So, so, so.
Years ago, when I first started this blog, I’d talk about my writing progress, but these past two years have been…different. The obvious reason is/was COVID. My own “mild” case left me with brain fog for over a year, and however necessary, the lock-down didn’t help. At the same time, I’d retired from my 40-year career as a software developer, and I am still working through the transition from highly structured days to ones where I don’t need to wake up early, or work until late. This led to me watching LOTS of shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime. (I highly recommend both Inspector George Gently and Balthazar.)
But that’s okay! It’s okay to relax, to watch shows or read a good book while the cats take turns on my lap.
The trick is to not lose track of what else matters to me.
Family matters.
Self care matters.
Writing matters.
Family means spending time with my beloved spouse. Going out on date nights. Planning a very relaxing vacation in July. Giving hugs and kisses at random times. Making each other laugh. Being partners. I’m a very lucky person to have this man in my life. (Sadly, this paragraph didn’t age well.)
Self care…You could say relaxing on the couch is part of that, but it also means sitting outside in the sun. Making my personal spaces a joy to inhabit. Remembering to breathe. To be kind to myself.
Which brings me to writing. The writing’s been slow and, alas, not so steady, over the past three months. NotMansfieldPark reached the 33K mark when things stalled, so I took a step back and reviewed both the manuscript and my plot notes. Did more research. More brainstorming. Pinned down the magic system. Worked out more details with the characters and–most important–how all this fits together. I’m now working through the existing text to add those new details and to update the plot to match. I’m also giving myself smaller daily goals to build up momentum. As I tweeted the other day, Writing this novel is important for me, and that’s reason enough to finish it.