Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Follow up to the hiatus


Thanks for the good wishes for my blog hiatus. I thought I'd provide an update.

I finally completed the revision of my MG novel and sent it off. There was so much energy from the high of having completed an important task, I thought it would carry me to my new task, which was to work on my WIP, a YA novel.

But I couldn't write. There were too many thoughts, all going at high speeds heading toward different directions, in my mind. Scattered, cluttered, over-energized. The only way to calm down, I found, was to read.

I picked up three books, all different from one another, and from what I tend to write: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, The Discomfort Zone by Jonathan Frazen, and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Attwood.

When I went back to my WIP a few days ago, my mind was relaxed and refreshed, and I was able to see how I needed to proceed.

And now, I seem to have found a flow for working on this book that I don't want to let go. Blogging has to take a back seat yet again.

I wish I could write and blog and live as a member of my family in a balanced way but I am apparently wired to focus on only very few things at a time.

I will see you all, if you're still around, when I next surface from my writing.

7 comments:

Valerie Geary said...

Yeah! Oryx and Crake! One of my favorites. Good luck with your shiny new WIP!

C. N. Nevets said...

As long as the quill is hot, keep putting ink to parchment, I say!

Bish Denham said...

Congratulations!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

I love Oryx and Crake--well, I pretty much love anything Atwood writes.
I, too, find that reading helps me focus on my own writing. Each writer gives me insights, which help me to see my way (otherwise, I'm groping in the dark half the time). I just read REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly--soooooo good.
Best wishes for your next round.

Yat-Yee said...

Valerie: I'm enjoying it so far. And actually this WIP is not so shiny new any more. I started it more than two years ago.

Nevets: that quill is plenty, I have to say. Used up all my parchment; have to make more.

Bish: thanks!

Tricia: it was because of your recommendation of The Handmaid's Tale that turned m onto Attwood. I owe you a big thanks. I need to check out Revulution since I trust your taste!

MG Higgins said...

I'm all for knowing your limits! Enjoy your writing process. (Love the new blog design; it inspires me to consider changing my own.)

lotusgirl said...

Thanks for the update. Congrats on finishing the MG and good luck with the YA. See you when you surface again.