Writerly Wednesday: 2012

[naomi_jay]

I made a list last week of "definite projects" and "maybe projects" to work on next year and since I'm still not sleeping properly omg the sleeping pills did NOTHING why would you coat sleeping pills in sugar ffs?, I thought I'd share it with you all instead of putting together an actual post. So!

Definite

Finish Undertow (currently at 13856 words, projected total 40-60k)
Finish Halflife (currently at 18036 words, projected total 70-80k)
Write Urban Wolf book four
Write sequel to NIGHT AND CHAOS (currently at 7105 words, projected total 40k)

Maybe

Write two more gothic romances (provided I can get Shadow Cursed published)
Write Ethan Banning three (tentatively titled Descent)
Write third part of the NIGHT AND CHAOS trilogy
Write second Vargulf novel

I'm also toying with a third Yasmin Stoker/Shoregrave novel. I kinda have an idea for it, but it will depend on how Halflife ends and what state Shoregrave is in afterwards. Either way, I would like to wrap up the first part of the Shoregrave series in 2012, as I have plans for a second series (a trilogy) I'd like to get to work on. I will also have heavy revisions for Night Breed, the third Urban Wolf book, as well as the release at some point! 

I'll be carrying on with editing projects too, but I'm planning to cut back on short story-writing next year. I want to be a focused, lean, mean writing machine next year and see how much I can get done. I've been a very distracted writer this year, and I haven't been anywhere near as productive as I planned. Having spent much of the year experimenting with self-publishing and promo stuff, I've been able to figure out what I want as a writer, and in 2012 what I want is to do more actual writing.

 

Comments

[intothenyght.livejournal.com]

Looking forward to anything you produce. ;) I love all of your works so far!

P.S. What sleeping pills are you taking?

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

I'm just using bog-standard supermarket own-brand at the moment (well, I say that, I tried them once and haven't bothered since). I've used herbal tablets in the past from the chemist, but they gave me almost like a hangover - I was sleeping, but I was groggy as hell all the next day.

[intothenyght.livejournal.com]

Try out melatonin...it's probably the safest natural remedy and you hardly get side effects. Many people use it for jet lag and I hear it works very well.

Of course, there are drugs like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata, but they have the potential to be addictive (like Valium), and you should only use it short term.

There's also the concept of sleep hygiene, where you go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, and you take a few hours off before bedtime to wind down and relax (i.e. no TV, computers, or lit screens in general, since they trick your brain into thinking its daytime). I'd be hypocrite if I said I did this, lol, but it works for people. Also, exercise helps with sleep, yoga, meditation, listening to something soothing before bedtime...I could go on and on, but you've probably already heard of a lot these options!

Anywho, I'll stop now. ;) I hope it helps, I know I'm insufferable without sleep!

[naomi-jay.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks for the tips! I'll look into melatonin (coincidentally, my boss is looking into obesity-related sleep problems as one of her research angles, so I'm learning a lot about melatonin right now!).

[intothenyght.livejournal.com]

Oh don't even get me started on those! :P Definitely the most common, and the most fixable!