January 4, 2023
Emotional State: Stressed yet Resourceful
And the Pressure’s On
I have two months to finalize edits, fix the external plot, finish the research and get Book 2 of my urban fantasy series ready for primetime. And then I have to do it all over again for my cozy series. Why did I schedule four book releases this year?
Oh, right, because I’m “pacing” myself in 2023.
Last year I made it until September before I burned out on all thing’s book(s). Any bets on how long I’ll last this year? I’m hoping for a win right through December, but when plotting out the next four years of writing, editing and releases, my schedule looked a little daunting.
Okay, it looked like a hellscape of a burnt-out author, but it’s my schedule and I can flex it however much I need. I can’t, however, flex on Book 2’s release date, because it was already pushed once, and I promised to hold my feet to the fire. When January struck, fear and worry wrapped itself around my neck and squeezed whenever I thought about editing and formatting it.
But not any longer.
This morning, while cracking through chapter six, the problem with my small external plot issue resolved itself. Like magic, a really good idea came to me and a few tweaks later, it came together. I did a dance, because it was one of those moments. Those moments that staves off imposter syndrome, eases the author’s burden, and makes this whole journey worth it.
So now, I’ll just keep plugging away at the chapters, going deeper on my character’s POV, removing redundant exposition and cranking up the tension just a little bit more. I will make my deadline and it will be so much better than if I’d published it last year.
I hope.