Blog No. 276
For two weeks in a row, I’ve missed my days off from work. Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes you have to be a pirate and be all about the money. When you are trying to get a book out before the end of the month (and write another one) the extra shifts (especially last minute) can be disastrous. Most of my days off are not days off. I don’t always pull a nine hour shift, but I spend a good six or more working on writing, editing, layout, podcasting, and planning for all all the events I go to as a guest, or host myself. Those days off are crucial work days. I just don’t get paid.
Have you ever had so much to do that you do nothing? Have you even had something to do that is dumb and doesn’t feel productive, because while it’s integral to the overall picture, it’s not the thing that you wanted to work on the the first place, so you do nothing? That’s how I feel every time I have paperwork to fill out, ISBN numbers to get, printers to deal with, events to plan, and so on. I’ve been trying to build up my after the day job work routine. I’ve mentioned that there are a bunch of evenings that are regularly scheduled, but the few that are not are up for grabs. I should be using that time productively. Sure, there are times when you just need time off, but I am in a crunch period that has gone on for far too long. I have to get through those not writing tasks and spend my free evenings writing.
Or working on those tasks, or on the mountain of other things that could use some time an attention. I feel like blaming winter a little bit. I’m not one to complain about it being cold outside. I may mention it when it’s rather cold, but I do my best to only complain about one season, and the heat of summer ruins my life, so I try to give winter a pass. But, we happen to be at the tail end of the season and I am starting to get a little antsy. The days are slowing getting longer again, and some warm (comparatively) snaps have given me a taste for spring. Sometimes the cold is a good excuse to stay home and work, but it’s also a good excuse to stay home and do anything else. Once that warmer weather sticks around, I tend to get a boost in the “let’s get stuff done” department. Especially if that stuff involves spending any amount of time outside. My truck (for instance) is in desperate need of a through cleaning. That’s spring Ben’s job, though.
For now, I have to take the time I have and try to focus on a single task. Maybe if I get over that hump I’ll be motivated to keep the streak going. It’s like when I’m reading a book I enjoy versus one I feel obligated to read (though some of those I do enjoy too). It’s easy (almost too easy) to sit down and read when it’s good. I can read all night and spend the day imagining what it will be like to get back to it. When the book is so-so, I have to remind myself that there is reading to do. Pretty bad for a writer, I know. When I’m writing and things are flowing, I can’t wait to get back to it. Right now, it’s all edits and forms to fill out. Still. It has to be done. It’s the only way I’m going to afford to write the next one.
Ben Van Dongen 