I’ve always had a hard time figuring out when I need to take a break. Usually it’s too late by the time I do, and I need to learn how to listen to my instincts instead of pushing through.

Taking a break is vital. It’s the space in between where ideas for making the book better float to the surface at their own speed. It’s the quiet where ideas for new stories percolate and bloom. I can capture them as long as I’m paying attention.

It’s staring out the window and daydreaming time. It’s watching a lot of movies and catching up on TV. It’s taking the time to work with your hands and reconnecting to your body. It’s tackling the TBR pile and letting your unconscious do the heavy lifting.

I’m making wishes and planting seeds. I wonder which will take root.

Enjoying:

• 10 Hours of Crackling Log
• 10 Hours of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
• Write or Die Podcast ~ If you’re struggling with rejections and the long slog, it will make you feel better to hear how other authors have survived it.

Writing Update:

AHHH I finally finished the latest draft of the gothic novel, and now it’s time to have my first readers have a go at it. I’m so nervous, because this book has taken so much more work than I ever anticipated. It was supposed to be a quick adventure romp, but turned into something else completely. I guess I’ll see what the reaction is?

The word count is up to 80k words, which is a creep upwards of about 3k words, despite having cut an entire chapter.

On My Mind Lately:

It’s well into the new year and time to shake up my routines.

This year I’m trying to track my reading a little better. I set up a spreadsheet to break down my reading list by genre, publication date, and jot down some quick thoughts. I might start a quarterly favorite reads blog post and I’m toying with some new graphical headers for this site. The latter is one deep rabbit hole to fall down, and someone please call an intervention if I start fiddling with my blog template again.

I have been itching to make things, because I’ve been stuck in my head edit mode for so long. I need to get back to creating for my own enjoyment alone without any stakes involved between drafts. Having something physical to hold instead of an electronic file is so satisfying.

And then there’s spring cleaning. I’m into my 3rd year of doing a konmari on my house. The first year was the hardest, but now it’s enjoyable. Gone are those pre-pregnancy clothes that no longer (wishfully) fit, and out are the shoes that pinch my toes. Most of what I own either makes me feel great or feel cozy. Our house doesn’t have a lot of closet or storage space, so this helps keep things manageable.

Lastly in the realm of setting good habits, my goal is to try to keep off social media in the mornings and substitute reaching for my phone in the evenings with my e-reader. I fail some days, but on the days I manage this I feel so much better. Writing in the morning also means that I’m in a good head space for it all day and get more done overall.

Are you trying to set any new habits this year?

Things I Enjoyed:

GET TO WORK HURLEY. Episode 12 ~ All of Hurley’s writing business podcasts are great, but this one resonated particularly well. It’s all about how narrative shapes the world, ourselves, and our futures. Why blog? Why write? What does it matter?

2018 Locus Recommended Reading ~ A really good list, if you’re looking for book recs! It includes many of my favorites from last year.