amwriting, contemplation, nexts, putting things off, writing journey, writing life

A Lovely Gray, No School Day

There’s no better weather day, I think, during which to put things off.

For example, I have been putting off creating a blog post. I’ve thought of many possible ones, like the mischievous squirrel walnut mystery (it would take a post to explain it) Fall, the start of the school term, searching for balance as a writer and teacher, but I thought of all of you who might read or glance over this blog and figured most of you wouldn’t want to read any that.

Negative I know, but honest and as good a reason as I could come up with for putting-off my blog post some more.

The gray day as seen from my front window

But the funny thing about putting something off, is that often times what happens, is that you fill the space left open with something else that needs to get done, at least I do. Which is how, today being a lovely gray starting to drizzle kind of day and a school holiday during which I find myself on my own (can’t count the dog and cats- they’re snoring) its seems there couldn’t be a more perfect time to contemplate my post.

That in turn, allows me to put off dummying out the picture book manuscript I’ve been reworking. Said manuscript, like bread dough that’s been kneaded too much, has fallen frustratingly, pfflp, flat before and in my eyes.

To punt my manuscript need to do’s farther down the field, I think I’ll make some chocolate chip cookies, brew another cup of tea and watch The Last Unicorn.

In what ways do you put-off tasks, writing or otherwise? I can’t be the only one. Can I? Oh, I hope not.

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amwriting, children's writing, new project, nexts

The End

You’ve finished your project, your story, your piece. It’s been critiqued, revised, edited, tweaked. It’s good to go out into the world. You heard the whoosh that means it’s sent.

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Now what?

What do you do? Do you have a process? Do you take a break? Do you give yourself a treat?

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I find I like to go right to work the next day on something new. It might be another idea for a story, or a project/story for my students.

If I don’t I feel like I’m left of center. Does anyone else feel like that?

Even if I just spend the time brainstorming a character or a problem or a theme, I feel like I’m getting somewhere. The bonus is I’m not thinking about what the person who’s reading the story I’ve recently sent is thinking about my writing. Well, at least not as much as I would if I wasn’t working on something else.