"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." - Douglas Adams

[naomi_jay]

Ever have one of those days when you wake up and your head is just full of stuff? Way too much stuff to possibly deal with in just one day, especially when the bulk of that day is going to spent at work? Yeah, that is today.

So I am now officially behind on BLOOD HUNT, thanks to having been ill all week (I have been so ill so often this summer, it's ridiculous). I'm not panicking yet because at least I know what I'm doing, which is always a good thing, but I do anticipate a heavy amount of editing on this book. The atmosphere doesn't feel right to me. I want this dark, claustrophobic sense running through the book, and I don't think I've nailed that. But hey, that's what the second draft is for, right? Right. I'm still hopeful of having a first draft done before I go to Manchester next week, but don't quote me on it.

I am struggling very hard not to be distracted. I think because I know I'm nearly done with the first draft, my brain is leaping ahead to the next project already, which is annoying. I woke up with the first line of the next Ethan novella in my head (for those interested, it's going to be, "Let me clear up a couple of misconceptions about private dicks. We are not all sex machines to all the chicks, for starters."). And I was like, yeah! Ethan! And then I thought I should probably write Halflife before I write another Ethan novella, so then I was all like, yeah! Yasmin! on the bus to work, and mentally writing the first chapter for that.

And then I got to work and remembered I A) still have work to do on Wild, really, and B) want to write the dark YA novel after BLOOD HUNT anyway, so then I was all, yeah! Werewolves and Satanism and eating disorders!

And then I checked through my emails and LJ and saw yolandasfetsos  mention a new epublisher and immediately started wondering what I could write to submit there, because I am nothing if not compulsive, and when I see things like this, I obsess about them manically for a few days before reason returns.

And now I'm just going to stop everything, because BLOOD HUNT won't finish itself (and nobody will give me a minion to dictate to), and that's the priority. After that, the dark YA. After that, everything else. I think my problem is, I want to write so many things so much, and get them all published, and I when I decide I want to do something, I want to do it immediately, so I kind of swamp myself with projects I can't possibly do any work for because I don't have the time, and then I panic and feel I'm not working hard enough.

But actually, dare I say it, I am working pretty damn hard on my writing this year, allowing for the arm injury, various issues, and the day job. I'm not anywhere near where I want to be yet, but I'm a hell of a lot further along than I was this time last year, so that's got to count for something. And I'm not failing. I have to keep reminding myself of that and remove the "must try harder" millstone from around my neck.

Okay, I didn't mean to go all sombre and introspective there. Um... Kittens and flowers and chocolates! Yay!

 

Comments

[dwg.livejournal.com]

The new publisher looks shiny! Though after poking around a bit, I don't know if they mean 'urban fantasy' or 'paranormal romance' as PR would fit with their aesthetic thus far. Though, I'm a little bit thrown by the this disclaimer: NO pedophilia, bestiality, rape as titillation, necrophilia, and no depraved or illegal acts. I get that they don't want to publish paedophilia or anything that can get them shut down, but I want to know how far 'illegal acts' goes -- does this mean you can't write a murder mystery, or have a character that uses illegal drugs for science and recreation? What about vampires, because that would fall under necrophilia. And werewolves would be bestiality. And then I start to tilt my head sideways and wonder if I'm totally overthinking this.

ETA: Red Rose Publishing wank - I don't know if you saw it on Dear Author, but here's the OTF wank write up.

[yolandasfetsos.livejournal.com]

Firstly, sorry to add to your distraction. :( lol

And I know EXACTLY what you mean. I've got such a long list of stories I want to write, rewrite & revise, that my head feels all clogged up at the moment. So I can relate. I think getting a to-do list (a realistic one, in my case) together helps.

Good luck with all the stories crowding your head!

[laburton.livejournal.com]

Evernight has a full of SOM. We'll see.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been following with interest. It fascinates me exactly how often this happens in epublishing, and how it always unfolds the same way. Either it's way too easy for any old person to set up an epub company, or epublishing is just more full of batshit crazy people than other industries.

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Cool, good luck! Steve was telling me about the website redesign yesterday - sounds like it'll look great!

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I make myself to-do lists every now and then, but I rarely stick to them. About once a year I decide I'm going to Be Organised, and then something shiny pops into my head and ruins it all, lol.