Friday 8th September 2017

It’s tempting to think that whilst I’m sat here playing World of Warcraft and tracking friends who are chasing Hurricane Irma, that nothing is going on with the writing career.
But the fact is that whilst I try and recharge, the manuscript is currently with my agent.  I got an update that it’s currently being read, and tried to act totally chill and nonchalant about it.
One of two things will happen:  either it will come back in need of further revisions, or it will go out on submission.  Of course, in my head there’s always the third option that it is so terrible, I’ll be dropped, but that fear has lessened over time.
Am I thinking about it?  Constantly.  I stress that this is where I find out what all that hard work has been worth.  I think my biggest fear is that changes in the day job and a tough year last year means I feel slow.  I feel I should be editing faster, that I should be writing faster, that the fact that the last round of edits took 3 months instead of 3 weeks makes me less commercially attractive, will make it more impossible to make a living out of this thing.
I’m very proud that my commitment to quality means that this very real stress doesn’t result in me rushing things… but oh do I wish I could work faster.
In reality, changes in the day job have really slowed me down.  I’ve never pushed my career so I have the mental energy to come home and write, but in the last eighteen months things have got a lot busier, and as a result, I’m not working at my best come the evening.
I’ve been wanting to take a writing break for a couple of months now, but due to projects and other people’s holidays I’ve been unable to.  I can’t really complain as I manage to get time off for tournaments (and to go storm chasing) but I know that when I’ve had writing breaks before, I’ve done as much in a week as a month.
So the current stress is that if (and it’s not going to happen) I got enough of an advance to write full-time, I could turn out books a lot faster.
But, maybe some of this panic is unwarranted.  After all, I already have a first draft of the next novel done, and plan to start a second draft in October.  I am ahead of myself.  I just still feel so slow.
Which is why having a break for September is probably a good idea.  After edits, first draft of second novel, and then more edits, I’m a little ragged.
Warcraft has proved a good distraction, and I had a good time this evening, getting a PUG group to go and do the Mythic Hellfire Citadel raid.  It was a really chill group and I totally enjoyed the experience.  I also managed to complete a mining quest as well as get some achievements and transmog items.  I then went and tried soloing Mythic Siege of Ogrimaar.  It’s a big raid and so it takes a long time, but I got a long way before I ran out of time.
I’m now at that stage in playing Warcraft where I’m running out of things to do.  I tend to do the same things over and over and then burn out.  Part of me wants to start working on the second draft already, but I’m going to force myself to not even look at the planning before the middle of the month.
I just have to keep reminding myself that just because I’m not doing anything on the manuscript, doesn’t mean it isn’t progressing.
Time is my greatest enemy.  I have so much I want to do and forcing myself to rest is a huge challenge.
If you want to follow more of my journey, then be sure to check me on my social channels.  Likewise, if you’d like me to expand on any point mentioned above, please say so in the comments.

Past Issues: 229 | 228 | 227 | 226 | 225 | 224 | 223 | 222 | 221
220 | 219 |218 | 217 | 216 | 215 | 214 |  213 | 212 | 211 | 210 | 209 | 208 | 207 | 206 | 205 | 204 | 203 | 202 | 201
200 | 199 | 198 | 197 | 196 | 195 | 194 | 193 | 192 | 191 | 190 | 189 | 188 | 187 | 186 | 185 | 184 | 183 | 182 | 181 |
180 | 179 | 178 | 177 | 176 | 175 | 174 | 173 | 172 | 171 | 170 | 169 |  168 | 167 | 166 | 165 | 164 | 163 | 162 | 161 |
160 | 159 | 158 | 157 | 156 | 155 | 154 | 153 | 152 | 151 | 150 | 149 | 148 | 147 | 146 | 145 | 144 | 143 | 142 | 141 |
140 | 139 | 138 | 137| 136 | 135 | 134 | 133 | 132 | 131 | 130 | 129 | 128 | 127 | 126 | 125 | 124 | 123 | 122 | 121 |
120 | 119 | 118 | 117 | 116| 115 | 114 | 113 | 112 | 111 | 110 | 109 | 108| 107| 106| 105| 104| 103 | 102 | 101|
100 | 99| 98 | 97 | 96 | 95 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 87 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82| 81|
80 | 79| 78| 77| 76 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 65 |  64 | 63 | 62 | 61 |
60 | 59 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 55 | 54 | 53| 52| 51 |50 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 |45 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 |
40 | 39| 38| 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 |30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24| 23 | 22 | 21 |
20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15| 14| 13 | 12 | 11 |10 | 9 | 8 | 7| 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1