May 10, 2023
Emotional State: Digging for Gold
Writing
I’ve not written a journal post in two weeks. The first week I was in Iceland on vacation and didn’t have the time, internet, or need to post. The second week I was sick (and still am) and just couldn’t face it on top of everything else.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of different work. On the writing front, I’m working on five different projects. Yes, five. I’ve read and begun editing Book 3 in my Space Between urban fantasy series, started writing a new urban fantasy series, worked on a short story and outlined book 3 of my cozy mystery series, planned out the world for a third UF series with a morally gray character, begun work on a shared world cozy fantasy series, and drafted a few nonfiction posts about writing.
Yes, it’s a lot, but I’m finding it a lot of fun to switch between projects and it’s working for me.
The other thing I’ve been working out is figuring out who I am and how I work. In April, I took a 90 goal setting class for writers (HB90 – it’s awesome). This has cleared my clutter and helped me focus on specific projects that push my goals forward. In May (ongoing), I’m taking a Write-Better-Faster series that focuses on me as an individual and the best way for me to work (also highly recommend Becca Symes program, which focuses on our strengths to move forward).
What this means is that I’m drilling down into the type of planning that works for me (don’t get me started on my planner journey), where my pain points are, how to create a system that works for me and finding that keystone habit that will unlock my ability to achieve all my goals (see the five projects I’m currently working on).
In other words, I’m a work in progress.
What all this work has done for me, besides inundated me in fun gel pens, fountain pens, and loads of what kind of planner should I buy videos, is helped figure out where I’m stuck and why. And the thing is, some of this I’ve been working on without realizing that was what I was doing or what insecurities were hiding in the background.
We all have insecurities and writers come with their own special set on top of the basic “I’m not worthy” fears. Knowing what is stopping me from writing in all the time I have available, knowing how to set a schedule that works for me and no one else, and knowing that some of it is pure fear has been ground breaking.
We’re all special snowflakes. Seriously and truly. What makes us tick, have energy, or get the work done is different from the person next to us. And we should celebrate that, work within that, and find ways to better ourselves. We also should stop comparing ourselves to other writers – what works for them or what success looks like to them is different than what works for us.
As a writer surrounded by other writers, that message can sometimes get lost. As I dig for the gold about who I am and how I function, I’m finding the need to remind myself I’m on my own journey and it’s okay if it takes longer, looks different, or is filled with books I want to write instead of what the market is telling me to write.
Hopefully, when it’s all done, I will have a plan, a ton of fun books to focus on, and a successful future as an author. At least that’s the goal, even if it takes me a year or more to get there.
Chipping away at fears and building the foundation for success can be painful as I face truths about myself, but it’s all worth it. Or at least I hope so.