Well, it’s near enough to the end of March to call it: It’s a half-win.

My goals were to read a cozy mystery and to delve into how to write a cozy mystery of my own.

I read the cozy mystery, and then a few more. Win!

I could not get my brain to focus on the exercises in the how-to book. Fail!

I could blame work. I could blame the weather. I could blame the fact that I pulled a muscle in my neck and could barely move my dominant arm for 5 days. Even now that it’s on the mend it’s uncomfortable to type, nevermind write long-hand, which I was doing for the exercises.

It was actually a combination of things, and not the book’s fault.

It’s an excellent book, and if I was to complete the exercises and follow the steps I would have a great mystery novel, of that I have no doubt. Unfortunately, it’s not a quick fix to writing. It’s not something to put a short deadline on. Not if the end result is going to be any good.

Reading everyday, writing everyday – I think if I had a different job during the day it might work out, I know it could with my former job. I was able to go back to school online while at my former job. This new one? I wouldn’t dare.

So, I come out of the March challenge happy to be reading again, and disappointed that I will be going into April without the mystery blueprint that I’d planned. I’m hopeful that I can still continue with Writing & Selling Your Mystery Novel and participate in Camp NaNo.

As a matter of fact, that is what I will do for Camp NaNo: read and do the exercises, with a goal to get to the end of the first part called “Planning.” This section is about plots, characters, red herrings, and setting the scene.

My biggest challenge will be to accept the advice in the book and not (mentally) argue “I already know how to do that.” Maybe I did, once upon a time, but I am out of practice and I need help. Period.

Watch out April, here I come!