Time to let some things be. If you have never met me in person, you might not be familiar with my type-A style. You remember Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties? He had nothing on me. If I'm not doing at least thirty things at once, it's probably because I'm asleep. Though I have been known to dream about work, trips to England, and fending off terrorists, sleeping really cramps my multitasking style.
I've got a writing conference coming up in November. Between now and then, I have some other projects I'm working on. I sew, play music, fundraise, blog, raise three children, wash clothes, lead a choir, wash dishes, vacuum out vans, help whiny children with homework, operate a preschool shuttle (well, for our family anyway), write magazine articles, read, and then there's the important stuff: I check Facebook regularly. So even though I'm currently writing chapter seven of the third draft of my WIP, November will look a lot closer when I wake up tomorrow on the October side of the bed. I'm not sure yet how long this version of my novel will be, but it may take thirty chapters or more. 3-4 chapters a week? Hmm, don't know if I'll get there.
Back when I attended goal-making school, I think I missed one of the fundamental goal-making lessons: you know, keep your goals time-focused, consistent, and oh yeah, what was that other one again? Attainable.
Maybe I don't have to freak out. The novel may actually get done, someday, somehow. That day and that how may not be in mid-November and it may not be with bags under my eyes and a chocolate IV hooked to my computer monitor. You NaNoWriMo types might disagree, but I think writing a novel in a month is ridiculous. At least for me.
I'll take a deep breath, and let myself take longer to finish. After all, no editor is shoving deadlines down my throat. It's better to be sane than to have an impressive list of rushed accomplishments. And those are my words of wisdom for today.
2 comments:
Great advice. Hard to follow. At least for me. I feel so driven to work on my WIP but then life throws urgent stuff at me and my day is gone. I still found time to read your blog, though. Priorities. :)
Funny note: That word verification thing that you have to type in the box in order to comment? Yeah, the word today is "wayste." What is your blog trying to tell me?
"November will look a lot closer when I wake up tomorrow on the October side of the bed."
Loved that!
You are one busy lady. Some people thrive this way, though, and you're apparently one of them. Go you!
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