Like Sands through The Houglass

It's been a long time.

A quick update:

My back is still preventing me from spending any quality time in front of a keyboard. Anymore than a few minutes typing and I start to push the pain tolerance levels.

But this doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it!

I've been reading, and I have a new idea. I spend my time formulating how I'm going to progress once I'm fully back in the saddle. This time, I'm not going to be spending large amounts of time networking or giving progress reports. This time I'm going to be writing.

While this is still a couple of months away, I'm spending the time on research and plot development. The end goal is very firmly fixed in my head, as is the path for my character to get there. The background is percolating nicely.

Plans are in place...this year, it's time to follow through.

But the biggest news - it is not horror. It's not even really dark.

I've been considering all the advise I've been given and read over the first few years of me trying out this writing caper and have come to the conclusion I've been playing in the wrong sandbox. Now I'm learning about a new way to formulate a story, one I would enjoy reading.

That's about it for now as the back is now killing me - told you I can't spend much time in the chair.

Speak soon

BT

A Weird Time

I haven't lost the want to write. I haven't grown bored with reading. I don't have something else suddenly taking over my time - and yet, I've done very little this week.

It seems I've almost drifted into a holiday from thinking.

I've managed to write a little over a thousand words to finish Dreaming and read a chapter or two of RealmShift - and that's it.

No critiquing (sorry to he who knows to who I refer)
No reading (sorry Alan - it's not your book)
No writing
No assignments
No reviews

I could put it down to the change in seasons and the approach of my birthday, but I don't really care about either of those. The end of Summer also points to the end of cricket season, which equates to more time for writing - that's a good thing.

My birthday - I don't think I'm going through a midlife crisis at the moment - I've not booked any test drives in a e-type jag or anything.

Could be my stupid teeth - they still hurt and I still haven't seen the dentist - yes I'm a silly scared little human - who isn't when it comes to the dentist? I just happen to have a bigger pain threshold and so can put up with things longer. A bad back will do that much for you ;c)

I think constant pain, my overdoing it last weekend, and general tiredness has caught up with me.

So I'm not freaking out. No sympathy required. I'm just mentioning it as the reason behind my immense slackness this week.

Tomorrow I'll take the field for the last time this season (yes, I've already indicated I'll be playing again next year - I know - I'm an idiot), and we'll drink away the sorrows of a pitiful season. Sunday will be a day of recovery - probably. Monday is my birthday so I'll be relaxing then as well.

Hopefully the dull clouds will lift and I'll be back in the swing. The fact my wife has brought me a laptop for my birthday should be enough to get me going.

How do you get yourself out of a funk?

Weekly Goal Reached!

I'm pretty chuffed with myself.

This week I managed to add 6396 brand new words to Newland. I find myself on that ragged edge, only a quarter of the way into chapter 15, so two and a bit first draft chapters have been completed in the last six days.

On top of that, I read "The Haunting of Hill House" (review to come), edited and resubmitted "Idolatry" which gained me an acceptance (woohoo), received my much anticipated copy of "Tainted" from Aaron (another big woohoo), completed the first draft of my next assignment (444 words in its own right), read hundreds of blog posts (remember I read all of Stuart Neville's), made numerous comments, read two stories from a friend (I am still yet to record my comments - but they are coming), critiqued a requested rewrite for another friend, did a line edit critique on a 5000 word story for yet another friend (it sounds like I have a lot of friends all of a sudden doesn't it?), and finally read at least four online stories, and one online chapter of a story (which I've been following for sometime).

I am now exhausted. So much for cutting back on things!

I need to read. I need to continue writing Newland. I love to help my writing friends and don't expect them to stop sending me stuff just because it sounds like I've got a bit on. It may have to be the blog reading and comments I think. As much as I enjoy my time online, it must be reduced. I will begin to become very selective in which feed updates I'll respond to.

Aaron, Jamie, Cate, Danielle, Nat, Alex and one or two others I can't think of off the top of my head (apologises), can't get rid of me that easily, but some of the agents and other industry blogs will have to live without me for a few weeks. If you listen closely you can hear a collective sigh all around the world...

I leave you with an update from Mr Bean Counter and a prayer Nat gets #9 accepted first.