Since hitting send 18 days ago on OF SHADOW AND STONE, I’ve been busy catching up on other responsibilities that I let slip. Taxes are done. I finally got my hair cut after four months. The house resembles a house again. I have clean socks. Doctors and vet appointments have been taken care of (mostly). I’ve done some crit work for a critique partner. I’ve beta’d on another novel. I’ve stained the front door, done a little painting, put in a little time in the yard. I’ve also spent some time geeking with the new network storage device.
Okay, so I confess I’ve spent TOO much time with technology.
You might have noticed I’m a nerd. I love technology! Mostly. While almost everything else has already been moved over to the NAS, getting our collection of movies on it will take some time. Meanwhile, I’m back to some of my former IT roots and doing a little beta testing for Omnifocus 2, a task management system. So far, so good! I used to rely on the Franklin Covey system while in the corporate world. Since then, I’ve come to depend on digital GTD apps like Omnifocus. The new version looks clean and uncomplicated, which I like much better. Yeah, I’m clearly a nerd. No, I don’t have a pocket protector. I’m wild like that.
But sometime next week, the vacation will be over. Okay, to some of you, it might not seem like a vacation. To you, it might be more like a hiatus. But in a way, it has been a vacation to me. I’ve slept in. Watched movies. Gone out to eat. But I’m starting to have writing withdrawals. So this time next week, it’s back to work.
I have a few ideas for stories and I need to whip up a couple paragraphs for each idea. From there, I’ll be talking to my agent about what’s next. This is where writing traditionally or hybrid differs from being indie. With indie, I just wrote whatever I wanted, when I wanted. I’m okay with being a hybrid author, though. Like anything else that collects a paycheck, it’s a business. One that I absolutely love. I kid people and tell them that I write what the voices in my head tell me to write. Except now, it’s by committee. HA!
While most people might not be all that happy about returning to work after vacation, I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready to start writing again.
Michelle Muto 
NICE!
😉
I know exactly what you mean, Michelle! There are time when I feel like everything else in the world has to be done BEFORE writing – especially being a grad student! Writing is important too, and I envy that you’ve found some sort of balance. Have fun getting back to writing – you’re going to do great!
Thanks, Mariel! I know that you will, too!
Good for you. I’m just Indie, and work an 11 hour day job as a facility supervisor. It’s hard to write under those conditions but I just managed to pen the first draft of my next book in four months (143K). Since then I have been taking a time-out as well, busying myself with catching up with social networking and other things I ignored while writing. Soon I will be returning to work on that second draft.
Best of luck to you with everything, Michelle. Take care!
-Jimmy