Well, seeing as this is the place to do so, I could say I'm insecure about a few things right now. But I'm also feeling good about some things, so I'm somewhere in the middle. I'm insecure about the fact I haven't posted in a few weeks, due to tech problems with my laptop yet again, so I'm feeling slightly disconnected from the blogging world. I've been working lots of hours on my editing job but I'm feeling good about the fact I've got into a regular routine with this, and posting for the IWSG today will hopefully get me back into blogging regularly too.
I'm insecure about the fact I haven't done a significant amount of writing since the last NaNo ended, almost a year ago, and the final part of my trilogy has yet to get off the ground (my major goal for this year was to write and finish it). Actually, I still need to re-read the end of Part 2 and my novella prequel because due to my failure to back up (again - I'm never going to learn!) they only exist on my stepdaughter's laptop which I currently can't access, but I'm hoping to fix that by the end of the week. Despite this, I'm feeling good about the fact I had my first short story placement in four years earlier this year, I got my collection out in the world to positive reviews, and I got a story submitted to the IWSG anthology (did you?) as well as to another contest which I'll hear about next year. And there's still nearly two months to work on that series ending, and a new year starting in January.
So, it's ups and downs, swings and roundabouts - that's the writing life, isn't it? And it's about letting the good outweigh the bad.
Don't forget to visit the other participants in the IWSG - click here!
35 comments:
There are definitely plenty of things to be happy about here! I also submitted a story to the IWSG anthology. Good luck!
If it makes you feel any better, my own WiP has been giving me a bumpy ride, to say the least, and my computer is acting like it's about ready to call it a life! From the sound of it, you haven't been loafing around, sitting on your hands--lots of good stuff in there for you, Nick, keep it up!
It sounds like you've still got lots to celebrate this month :)! If it makes you feel any better, I wanted to write four novels by the end of the year and I haven't even finished one. So, I revised my goal - if I can get one novel written I'll be happy :). And like you said, we've still got two months of the year left which is plenty of time to get things done :). Good luck with your writing!
Sounds like you're doing well, Nick. Keep focusing and keep that positive attitude - you'll be fine. And good luck with the subs out there! :)
Those little things add up. No need to beat yourself over not writing something huge when you've written and edited so many other works.
There are always obstacles to overcome but technical ones are one of the worst. Been there. My kids spilled water on my laptop once and destroyed it. Arghhh! Good luck with everything.
Remember writing is a journey, a marathon, not a sprint. Okay, except for this month. It's def a sprint the finish line!! :)
Consider backing up with Dropbox. It's free (up to a certain storage amount - which holds a lot) and it's as easy as a click of the mouse (as opposed to digging through the drawer for your flash drive). I love it.
Good luck with your computer repairs.
IWSG #115 until Alex culls the list again
You're just on a rollercoaster eh? I hope you get everything sort ed out and have smooth sailing.
All in all, I think its been a good time, though computer problems can be so frustrating. Hope that does get resolved soon :)
betty
Still sounds like a good year, just different from what you'd planned.
It it makes you feel better, I haven't done a ton of writing in the last year either. Granted, my creative brain goes down the toilet when I'm pregnant, but that was only half the year. I guess sleep deprivation accounts for the next six months. Time to get back on track, eh?
Yes, that's pretty much how writing life goes - lows followed by highs followed by lows... and then a few more highs. I'm not great at backing up multiple copies either - I hope you get to Part 2 soon :-)
Oh no. I hate it when laptops wig out. There's never a good time for that, especially for writers. Good luck with writing. I know how hard it cam be to be able to get the words out.
Ups and downs, that's for sure! I'm having the same feelings here as well, highs and lows. Hopefully you can squeeze more writing in soon and finish your series!! :)
Letting the good out weight the bad...such an important phrase. The fact that you know you can choose to do that bodes well for you.
Yes, that is the writing life. I think we should let go of the guilt for doing what we can do. It's good enough. Life happens and it's OK to engage with life. I've had an off year. It happens.
Sounds familiar. I haven't written heaps either, but I'm getting small stuff done and it's those little victories I can celebrate.
Ouch to the tech problems. They're so frustrating. Sounds like you have a lot of positive things happening.
Susan Says
I think letting the good outweigh the bad is a good mindset to have :-)
That's the trick, isn't it? To let the good outweigh the bad. Sorry things have been so tricky for you, but I hope things work out soon. And speaking of which, it's probably time for me to backup my computer again, too...
Ups and downs denotes progress :) No, I did not get a submission to the IWSG anthology. Couldn't make the word count. I think I was distracted by too many things. there will be another opportunity, I'm sure.
Congrats on all the writing and editing you are keeping up with. Hope all goes well with your computer fixes.
I think you're doing awesome!!!
Happy Writing!
It's okay to take a break from a major story, especially one you've been working on and are heavily invested in. Chances are very good that the more time you have to think about it, the more insights you'll have about the story and therefore the better it'll be once you return to it. As writers we're always torn between allegiance to our first thoughts and the ability to trust later ones. We walk a fine line, because the truth is always somewhere in the middle.
Sounds like you're more or less enjoying a different kind of busy these days - good for you! If it brings you peace and happiness it's well worth a few temporary out of the norm experiences :-)
A routine. I do like the sound of that!
Congrats! I love good news. Hope things get better with the tech situation. =)
It can be hard to get back to regular creating after a long period of not writing, or only editing and revising, but it gets easier the longer we do it. Good luck with the contests you've submitted to.
Hi Nick - so pleased to see you around again ... the techie things are so difficult aren't they. I hope they all get cleared up and clarified.
I'm so pleased the editing is going along smoothly and that will lead you into blogging more often/regularly ...
Take care and all the best - Hilary
Life is definitely full of swings and roundabouts. You take the good with the bad. But reading through your post, it seems like you've had a lot of good happening - like your short story placement! Cheers - Ellen
Sounds like you have a lot of possibilities out there. I think we have to face the fact that this is a long journey and we don't have to complete it overnight. Some months we'll work on some things, some months we'll work on others, and some months we won't work at all!
That is awesome your editing business is keeping you busy. Good luck finding those drafts. I have learned to save backups the hard way a couple times, but now I'm pretty good about it. Thanks for the reminder about saving backups. I entered the IWSG contest and that is one of the stories I haven't backed up. Good luck with the contest!
I often feel disconnected from the blogosphere, too. It can be so hard to stay caught up sometimes, even without tech problems. Best of luck getting back into the swing of blogging and writing!
Writing definitely has its ups and down. You'll get back into the groove. Good luck!
I never got around to the IWSG anthology story, but that's pretty much the story of my life these days.
It does seem like we can get massively disconnected from the blogging world when we step a way for a while. Mostly I think it's somewhat of an illusion because we can fall back in pretty quickly if we stay active in the blogging seen when we come back.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Hi, I'm catching up on reading blogs and posts from IWSG. Good for you for submitting a short story for the Anthology. I branched out of my comfort zone and did the same. Keep writing and working out the technology glitches. That can really set you back. Good to hear from you! I'll check out the duel next.
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