This was one of those weeks where my other responsibilities fell on me hard, and I got very little done on any writing front. Although I hate weeks like that, they happen and I have to learn to roll with it.
People who are not writers think that if we are not getting words on the page, we are not writing. And while that may technically be true, that doesn’t mean we are not making some sort of writing progress.
As anyone who has followed this blog knows, I have been struggling with rewrites of my science fiction YA novel, Veritas. I’ve been chipping away at it, and feeling fairly happy with the new direction, but I have put it aside for now while I work on the non-fiction genealogy book. I am not in the right headspace to dive into fiction at the moment, so it is a good detour for me to take.
But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it. I sometimes get ideas that I hurry to jot down in the notes for when I return. And I recently have been enjoying K.M. Weiland’s blog series on archetypes, which is making me think differently about not just Veritas, but the structure of possible follow-on books in a series.
So, my subconscious has been chewing on Veritas while I’ve been away. And I am also re-thinking the first chapter of another project, this one middle grade, The Curse of the Pharaoh’s Stone. I really love this book, but it has not found a traditional home. My co-author and I are contemplating self-publishing it, but I feel that the first chapter is our issue. We get conflicting feedback about it—some feel it is confusing, others are just fine with it. I think if we can get that right, we might yet find it a traditional home.
I also have another project that is not even on a back burner, more like on the warming pan. It is the sequel to my published book, The Witch of Zal. The first draft is written, but it needs a good deal of editing. And I am in the process of getting a new cover and illustrations for Book 1, before I move on with publishing Book 2.
As you can see, I have been doing a lot of non-writing writing. Sometimes you can move forward even when you aren’t putting words on the page.
How are you advancing your writing these days?
Heat Wave!—CoronaLife Day 859
We are experiencing the first major heat wave of the summer. I mean temperatures at 100 degrees. I’ve heard the National Weather Service has issued instructions on how to bake a lasagna in your mailbox.
More extreme weather has been becoming more the norm in my area over the past few years. Multiple tornadoes, stronger hurricanes, more forest fires, warmer winters, and hotter summers.
Climate change is here to stay.
Thing is, hot weather like this makes me lazy. Coupled with the childhood-learned summer slowdown reflex, I hibernate in the air conditioning and the summer malaise creeps into my soul.
Still, there is much to be done, so I will have to shake it off and get to work eventually.
I am in the midst of a photo project, which will take me longer than I had anticipated (don’t they always?). I also need to do some research into trade reviews and book bloggers for an upcoming book.
I need to create and print the pamphlet for my Board of Education run. And there is current BOE business to attend to.
And the usual family stuff. It may be summer, but we still have doctors’ appointments, swimming, ninja gym, and visits with family, as well as all the usual routine things.
I have plenty to fill my days, if only the heat wave would release me from its spell!