We’re almost a third of the way through December already. I haven’t done any editing or revising or even much in the way of new writing, although my mind has been busy with the latter. What I have been doing is starting to regroup and see where I am and what I need to do so I can make plans for the new year.
Part of that involves clearing out all of the “important” papers in my computer hutch. All of the stuff that I shove under my monitor – and beside my monitor when I run out room under it – because it’s important and I need it and need to refer back to the information on it.
Um, yeah. Right.
I’m not sure I’m going to know what even half of these notes mean when I read them – if I can read them. Given my handwriting and the length of time since my last computer hutch clean out the chances are pretty good that I’ll have no clue what some of them mean. (How old is this stuff I’m dealing with? I just found a work schedule from the end of August and it wasn’t anywhere near the bottom.) (And I swear the more I pull out of there the more there is.)
But, archaeological dig through the computer hutch aside, I also need to decide what to focus on next year. The Academy of the Accord, of course, and finishing the revisions of Onyx Sun and getting it published.
And I should stop there, at least as far as major writing goals are concerned. (Although finishing the Elven Bard book I started for NaNoWriMo is also a priority. As is finishing The Other Mages trilogy. And all the other books I have started.)
*sigh*
See what I mean? I have too many things clamoring for my attention, all of which think they are the most important. And there is only one of me so I am vastly outnumbered. And surrounded.
And every time I think I’ve made up my mind about what I’m going to focus my attention on everything else attacks.
Maybe the solution is to make a list of current works in progress and count them up and put them into some sort of rotation schedule where I work on one for a day or two and then go on to another until it’s that one’s turn again. (I think a rotation is about the only thing I haven’t tried.) Of course, I’d have to make allowances for NaNoWriMo months…
Anyhow…
Then, of course, there are the non-writing goals for my life. I always make too many of those, too, so, again, I need to narrow my focus. And find a way to keep myself motivated and hold myself accountable. And be realistic.
(Realistic goals are a real thing, aren’t they? Mine never seem to be – I always feel like I can do all the things all at once right now.)
And find balance between my writing life and my non-writing life. (I’m not including my working-life in this because I go do my 40 hours and that’s it. I work to live, not live to work.)
So, yeah. Taking the month off to take stock and make plans wasn’t really what I planned to do, but that seems to be what’s happening. And that’s okay. It means that I’ll have a renewed sense of purpose and direction come January 1st.
Meanwhile, the excavation of the computer hutch continues.
Novel Notes 