I am not as consistent as I would like to be on this blog so let me just say that right up front. I left my writing behind in 2021 after a bad experience with an agent (the one who wanted the rewrite but did not yet represent me; see the post https://wordpress.com/post/therealknightauthor.wordpress.com/859). After all that work, she passed on the project and of course no offer. I was totally disgusted. I had been working hard to create the right manuscript since 2010 and then this happens? So I quit writing for a couple years (as I am sure you noticed).
So now I have come back and am picking up where I left off regarding a few unfinished projects. But this time around I have learned not to expect more of myself than I can actually give. I’ve also learned to be very selective in who I send my work to and under what circumstances. I just don’t have the time. As a full time employee at a large corporation I cannot write during the day. So I have to buy out the time to do so either on the weekends or in the evenings. Add to that the other activities I am involved in that also need their block of time, and I end up stretching myself way too thin.
For instance, I volunteer my time teaching the Bible to interested people. i also have two YouTube channels where I provide tips on how to wear wigs (I have alopecia areata). One channel is about to go the way of the YT graveyard but the other is gaining popularity and thus will remain on my to-do list. I am getting sponsorships as well so it means additional income. Add to that the time I need to devote to housework, cooking, baking and all the other things I do for my husband and myself. You begin to get the picture.
Now that I am back revising my last manuscript I realized I could not do the one thing I love to do each year and that is start a new novel in NanoWriMo. I really wanted to but it just was not the cards. So instead of beating myself up about it, I allowed myself to delete the new project and say goodbye to the competition. And now that I have done so I am OK with it because I must allow myself to say no to myself. I must accept my limitations.
Instead of Nano I am going to work on some revisions to the current novel and plot the next one, at my leisure. No pressure. I feel like I can breathe now that I have taken the burden of 1667 words a day off my shoulders — for now anyway. In a few months I will be free to do a lot more of what I love, so will come back and tell you about that later.
In the meantime, the topic of the next novel should not surprise you: YouTube. 🙂
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