I'm well aware that on one hand, I have the most fortunate of circumstances for being an author. I don't have a partner who pops his head into my office just when the words start flowing really well. Nor do I have children to chauffeur around to various activities. And I don't need to get up each morning and head out to a job where I spend my time and most of my mental faculties for the day.But on the other hand, there is a down side to having this wide expanse of writing time. I never run out of ideas for stories, and usually have three or four projects in various stages of development going at all times. I can stay in my office for six hours at a stretch before coming out of the cave and blinking at the sunlight. I forget there is a world outside of what's in my head. Sometimes (gasp!) I even forget to eat.
Last week, I spoke about the projects I had going on simultaneously. The editing got done first and sent back. The ghostwriting job got shipped off yesterday and now I must wait for payment before starting the next part. And the manuscript I've been working on is in the hands of my beta readers, so I want to wait for their input before I get back to it. So now what?
How about some down time?
There are movies to see, road trips to take, long walks with Mary, books to read. It seems I can't do just one thing at a time. So I'll check the movie times, check the weather and check on what nearby attractions I can get to, what book I want to delve into and decide what to do first, second, third and fourth.
Then, I'll get back to work. How about you? What do you do when you get some free time?
What's down time? LOL I was planning on taking next week off (not the coming one, but the one after that) but I got a special project I couldn't say no to and so I'm behind.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your refilling the well time. :)
You're always busy, Lynn. I know how much you accomplish in a year. I'm trying to stay away from several projects in their various stages and just enjoy the quiet.
DeleteI walk, take the ancient green lanes that wander between villages and farms. It's such a relief not to be able to do anything but carry on walking (if I don't, I'll never get home again). Like you, I work on so many things at the same time, and come out blinking at the bright light — or else I notice that night has come on (what happened to the morning?) and the dogs are disgusted with me.
ReplyDeleteMy dog is good for getting me out of the house and walking. She sits there with her legs crossed and her huge brown eyes staring a hole into me until I surrender and get her leash. The back yard is no longer good enough.
DeleteOh, I know. Mine insist that back yards are boring, short walks are boring, walks around the village are boring,and that living with a writer is totally boring.
ReplyDeleteLet's see down time: It's rooting thru the garage to find something to use as a fence so the grass-cutters quit weed-whacking my flowers (cones-specifically); cleaning the house so my son and his wife, (who are coming home--YEA!) don't have allergic reactions to the cat dander that is certainly floating around; trying to get a grip on my husband's growing dementia; and trying to keep track of my grand-nieces and nephews; get involved in a Post-Polio support group locally.
ReplyDeleteYeah--down-time! :)
marylou
You've always been a busy lady, and this proves it.
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