Unfortunately, I have to sleep. That’s the key problem. If I could drop the sleeping, I could do everything. Though I’d probably end up over-committing the additional 6 or 7 hours I’d clawed back through adopting a non-somniac lifestyle and I’d be back where I started.
Either way, my poor blog is being neglected, bloggers I love aren’t being read and my whole position vis à vis the blogosphere is seriously in doubt.
It’s Writing’s fault.
I’m Writing again at the moment and “Writing” tends to get in the way of any other kind of “writing”. Do you find that, sole-surviving, patient, beloved reader? I’ve committed to the 500 words a day programme ( a kind of reverse twelve step for writers previously in recovery), am doing a creative writing group for people with a substantial Work-In-Progress (or WIP as we Writers like to say) and am generally doing my best to address the nom de blog of Dad Who Writes.
Face it, “Dad Who Doesn’t Write” is nowhere near as snappy.
Oh, and I’ve still got two small children, a full-time job and an ongoing search for the perfect new post that’ll move all of us out of London.
So I’m hardly blogging at the moment and am likely to be very sporadic until I’ve finished the second “reading” draft of what I’m working on in about two months time. I’m still very much about on twitter and you’ll find me on Litopia as well but blogging needs to take a back seat for now. Writing is a core part of the ongoing conversation with myself about who I am and blogging is currently writing deferred.
This will change! So do check in every now and then.
P.S. What am I writing? I’ve shelved the other two novels (one finished but not very good, the other derailed by doing a part-time masters through 06-08) and am powering through a middle grade/young adult novel with a parallel world/magic/science fantasy sort of context. I’m excited about it. I’m pretty clear about what the next two or three following novels could be about and I’m enjoying working on it tremendously. It’s both a big departure from my previous work and a return to what I originally loved best as a reader many years ago. So now you know.
April 26th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Great reasons to be quiet here! Glad to hear it is going so well, even if I miss your writing.
April 26th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Very cool indeed
April 26th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Write on!
We’ll just sit here patiently awaiting the announcment of your publication date.
I’m struggling with much the same. Blogging is so much easier than truly creative writing and creates much more immediate results. It’s like crack for writers.
April 26th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
It’s as good a reason as any
I have patience. And if you do need a beta reader, I’ll be at the front of the queue!
April 26th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Well done!
Concentrate on what is more important. You are loved very much anyway!
April 26th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Glad to hear you’re writing!
April 26th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Still glad to see you on Twitter and glad to know you’re writing. Even if it isn’t here.
Enjoy!
April 27th, 2010 at 4:05 am
Just keep writing!!! (with a capital W) Blogging can wait!
April 27th, 2010 at 10:06 am
It’s definitely tough to juggle both, but it can be done.
Good luck!
April 27th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Keep going. Real writing is always more important than blogging. Blogging’s just here for blowing off steam. It’s the real stuff that satisfies the soul.
April 28th, 2010 at 6:07 am
I’m amazed you can get anything done with TWO children under your roof. I can barely brush my teeth or take a luxurious four and a half minute shower with my two little ones stomping around.
Writing? Did you say writing?
Yay for you!
April 28th, 2010 at 6:47 am
We all forgive you. (I can’t talk anyway, I’ve hardly been a prolific blogger myself.) Looking forward to the results of all your work and hoping to hear good news about a new job soon!
April 28th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
You’re in my reader, I’ll know when you’re back. And maybe by then I’ll have caught up with myself and be back reading posts on the day they’re posted, not a couple of days later.
Good luck with the novel – I’m looking forward to reading it one day (and all the rest of them).
Now, this Litopia lark – I tried the link and it told me access denied. Can I read things you have written there? Do I need to register or something? Or have you just posted a dodgy link!
April 30th, 2010 at 2:24 am
It’s quiet around my blog, too, and I have no excuse. Not any more busy than usual. Not Writing anything. Just kinda…meh.
I do enjoy that genre, so I can’t wait to read your published novel.
Enjoy!
May 1st, 2010 at 10:00 am
I read with a mixture of sorrow but even greater admiration. You do what you have to but know you’ll be missed. I’ve been quiet as well recently. Nothing to say and too much work keeping me busy. Much rather be busy writing a book. Glad you are feeling so inspired – it’s such a great feeling. Good luck with everything x
May 5th, 2010 at 12:24 am
You go! I’m just a tad envious that you know what needs to be done and you’re getting on with it–how wonderful! I’m still stuck trying figuring it all out.
My hat is off to you. Can’t wait until you are published!
May 12th, 2010 at 3:58 am
Best of luck! I look forward to the result.
May 15th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Do you think that such a regimented programme produces inspired results or does it get a bit mechanical? Personally, I find that the discipline only comes with some strong sense of the purpose of the writing.
Haha, oh – I just saw your list of unread books there – you really should read the Dao De Jing! Take you no time! The Stephen Mitchell translation takes considerable license but is good and very accessible. More strictly faithful translations can be confusing as the original Chinese is full of subtle and sometimes archaic untranslatable nuances. You end up poring through footnotes.
May 16th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
I find I need to have some little stick to motivate myself with. The time I have to write follows on (typically) from a day that starts at 6 with a 2yo and finishes after we’ve finally got them to bed, eaten etc at about 9. At that point, writing needs a little extra push no matter how passionately I feel about what I’m doing. Also, writing occupies space, publishers pay attention to word lengths and I need to too.
I’ve read about five translations of the Dao De Ching so far. Must admit, everything I’ve read about the Mitchell suggests I wouldn’t like it – I tend to be a footnotes person, I’m afraid. Probably why I love David Foster Wallace.
May 16th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Ah! So do you agree with the statement attributed to Confucius to the effect that Lao Tzu was a ‘dragon’ whose vision of society was that of a saintly hermit and not in practice applicable to wider society?
Do you know of a good free online version of Chuang Tzu’s texts? I’ve always wanted to read him.
June 24th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
This is the best version, I think – Gia-Fu Feng’s:
http://thedailyg.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/tao-te-ching-complete-text/
June 24th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Oooh! 500 words a day…hmmmm. I currently write a 100 word diary a day. I wonder if I could squeeze in a few hundred more to do that I-keep-meaning-to stuff…
June 24th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Hey – I manage 4 to 5 days a week at the moment, I suppose, not counting very sporadic blogging. Or Twitter. It actually helps that I work – I have a few cafes nearby where I go and sit at lunch a few days a week with a sandwich and my laptop. Or I’ll steal half an hour if I go to the shops at the weekend. My current draft will have been mostly written in cafes fueled on Earl Grey…