When most people think of summer they think of things like vacation/travel, reading on the beach, swimming in the pool, eating ice cream. I think of all those things, too, but I also think about writing and the goals I'll set for these next six (July-December) months.
I know, I know. I should lighten up already, right? Right...and wrong.
A story doesn't care if it's June or September - it wants to be told when it wants to be told. Characters want their say whether it's blizzard season or hurricane season. Writing doesn't take a vacation - at least for me, it doesn't. I might shift focus from stories to the novel or vice versa. I might sit by the pool with my notebook instead of at my desk with the computer. I might take a writing magazine to the beach instead of just reading it on the couch. My writing might rev up in July, then ease back in October.
It's a somewhat fluid schedule but it's still a schedule. A project is always, always in the works, whether it's at the market research, proofing/revising/editing or meeting new characters stage. And you know what? I don't think I'd want it any other way.
Anyone else set any writing goals for the summer?
A summer writing schedule is slightly more challenging because the kids are home. But I plan to work on querying agents and do research for the next book. A lot of this can be done in smaller chunks of time and can be interrupted and picked back up easily. For actual writing time, I have to get up earlier. Happy Summer Madeline! My very best to the tortoises!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the querying, Stacy - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. (The tortoises would, too, if they had fingers!)
ReplyDeleteThere's somthing about summer...summertime, and the living is easy...see? I can't even get through a sentence, never mind setting goals.
ReplyDeleteBut happy writing to you! :-)
Small steps, Cathy, small steps. One sentence at a time... :)
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