What I’m working on this week: Oh, I have hit that 20k wall haaaard this past week. It didn’t help that Monday ended up being a kiddo-sick-day, so no office time. Thankfully, whatever Thing 2 had appears to have been primarily a side-effect of his Flu shot, so he’s back to his normal self and happy as a clam. Even so, I managed to knock out 700 words on Monday, only to realize…nyeeeeah, no. That’s not the right direction. Cut it out. Today, in the office, banged out 1950 words, only to….nyeeeeah, not that way…Well, maybe that way, but also, not that way. Mushed some things around. Reread. Rethought. Hmmm… So I’m still on the fence about today’s words. Some of them feel right, even if there’s something off about it, but I’m not quite sure what yet. Need to think on it some more, but without getting hung up here and not moving forward, so YAY 20k! (Actually, technically, 25k, but who’s counting? Oh, I am. Me. I’m counting.)
What’s inspiring me this week: Finished Jeff Strand’s writing book The Writing Life, which was very funny, humorous, painfully illuminating, and a fun read. Definitely recommend it, though not if you’re still in that shiny “I’m going to be the next Stephen King/Tamsyn Muir!” phase. Hahahaha, nope. Probably not. But it was encouraging, too. I also highly recommend On Writing and Failure by Stephen Marche, which is also encouraging while painfully honest about what “the writing life” and “success” really look like for 99% of authors.
I’ve been working my way through Daphne Du Maurier’s collection, The Birds and other Stories, which has been a great lot of fun. “The Birds” story (which, yes, the Hitchcock film is loosely based on) was surprisingly good (and I don’t dislike the movie!). I’m in the thick of “The Apple Tree” which right now may be one of my favorite short stories I’ve read this year. This is totally the eerie aesthetic I love to write in. I wish I were better at it!
I’ve also just started my pre-convention preparatory reading list (mostly horror), and picked up a number of books I should have already read at this point in my career. (To be fair, most of my fiction reading time is spent at night before bed, so I haven’t been reading much horror because, well, I like not having nightmares. I learned THAT lesson after a late-night reading of the squirrel scene in Grady Hendrix’s How to Sell a Haunted House). So I’m trying to squeeze All Hallows by Christopher Golden in around the edges of my daytime. I’d rather have longer stretches to really dig into it, but I got about 40 pages yesterday during Thing 2’s swim class, so not terrible. I’m also going to start reading again while Thing 2 clings to me at bedtime, so I won’t A) fall asleep, and B) will get more fiction reading done.
What’s challenging me this week: Upended schedules, the chaos of construction (oh please, oh please let it finish up on schedule!), dog training, stomach upset–you name it, we’ve probably got it this week. But the office space remains, and my time there somewhat remains, and so long as I can get my 1500 done each day I’m there (or a little more when the brain allows), I’ll keep on keeping on. At least I’m not making Halloween costumes this year! (Okay, I do kind of miss it, but I’ll survive. The book needs the creative focus now anyway.)