Dropping Down A Gear

As with all things in life, relentless attack is not a level human beings can function on 24/7, 12 months a year. I have found myself passing to the inside lane and slowing down, letting writing opportunities (which were scheduled to pass) and deadlines to fizz out without my name attached to anything.

Last year I took August off – this year I worked hard throughout the Summer – maybe it is natural to need a break, a point to look out and evaluate. I know what I am trying to achieve, the direction I am being pulled in, my 2014 plan and what I need to do to realise all of the above. I also need time. Switch off, pull away, me time.

I have been doing a lot of reading (which is never a bad thing) and I just celebrated ‘One Year A Poet’ with poetry friends. I have been busy writing poetry and planning INKSPILL – our online writing retreat (Oct 25/26th).

Allow yourself permission to slow down… take your foot off the pedal, it is the only way forward sometimes. You are no good to anyone, especially yourself if you are worked to the bone.

Take time, it is a gift, be wise with it. Treat it like GOLD and it will bear fruit of your labour, spend some of the time not watching the clock too!

I have plenty of bookings in the diary until November and even some of these I will give deep thought to, after October I may take November as a stride not a sprint and fortunately for me, the world of performance poetry takes a break over December.

I need energy back for the things I want to write, do, achieve. People on the circuit know only too well the delicate balance between writing and taking your work out on the road. It may be time to spread my wings a little further in 2015 and I have also met people this year who have proved how much can be done online, as far as seeking opportunities and coverage.

I have no regrets but I want to keep it that way. I didn’t give up a paid 80hr a week job to be in the same position minus the money. So for my own health and sanity, I need to drop down a gear.

I will attempt to keep up to date with the blog though because I think the posts hold more passion if they are HOT, HOT off the press!

 Keep writing & listen to your heart… let it lead you to the place of dreams! x

Sudden Realisation

My first dip, not bad three months into the year. I have started re-reading books on the craft of writing that I haven’t read for over a decade. I went to bed last night and fell asleep just before I became depressed at the sudden realisation that I cannot do it all.

Last month I realised the importance of having a writing schedule. My March table is already looking very full. I had hoped with a little organisation and a determined attitude I would be able to meet all deadlines without the stress of the final week of February. I am half way through writing a short story which was due for submission today, I just don’t have a full enough idea for the twist, I don’t know the characters well enough and I realised that I had to make a choice.

Do I carry on writing the story and send it anyway on a wing and a prayer?

Or

Do I work on the characters, discover the twist, see the full picture, write it over time and use it for a submission later in the year?

I have woken up and decided on the latter. It is frustrating especially as I have known about this competition for years, have journals filled with other entries from previous years that I didn’t submit and 2013 is not any different. Next year I WILL ENTER IT! I WILL DO IT! I need to build up my skills as a story writer again, have time to edit and proof. I need to breathe life into my characters.

I have decided to make a proposal for a book commision and have a lot of work and research to do this week to enable me to produce the best proposal that I can. I need to focus on that and let other opportunities slip past, that’s hard for a writer, right?

My sudden realisation is I cannot do it all, we (Mr G. and I) are currently very busy moving forward, (disclosing details later) with work and everything else I feel like one of those stretchy toys and I am pulled to full capacity.

Have you experienced this? Is anybody able to submit everything they want to?

I guess, like all things in life, choices need to made… I just hope I make the right ones!