Friday, September 02, 2011

What I've learned this summer

More lists, in honour of Molly, who is having the vacation of a lifetime.

1) summer is the hardest time of the year to write. I'm unfocused, reluctant to sit and work and lacking in focus. And judging by how much work my critique group sends out, we all feel this way. When the Fall hits, it seems all of us get to work and scenes get sent out, and we meet much more frequently.

2) Without an actual deadline, it's hard to muster up the enthusiasm to put the last, finishing edits on a book, the detail work that I generally don't enjoy as much. I should have finished this book three months ago and I'm still editing it... Creating my own deadline doesn't work for me any longer.

3) Every writer needs a break. I've watched critique partners and friends push to three, even four books a year and there is inevitably the book that teaches them they need to take a break, the one that needs a complete edit, or where each sentence is painful and they lose the joy.

4) Too much bachelor pad can turn your brain to mush, but two hours a week is just perfect.

5) Wear white after labour day. That rule that says not to is outdated.

time to get back to work. Have a great labour day.

5 comments:

Kwana said...

Very true list, esp in Bachelor Pad. LOL.

Maureen McGowan said...

Ha! Great list.

Eileen said...

I think I'm more productive in the summer. In fact, I know I am. It lasts until the beginning of November when I begin my annual hate fest about the holidays. That takes a lot of energy and I go into a total slump.

I so need a break. I feel like I've been racing from deadline to deadline for two years and it's not going to stop until March. So far, I haven't leeched all the joy from it, but I know I need a respite soon.

I definitely want to wear white after labor day! It's still hot here. Maybe not white shoes, though . . .

Molly O'Keefe said...

I LOVE THESE LISTS!!!!! Thanks guys - makes me feel like I'm still connected, even when I'm so far away. I thought of all of you yesterday while getting drunk at winerys, ciderys and brew pups. Heaven. Though my head hurts and I hate my kids today who don't understand mom is hungover.

at this point I would kill to watch tv - it's nothing but rugby and NZ kid's shows - which are hilarious.

Karen Whiddon said...

You are so right. I had reached critical burn out point earlier this year. And then I turned in my last book May 1st and didn't start writing again until mid-August (other than a couple of synopsis's). I read and vacationed and now, much refreshed, I can sit down and write.

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