March 29, 2023
Emotional State: Settling Future Me
Writing
Grr argh. I hate website issues. It’s not related to writing, but it is part of the business of being a writer, so when my site is being stupid, it annoys me and I start fishing around for other templates, other ways to build a site, and generally just decide to scrap what I’ve spent hours building due to frustration.
But that’s not very efficient. Nor is it a good use of my time, something I’m keeping in mind as I get closer to Q2 and my new productive schedule. It is tempting though.
The last few days, I’ve been handwriting my first draft of a new urban fantasy series. It’s going well, even if the hand cramps are annoying. But what I’m finding is that I don’t take the time to do the sensory details. I don’t sit and think about the best way to discuss the smell of the room or add action beats to long dialogue. That apparently is a problem for future me.
Much like my website, I guess.
What I’m coming to learn about myself (you’d think I’d know this already!) is that I am a scattergun. My attention flits on one thing, rolls to another, and then I end up with so many tasks lists and ideas that I can’t move forward with any of them. (And thus, the new Q2 approach).
Case in point: I already have three potential projects lined up for future me. Now, I really, really wanted to put them on the plan for Q2, but I talked myself down from that idea. Because let’s face it, it’s not just a project. It requires research, time spent thinking about it, and the actual doing part. But whenever a good idea hits, I forget about all of that.
I think maybe future me needs to be more detail oriented. Write down those projects and then all the accompanying tasks so that I see just how much work it will be and why it’s best to do it later. Except I don’t do that because a new idea hits… you see where I’m going with this.
It’ll be interesting to see how I handle the constraints I put on my time and focus. Will I combust? Get frustrated and get nothing done? Get bored? Or add 1,562 other projects to my future list?
I have no idea, but future me will soon find out.