While the dog days of summer may not have officially started, as far as I’m concerned they’ve been here since the second week of May. That was when we started hitting triple digit temperatures on a fairly consistent basis.
The temperatures may be one reason I really haven’t felt like writing anything. Or even reading. The heat can be pretty draining. Or maybe I’m just getting old. There have been one or two reviews, a report on Howard Days, and a tribute to Harlan Ellison. I’ve hardly done any fiction writing, even though I’ve had more time than I did in the spring.
OTOH, my time hasn’t been nearly as structured as when classes are in session. I’ve done a lot of traveling: Austin for the State Solo and Ensemble Competition, Howard Days, a week in Dallas for my son’s trumpet camp (those tweets about the BDSM convention showing up at the hotel we were in weren’t jokes, in spite of the humorous wording), and I just got back from a weekend in Cloudcroft, NM.
Classes start Tuesday, so I’ll be back into a routine, like it or not. (That would be not, but I need the money.) So I’m hoping I’ll be more productive by the end of the week. At least you know I’m not dead yet.
Sounds like you had an interesting couple of weeks.
In more ways than one. Unfortunately, things calming down means I’m back to the grindstone.
Grindstone isn’t fun and it certainly can eat into writing time. On the other hand, I’ve read quotes from more than one writer who find themselves at wit’s end to write when they *don’t* have a routing going–and I mean day job, etc, routine, not their writing routine.
Glen Cook, for one. He said it’s been harder to write since he retired.
And truth be told, I’m in a mini-slump, too. I spent the entire month of June using my writing time for editing time. I need to get back on the writing/prose horse this week!
I am trying to rewrite/expand the story you beta read a while back to address some of the issues you pointed out. Then I need to finish the S&S novel with the ape sorcerer. Then the far future science fantasy. I hope to get back in the saddle within the next couple of days.
I’ve heard that about writers needing dayjobs to be consistent, too.
Glad you’re alive, Keith!
Yeah, I’ve found myself more productive with a dayjob that HAS TO be scheduled around rather than lots of free time that let’s you say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” I’m sure it depends on the personality type as well.
Thanks, Deuce.
For me it’s consistency of schedule. If I’m doing the same thing for much of the day every day, it’s easier to be consistent.