I’m not alone!

Ok, so I said I wasn’t going to blog but this was too good not to share.

This past weekend, I was feeling pretty crappy about not getting more done on my novel. Overly ambitious planning coupled with an intense work schedule and a sudden left field attack of vicious allergies (rain, rain, come my way; wash this pollen all away!) can do that to a person.

Thank goodness for blogging friends who are brave enough to admit the same.

It’s nice to know I’m not alone.

Mridhu Kullar Relph posted about having to scale back her expectations a bit too in favor of more manageable goals. Specifically, actual accomplishable goals.

What a terrific idea.

Instead of setting pie in the sky goals, I need to set better ones. Ok, so my work and allergies wipe me out by the end of the week. Why can’t I get my rest AND focus on only 25 pages at a time?

That certainly seems possible.

Back after these messages…

I’ve decided to take a break from blogging until the end of May.

Between the long hours (and the very unexpected explosion of pollen that makes my head feel like a bowling ball filled with glue) I’ve only managed to get in a little writing down here. Lots less than what I’d ambitiously anticipated which means I most likely will not meet my May 31 goal of having the second draft done and ready for Beta Readers.

As a result:

#1: This sucks.

#2: If I ain’t writin’, I ain’t got nuttin’ to blog about.

Yep, I’m one of those gals who, if she has nothing to say, says nothing at all. Why waste the oxygen?

Anyway, rather than beat myself up over not reaching my weekly goals (my allergies are already doing that quite nicely), I’ve decided to do what I can, when I can, and to take a break from blogging until things get back to normal in June.

Note to self: If I do manage to get in some writing, I must remember not to write outside. At least not until the pollen’s gone–which should be in about 6 weeks.

Right around the time I’ll be leaving.

See you all in June.

California dreamin’

California dreamin’

Leaving work early and heading back to Hotel California for some sunshine, refreshing ocean air, and some quality time with my guys.

And with my checkbook.

End of month means bills to pay so writing’s gotta take a back seat to administrative stuff.

At least until next weekend.

Until then, peace out.

Oh, now I get it

Image courtesy of pat 138241 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So I’m in this extended stay hotel where I don’t have to clean or cook (unless you count throwing something into the microwave), where there’s a desk, table, relatively comfy sofa with a view over a park filled with budding cherry blossoms, and nothing but a straight expanse of time each weekend.

I can either goof off (which I did yesterday because it was rainy and cold and couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday than watching Season 1 of the Borgia’s) or I can sit my butt in the chair and write (which I did yesterday).

Somehow, even though I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday’s scheming intrigues, Sunday was a lot more fun.

No worries. No responsibilities nagging away in the back burner of my mind. No feeling guilty that I’m neglecting my guy.

Just a broad expanse of uninterrupted time in which to write.

Now I get it.

The lightbulb is now on.

I’m a little slow at times, ok? Bear with me.

Settling in

‘Messy Room” courtesy of Bill Longshaw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What is it about traveling for work that makes life so disorganized?

You pull together everything you might possibly need, check it against a list, comb through the piles a few times to toss out the irrelevant, add back a few vital items, then discover you still managed to forget something important.

Like sunglasses. (Very important in sunny climes).

Or socks.

Or nylons.

And here’s a puzzler. Why is traveling for work alarmingly like moving? Just when the suitcase is finally shut up and locked, you turn around and see five more little things that somehow escaped your eagle eye attention.

So you grumpily open the suitcase yet again and struggle to somehow find room for everything.

Maybe it’s the combination of both the professional and traveling life. You’re packed for two scenarios instead of one, trying to remember where you parked, navigating an unfamiliar city (hey, where did that toll road come from??), hunting down decent places to eat (thank you Yelp!) and trying to jump full speed into the new project (the easy part).

No wonder the first week is so tiring.

No wonder I got absolutely no writing done.

Here’s hoping…no, make that planning, to make this coming week different.

On the road

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Starting Monday, I’ll be slogging away for 10 weeks in an attempt to create order out of policy and procedure chaos for an offsite client. Yeah, it’s one of the things I do best.

So for the past several days, I’ve been running around like a crazy chicken getting its ducks in a row.

Hmm, that visual just doesn’t seem right.

Anyway, lots of things to get done before I dive back into the corporate world. One of them includes figuring out a do-able writing schedule. Not sure what to expect right now so on a pessimistic note, I’m pushing back my beta reader deadline to May 31.

Then again, since I’ll be removed from my usual procrastination temptations, there’s a chance I’m completely offbase in my timing.

Let’s see what happens.

Publishing: traditional or self?

Image courtesy of ddpavumba / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Update: And wouldn’t you know? One day after this post goes live, those sneaky people over at Wise Ink go and post an article on why more traditional writers are going indie.

 

Someone asked me the other day what route I was going to to take for publishing–traditional or self?

“Not sure,” was my answer. Both options have bennies. Both also have major drawbacks.

Self publishing means I don’t have to wait three years for my book to hit the shelves, I get more cut of the profits, and I have more control over the final product.

Traditional’s still got the agent working in your favor, someone else handling the font type, copyediting, cover art, etc., and yes, changing the title to give it more zing.

Perhaps there’s even some marketing moolah thrown in for good measure.

Bwa-ha-ha!

(She wipes her eyes) Oh my,  I swear I just crack myself up sometimes.

Now where was I?

Oh yes, traditional or self pubbed–it’s a tough decision to make.

Luckily I don’t have to decide right now. I need to finish the darn thing and polish it (oh freelancing gods, please send me an extra plump contract to help pay the copyeditor fees…) until the book magically morphs from an artistic, creative endeavor into a business product for sale.

And here Mom always told me opposites never attract.

Sure, I’ve got some ideas but rather than put the cart before the horse, I’m backburnering everything until the time is right.

Meanwhile, I skim PW news and blogs while also keeping an eye peeled on what those tricky folks over at WiseInk are up to.