The Changing Moods of A Writer

Didn't you know? Us creative types are a wee bit unhinged sometimes. A give day can see a roller coaster like experience of moods before it comes to a crashing halt and they toddle off to bed. Up, down, so-so, truly maniacal, even zen-like sometimes. 

My current mood is reflected in the change of the site's appearance.  A splash of classic green, a bold use of fonts, and whamo--a totally different feel to it. Not sure how long I'll keep it this way, but for now it works. Well, it might need something else. Can't say for sure what it could be. I'll take suggestions from my readers. 

I also decided I needed a break from the consecutive "Writing In 2015" posts. I mean, there's more than this to this blog, I think. 

What I'm Reading

I've been reading more paper books lately. I went through this phase where I read a lot of ebooks and kind of got fatigued by the screen experience. There still is nothing like the weight, the feel, the smell, of paper books. As much as I like ebooks (and as much as my publishing company relies on ebooks) I still prefer paper. I'm not alone in that preference. Not much else to say about that, I guess. 

What am I ready, you dare ask?

Right now, three different paperbacks (two nonfiction books and a urban fantasy novel) sit next to me as I type this: 

1. The UFO Phenomenon by John Michael Greer

2. Discoverability by Kristine Katherine Rusch

3. Happy Hour In Hell by Tad Williams

I have others that I've started and set aside. Several really. I won't mention them here unless I add them to the aforementioned pile that I'm currently focusing on. Beyond paper, I've got several ebooks I'm in the process of reading. Probably a dozen or so. I just piece on them a little at a time, over a long time. Talk about a low attention span right? 

And The Writing?

Well. (Come closer, let me whisper it so everyone doesn't hear) I'm not writing fiction. Yeah, yeah, I know, I told you I was doing that Camp NaNoWriMo thingy. Well, I still am, technically. I haven't thrown in the grubby proverbial towel yet. It'll be a tighter deadline but I might just hit my 50K word target for July. 

I've been trying to come to grips with the story I chose to tell. It's a continuation of a series, so I've been reacquainting myself with the whole world and its cast. It's been percolating in my gray matter for a bit. I'll let you know whether I crash and burn or hit the bullseye on this one. 

Deep thought of the moment: What kind of writer am I really?

And Write, And Write, And Write...

Okay, I get it. I'm taking this writing thing too seriously. I know I didn't start out that way. I remember writing short little stories when I was kid on my Dad's electric typewriter. I was swimming in sci-fi and fantasy visions even then. I can still remember the hum of the machine, the heavy striking of the keys that sent hammers out to cover the page of paper with letters, and inevitable use of the whiteout function. My dad brought home scrap paper that I used to tap out the little stories when I wasn't filling them with scribbles and pictures.

There was no thought for plans or hashing out details of career building. I  mean, I was a little kid. I was having fun playing with the typewriter. I was using my fertile imagination to create. I rekindled that  fun years later when I started messing with comic book writing. I wrote a short story in school. It was the only one I wrote and finished. Nothing more came of this thing called writing until I had consumed a fair amount of fantasy fiction. I am talking Tad Williams, David Eddings, and, yes, Robert Jordan. Epic stuff.

I started a novel and, a long time later, I did finish it. I've told that story enough. I've done tons of freelance writing, including articles and ebooks. I've written lots of short stories. I've written nonfiction and fiction books. The point is…I have been writing. I keep writing posts about how I'm having so much trouble writing, but I have produced a body of work. Am I meeting some self-imposed expectations? No. No, I'm not. And you know what? That is really okay. Or at least it should be.

I keep setting these goals and laying out expectations that I consistently fail to meet. Why do this? I reason that I need some level of organization if I am going to be consistent producing work and then finding paths to publication for the work. That's the more sophisticated thinking that I've picked up listening to other pro writers and since I became publisher.

But, I've misplaced the fun parts. I've got to recover the fun parts. So, I will keep writing.

Changed My Site's Look Again Or Killing Time While I Figure Out What To Write

Yep, it's come to procrastinating, friends. I'm having a moment where I don't know what the heck I'm going to write next. Part of me thinks I've just needed a break to allow for reassessment going forward. I did that all last week. Not a single word of fiction at all. I've been contemplating a nonfiction book of essays on a particular topic of interest to me (yes, being vague on purpose).

I've also been thinking about writing a novel again. (No, I haven't forgotten the short story challenge. I will finish at least the twenty stories I promised. Just might work them in over time while other projects arise. Additionally, it's possible I have another book project on the horizon--one that pays a little something, I hope. That means I'll have to strike a tougher balance in order to fit time for fiction and nonfiction. That is all ahead of me.

As the title states, I've changed the look of my blog again. The fact is that I didn't like how it looked. It was wrong. I was going for a look that leaned more towards my fantasy fiction writing, but then remembered that I'm more than a fantasy writer. I went with a more simplistic look. I guess I just like to mix things up some.

So yeah, trying to get a grip on the writing at the moment. Probably the most important thing is to get in the habit of writing everyday again. Then work on things like word count goals or project goals afterwards.

I guess that's it for now. I'll have some new releases coming up here soon, including Other Realms: Volume One, so stay tuned, folks.