So, recently I realized that my job pays me money, and that I can actually exchange that money for books.
As my husband can attest to, I'm one of the cheapest people on Earth, so this was an actual epiphany for me. It all started with SILVER PHOENIX, then HUNGER GAMES... It was all downhill from there.
Now, I'm reading a book every 2-5 days, and my Amazon account is happily recommending even more exciting reads for me. I feel invigorated with all these new books (I'd been rereading old favorites or books that have been collecting dust since they were assigned to me in college), and am remembering how amazingly peaceful and wonderful it is to just sit down and have a read.
BUT
I've been stalling on my own writing. Sure, I'm waiting for my mom and husband to finish reading over my newly-revised Work In Progress before I go over it with that last fine toothed comb...
BUT
that doesn't mean I can't fix what I know needs to be fixed, or at the very least chip away at my new book, waiting patiently in the wings.
All of this wonderful and relaxing reading has relaxed me into Procrastinationville.
I am vowing here and now to post a "Work In Progress Wednesday" this week with actual updates to talk about. Reading other writers' blogs and hearing about their rising word counts and progress has silently prodded me into action.
I don't want to be a procrastinator, I want to be a writer. Sure, I know those things are interchangeable depending on day of the week, but I feel like it's time to stop stalling already and finish up LEGACY OF THE EMPRESS once and for all.
It's time for that lady to get out there onto the find-an-agent dating scene.
Wish me luck!
Do you guys ever have times like this where you have to just get off your butt already?
16 comments:
I think I'm the opposite. Workaholic/perfectionist.
Don't worry. Sometimes you just need to relax, take a step back from your work and remind yourself why you love books so much in the first place.
AKA, reading. LOL, I'd been working on my own stuff for so long I hadn't read a good book in forever.
It seems like The Hunger Games must be required reading, I just started it yesterday and I'm hooked and already over 100 pages in. Loving it.
Yes, I'm forcing my husband to read it right now :D. He can't even help himself, and is into it, too.
I'm glad you're taking the time to have a good read, Tere!
I will now do the opposite and get it into gear tonight ;).
LUCK! and it's a delicate balance between reading (bad reality tele) surfing blogging and writing. tis true. i feel so honored my novel is included in your reading "downfall"? =)
Haha! Yes, I loved Silver Phoenix and spent many a long hour happily procrastinating with it. Now stop reading blogs and write the sequel ;)!
J/k. You can procrastinate here all you want as long as you keep posting pics of Chen Yong's inspiration on your blog... mwahahaha!
I'm either obsessed or totally procrastinating. There's no middle ground for me. Fortunately, right now I'm in obsessive mode, but I haven't written anything new in a while. It's all been revise, revise, revise. I finished that this morning (YEA!) so I'm sure the procrastination will be making a triumphant return soon as I get back into the next one. :)
You've almost convinced me to try Hunger Games. It's hard to read present tense when I'm in editor mode and my WIP is all past tense. But I just finished Pretties (Book 2 of the Uglies series) and I was a little peeved by the ending so I haven't decided whether I want to pay for book 3 or not. Maybe I'll give HG a shot in the meantime.
Good luck querying!
Congrats on the epipheny. I am about to dip my toe back into the querying scene as well...we can keep each other propped up!
And to Abby - HG was one of the best book I have EVER read...do youself a favor and read it...soon!
Abby--That's SO exciting that you finished your revisions! Congrats! :D
Christine--I totally agree. Hunger Games blew my mind, and I absolutely can't wait for Catching Fire. Good luck with the querying! I'll definitely be sending good thoughts your way!
Oh dear! I know how this goes! I been busy reading for Betas in exchange for my own, as well as forums and conitnuous emails, I barely edited anything today!
Course I am in Dallas for my little summer break, but yet I finished my WIP while here! Don't worry you will get back in the flow of things! It's nice to have a reading break =D
I'm checking Wednesday for the WIP Post! I want to know how everything is!
Silver Phoneix is my 'bed' read - one chapter a night (when I've got time). I have to give priority to review copies...which is great but its a little disheartening to return books to the library without reading them.
I find that although Im reading more for my review blog, I'm writing more in the 1 hour allocated time than I did in 2-3 hours of 'free' time before I became obsessed with reading :)
Something for you here. :)
You just made my day, Abby! :D Thank you so much!
Good luck!
I think we all can be that way to a point. The trick is finding out a way to make it work for you, rather than against you. :)
I've always looked at reading as "research" rather than as procrastinating. :D
Ooooh, a fellow inhabitant of Procrastinationville! A pleasure to meet you. :)
I have a vacation home there, and recently, I've forgotten to treat it as such. Vacation home = must first acquire vacation time + must do something deserving of a vacay.
But still. I was content sipping Mai Tais from my hammock on the beach. Until I, too, saw others word counts. And then I went over and got my lazy butt in the JuJu Writing Challenge at Purpleclover's blog (http://purpleclover-purpleclover.blogspot.com/2009/06/juju-write-thon-update-week-3.html) ... and I'm writing again.
Falling short of the challenge's 1k a day goal, but hey, we procrastinators can't be picky :)
Good luck with your WIPs, and the best of luck with your agent dating!
Hahahaha, I'm going to use that "research" line from now on ;). Thanks, Danyelle!
Ooh, thanks for the link, Jess! Good luck to you, too ;).
Does Procrastinationville have timeshares? I could get in on that action...
ooooh, timeshares. we have TONS of those here, and with the recession, you can get a good deal on one :)
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