What am I working on? This week, my focus has been on finishing the short story I started earlier last month, which is a tie-in short related to the subplot of my novel-in-progress. It’s been an interesting way to explore a secondary character from a new perspective, and solidify her a little more in my mind. While it’s a rough draft (roooooouuuuugh),it’s now at least complete, and from here we can start fixing it, right? *sobs* So for the rest of the week, I’ll be putting my energy into the second spin-off short story and try to make some headway on that. I’d like that story to be finished by the end of the month so I can spend August editing both and getting them submitted.
What’s been inspiring me? Oh boy: two things. First, How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix. I can’t remember the last time I was so fixated in a book that I just wanted to do nothing else but read. It makes me a little sad that this feeling happens so rarely, because it’s a very childhood feeling that I love. But it’s also a bit exhausting, and when you’re so caught up in the emotional flings of a book, it can actually bleed over into your daily life, and I do find that a bit challenging. There’s only so much room for frustration in my already sometimes challenging day-to-day! The kiddos don’t need to be dealing with my raging about fictitious family drama. LOL Things are stressful enough, thanks! But I am enjoying it, and especially Hendrix’s skill at raising stakes, always raising the emotional stakes, always making things WORSE. I’m so bad at that, so it’s a skill I could practice more.
The other inspiration has been Stardew Valley again, since TV time is now allowed, and I’m obsessed with it. It’s just so relaxing and soothing. Sometimes I look at the number of hours I’ve played this game and thought, “OH MY DOG, what more productive thing could I have been doing instead of playing games?” But then I ask myself, “Ah, but what more relaxing/fun thing could I have spent this time doing, if not this?” Not all time needs to be efficiently spent and maximized for production. Sometimes, you just need to have pointless, stupid fun. And that hours counter shows me I’ve successfully let go of constant “productivity” thinking and actually given fun and joy back to myself. And that makes me feel good! Very little else would have relaxed me as much as playing this game, so good for me, taking the time for myself.
What challenges am I facing this week? Oh, you mean, beside the usual struggle to find uninterrupted time? Yesterday, I was trying to read a SINGLE PAGE of HtSaHH, and it got interrupted SIX TIMES. This is why I don’t read fiction much during the day. BUT–complaints aside, I’m going to try to get back into writing 100 words a day, no matter what. I could do that in my sleep. It’ll help get Irene’s story started. I’m also going to finish HtSaHH so I can get that back to the library, and start The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, which is another book recommended for the kind of story I’m currently writing. And I’ve got to find a calmer book to read at bedtime… :|