Apologies for the (very) late delivery of this morning’s missive. The delay is due to the fact that I’ve spent most of the morning searching for my password to the new Authonomy profile I set up for myself last week. Of course, just as I’d given up hope of finding it, and requested the site to send me a new one, what happened? I found where I’d taken careful note of the original password, tucked neatly away in my notebook – for whatever reason, my eye had just hopped over it the last ten or fifteen times I’d looked. So, then I had to reset the new password and reinstate the old one… *wipes brow*
And all this before I’ve put up a word of my writing!
So, Monday morning has been a bit of a kerfuffle so far. Perhaps that’s because I had a wonderful weekend, spent with family and friends (in fact, spent with friends who are as good as family, so the best of both worlds!), and during which I didn’t worry about writing, or my work, or the future. I met a beautiful new baby girl who melted my heart, and I took a long walk in the wind and rain – that might not sound like fun to some people, but I enjoyed it. All this relaxation, and the change in my focus and pace, is probably responsible for my ditziness this morning. But it’s wonderful to have the opportunity, and the license, to be ditzy once in a while.
I had managed to wind myself up into a panic about The Novel at the end of last week – none of which was necessary, of course – and I had felt like I was making myself unwell as the week drew to a close. I had a sore throat, I was exhausted, and I felt like my eyes were going to fall out of my head. Thankfully, I feel much more rested now and eager to begin the work of writing once again. The weekend was a lifesaver, really. I’d decided on Saturday that I felt unable to continue with ‘Tider’ for the minute, and I thought I might leave it for a while, and focus on other things – but in my heart, what I really meant was ‘I think I might leave it, forever, and forget I ever started writing it.’ Thankfully, I no longer feel that way. During my refreshing walk yesterday, I found myself thinking about the book and coming up with another idea to strengthen the beginning of the story – so I’m taking that as a hint that my mind hasn’t finished with this story yet.
My walk left me feeling (and looking!) a lot like this guy. Invigorating, to say the least!
Image: theatlantic.com
I’m going to do some work on my other WiP today, though, the first book in what I’m dubbing ‘The Astolat Conspiracy’. I have a trilogy planned out, and I’m enthusiastic about the characters, their voices, and the plot. I’m ten chapters into the first book, and I’ll keep you all posted on how it’s going. In the next few days you’ll probably see new Tabs appearing across the top of this blog, where you’ll be able to find out more about ‘Tider’ and my other WiPs. (At least, if I can figure out how to do it in an elegant manner, you will. My husband the computer genius is away for a few days with work, so he can’t help me. I’m a bit apprehensive about going it alone!) And, if I haven’t locked myself out of my Authonomy account forever, I’ll tell you how that’s going, too.
It’s all happening around here today! I hope your weekend was restful and relaxing, and that you’re full of energy and enthusiasm for the week ahead.
(And even if you’re not full of energy and enthusiasm, I hope you have a great Monday, and a happy and productive week ahead of you. I recommend going to visit a gorgeous newborn, and then taking a walk in the rain. It worked for me!)
SJ O'Hart 
I know what you mean about the wind and the rain 🙂 Sounds like a timely and well-deserved break after all your hard work.
Thanks! I’ve spent today mostly pootling about on Authonomy and working on my next WiP, so I’ve eased myself into it gently. At least I didn’t spend the day under my duvet stuffing myself with Galaxy bars, I guess. 😀
That’s the kind of day I’d be happy to have 🙂
What exactly is Authonomy? And tell me, is it ok for you to work on several stories at the same time? Or do you spend one day doing one and the second day another or… ?
I should’ve made it clear in the blog what Authonomy is – sorry about that. It’s a website run and managed by the publisher HarperCollins, where writers can post their work for other writers to critique and give feedback on. In exchange for receiving feedback, you’re expected to give constructive and supportive feedback to other site users, too. It’s a great resource. Anyone can browse around for things to read, but you need to be a user to post comments, as far as I know.
As for working on several stories – yes, I often work on several things at the same time. Maybe not always on the same day, but perhaps one day I’ll be at work on one project, and then the next I’ll write some of another project. Yesterday I found myself doing work on an old WiP, and then I moved on to ‘Eldritch’, and that was fine. I suppose it depends how invested I am in the story, and how interested I am in it. And, also, what I want to do with it. Some stories are probably going to stay on my computer forever, so they don’t take up as much brain-space as the stories I want to put out into the world. 🙂
Also, how do you manage to write your posts regularly? I envy you 😦 I’m struggling with keeping my New Year’s promise of writing 2 post in English and 1 in Polish per week, and you seem to have no problems, and not only you write them, but they are also interesting to read. Any advice you can offer to beginners?
It probably stems from the fact that I don’t have a lot else to occupy my time… 😀
Thanks for saying my posts are interesting – sometimes, when I’m writing them, they don’t seem very good. It’s great to know someone is enjoying them.
As for your own blogging – I think three posts a week, in two languages, is doing amazingly well. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself! Don’t pressurise yourself to write more or less often than you want to. I don’t have any advice, really, because I’m still a beginner myself. The only thing you need to write an interesting blog is a topic you’re passionate about. Once you find the thing you love to write about, your blog will be interesting to read. And if you enjoy writing it, that happiness will seep through into your posts. At least, that’s what I think! 🙂
If you don’t have to get up in a “working 9 to 5” way, then you’re a really lucky gal! God how I envy you! Oh how I envy you! 🙂
Oh, there’s nothing to envy – living on one salary isn’t a lot of fun! I gave up my job a while back to give the writing a go, so I know my efforts to ‘make it’ are very time-sensitive. I don’t have the leisure of doing this my entire life! My husband and I are getting by, but it’s not something I’d recommend. 🙂
Oh 😦 I thought you were very rich or something like that 🙂 It’s a pity you’re not but on the other hand, I still think it was a great idea to try writing full-time. I hope your books will be very successful so that you can make a living out of them for the rest of your life!
Thanks! Me too. No, we’re definitely not rich. But, I’ve never wanted to be. Enough to get by is enough, I think.