xx Trish
We agree – multiple monitors is the way to go!! We’re desktop too! GOod luck with NaNoWriMo!
Inneresting. TW does all my blogging from a desktop computer but not cos she’s a geek. It’s cos it’s all she has. Wha! multiple monitors!
Wow your process is so wonderfully organized, even if Pierre could still block both monitors MOL! It has been great reading everyone’s process, or in our case lack there of! Can’t wait for the litter box post, not sure if what we are using is the wisest outside of keeping the Girls from fishing out “kitty cookies”.
Marty and Mom
I loved reading about your Writing Process! Much more organized than mine… MOL! Maybe one day I will get my posts done ahead of time… It’s my goal! Oh, and your computer set-up is super cool! Love your blog!
Very interesting stuff about the Head Peep’s writing process, cool. We are desktop folks here too…and great Assistant you are Pierre, we know that you must be integral to the writing process for sure.
Wow, our mom is impressed on how organized you are, and super envious that you can multi-task with photos and text on two different computers. She’s glad she tagged you for this challenge as it was very interesting to see how you tackle things. Thanks for the nice paragraph about us and the link back. As you can see, we have gotten very behind in our comments and are working our way back through your last several posts. Good job! XO, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo