Wednesday, August 3, 2016

IWSG: On not writing

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

This month's IWSG Question:
What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

So before I get into my main topic, I'll see if I can answer this. Of course, there was the epic "Look into the Future" I wrote in grade school, in which I featured as a genius with a horse farm, thereby showing up my big brother and getting the horses I was crazy about, all in one. Other more sophisticated (but still rather puerile) stories and novellas followed in high school. My first real novel--the first to get close enough that I (rather naively) shopped it to agents--was a mystery novel about bike messengers in Seattle called Dispatched to Death. Coincidentally, I was working as a messenger at the time...and though I retain a fondness for the book, that one will remain in my files.

Okay, on to the main bit of insecurity, which hasn't really changed from last month: I'm not writing. I know the reason for that is simple and is sort of okay. I've been on the road/trail for more than 3 of the last 5 weeks, which means that the time I've been home I've been pretty busy recovering from one trip and prepping for the next (photo-editing takes a lot of time after trips!). Really, things have been kind of non-stop here since mid-May. And that coincided with sending my MS (Ninja Librarian Book 3, The Problem of Peggy) off to my editors and beta-readers, so it makes sense.

But I'd had visions of writing short stories to market, starting the next book, or at least getting a bit of traction for editing the 3rd Pismawallops PTA mystery. Not happening. And in 10 days I take off for a week in Seattle helping my Mom move, so I can expect more wheel-spinning. It's getting to be embarrassing when people ask how my writing is going. And I only know one cure for that: make a plan, sit my backside down (turn off the internet) and get to writing/editing. That way I won't be looking at the September IWSG post and making more excuses. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the photos that come out of my vacations!

What about you? Are you a summer writer, or like me, frequently derailed by summertime?


10 comments:

  1. Hi Rebecca,
    Writing and traveling don't mix too well, but I find that when my feet finally stop, and they always do, the words fly on to the page. I can't say they're all good, but there sure are a lot of them. It's like a dam inside me bursts.
    I hope that you find the time soon to reconnect with your writing. There's no better life.
    I found you on the blog hop and was drawn by your blog title. My name somehow didn't make the list, but I did write a post on the topic, which, if you're interested, you can find on my Lovin' Danger blog: http://wp.me/p25Rtf-24i.
    Happy writing,
    Jo-Ann Carson

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    1. Glad you found me, Jo-Ann! Yes, once I recover from vacations and get the family squared away (and out of my space), writing does tend to go very well. So fall is my productive time, tapering through the spring and dying in the summer :) It will be interesting to see how that changes, as my youngest graduates from High School next spring, and my husband retires the year after that!

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  2. Me, I write year round. I'm working on three books as I want to capture the outline, characters and their makeup, setting, conflict and such. Then I'll focus on one and finish it hopefully by summer.

    Stephen Tremp
    IWSG Co-Host August 2016
    www.stephentremp.com

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    1. I do better if I'm in the writing stage come summer, not the editing stage. I'd hoped to get around that by focusing on short fiction, but I failed to lay out an adequate plan (well, that was true for the vacations, too, which is part of why they absorbed all my attention for so long!).

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  3. If you had a full time job, would you take a vacation?

    The problem comes when we get two or more part-time jobs....

    I'm thinking about vacations in October at present, but health issues may delay that to spring :)

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    1. Well, most jobs around here don't let you take the whole summer off :) Though I'm the sort who might finagle it anyway! That's what I tell myself. I don't have much guilt when I'm traveling. It's the slowness to re-start on reaching home that makes me itchy.

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  4. Sounds like you're getting quite a bit done this summer! I love your photos, and you are finishing WIPs, so try not to be so hard on yourself. You only live once - you might as well enjoy the ride! Found you through the IWSG. I'm #258 (if we're still in that order).

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  5. Summer is short! Get out and enjoy it. I've been working like crazy and now regret I've missed the fleeting months of lovely weather (though I've dragged my laptop outside whenever possible).

    I fully believe a break, especially a traveling break, is fantastic for your writing. Now if only we could stop feeling guilty about needing time off now and then.

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    1. Summer IS fleeting--Second Son goes back to school in 2 days. I'm not sorry I was out hiking. I could never be sorry for that :) I'm only sorry it takes me so long to get back in the writing habit when I get back!

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