Happy New Year and Welcome Back!
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I knew I’d probably take a break for the holidays, but didn’t realize how silent I would be.
I have to admit, I had thoughts of giving up. I’d fallen out of the habit of blogging and it would have been so easy to just not blog again. I started thinking, do I really have anything to say? Would it matter if I just stopped? I had a blank space in my mind where blog ideas were supposed to be. It was a familiar feeling. The same one I’ve given into before when I put my writing aside for months or even years.
The good news is, this time, I didn’t give up. I didn’t stop.
Part of it might be that it’s the New Year and a time for resolutions and fresh starts. It felt okay that I’d stepped away for a few weeks and could just start again. Lots of bloggers took a holiday break.
Another part of it was that although I didn’t blog, I did visit other bloggers and in their comments they mentioned looking forward to visiting my blog again. Really? That felt pretty good!
And the last thing that motivated me to get back into the blogosphere is my Work In Progress.
WIP Update
I’ve been dragging my feet with this phase of editing and have written about it too many times. It felt like such a daunting task! Too complex. More than I could handle. I’d start, then stop. I avoided it and made excuses. I was reluctant to really work on it, no matter how many times I told myself I would.
And then today I decided I’d spend as much time as possible on my WIP and I made so much progress! Who knew how much I could get done with some serious focus? (Don’t answer that). What was I so afraid of?
Yesterday and the days before that, it felt impossible. Today I had fun! I actually want to share the beginning and get feedback. That’s huge for me! That’s not to say it’s ready. I only got through Part I and there are scenes in there that still need some work, but there were some that made me laugh, smile, or feel bad when I was supposed to. That’s a good sign, right?
Now I can’t wait to move onto Part II!
Affirmation
And then I saw this today and I absolutely loved it!
Here’s the link to the brief but excellent article on one of my favorite sites Lifehacker.com. It’s only two paragraphs long and the first one says:
Tasks can seem overly daunting when we look at how much time they’ll take to complete, but what good is that time if we’re not using it for something that matters to us? You’ll use it to do something, so why not use it to achieve what you truly care about?
Yes! So true! Time is going to pass (if we’re lucky) why not do something I really want to and put the effort in to reach my goal instead of looking back later and wishing I had?
There’s only one thing for me to do — keep writing, keep working on my WIP and keep blogging! Oh wait, that’s 3 things. Have I mentioned I’m really bad at math? 🙂
What about you? Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Did you take a holiday break that your having a hard time coming back from? Is there something you should be spending your time on, that matters to you? I’d love to hear about it!
char said:
Thanks, Arlene, for an inspiring post. I love that quote, that time will pass by whether we’re accomplishing something great or not. Great motivation to keep working on all our goals. I’m glad you’re having fun enjoying your writing.
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Arlene said:
Char, thanks for finding it inspiring 🙂 I thought the quote was so motivating I just had to share. It’ll be a great reminder when I start making excuses and wasting time instead of writing!
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Deborah the Closet Monster said:
No new year resolutions, but I AM glad to see you back! Cheering you on from here. 🙂
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Arlene said:
Thanks so much Deb! That means a LOT!!!! 🙂
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Kitt Crescendo said:
Great quote! I’m glad you decided to push forward. 🙂
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Arlene said:
Thanks Kitt! I’m trying. Hope I can keep that momentum going!!
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Kitt Crescendo said:
Fingers crossed. I’ve been where you are. Published my first book on Christmas day. Never thought I’d get there. 🙂 You’ve got this.
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Carrie Rubin said:
I did take a holiday break from posting, though I’ve still visited other blogs. Guess it’s time for me to resurface as well. Hope you had a great holiday!
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Arlene said:
It was fun catching you on Facebook or the occasional post – I especially liked the one about how your boys got creative with the elf!
I definitely look forward to what you have to say in 2014. Yours is one of the blogs at the top of my list! 🙂
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Carrie Rubin said:
Ah, thank you. 🙂
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cravesadventure said:
Welcome Back and Happy New Year!!! I am in need of a new job this year – hopefully by the end of this month too, since I have been working on it for months.
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Arlene said:
Good luck with the job search. I know that can be so stressful but I’ll send positive vibes your way in hopes that you’ll land something before the end of the month! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and commenting!!
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jmmcdowell said:
My holiday posts were short and simple wishes for the season. Now, it’s time to get back in the swing of writing meatier posts. It might take some time to get back up to speed, but that’s okay, too. When blogging becomes a chore, it’s okay to ease up for a bit to recharge and refocus. And spending quality time with the WIP should always come first!
I’m aiming for an initial draft of my rebuild this winter. It’ll take time and effort, but if I’m serious about publishing, then I need to get serious about the writing again. 2013 was a rough year on that front, and I’d like to see some major improvements in 2014.
Count me in as someone who’s glad you didn’t quit and is looking forward to your posts!
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Arlene said:
JM, yours was the post that I was thinking about. I was on the cusp when I read that comment and I thought, ‘Really?’ Thanks for saying it at just the right time, it gave me the push forward I needed! 🙂
I like what you said, “When blogging becomes a chore, it’s okay to ease up for a bit to recharge.” I think that’s exactly where I am.
I’m wishing you such a happy and productive 2014! I think you’ve set yourself up for a great year. You seem to have the momentum moving your way and I know I’ve said it before, but I can’t wait to read your story when it’s ready!
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gene3067 said:
I’m so glad you didn’t give up on blogging. I’d miss your posts.
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Arlene said:
Aw, thanks Gene, means so much!! 🙂
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Inion N. Mathair said:
We took some time off as well, Arlene. We’re going to be readying the first novel we wrote as Inion N. Mathair for a late spring release, but it’s taking some effort to get back into the writing groove again. Definitely needed your blog for some inspiration. Glad to see you back in the blogosphere, we love your blog and your positive, uplifting posts. Hope you have a great new year and wish you the best.
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Arlene said:
Hi InM – so glad to see you back! You two have been so busy, you needed a little break! 🙂 Hope you were able to enjoy the holidays!
I’m looking forward to what you release next and I’m SO excited for you. Seems like you put your first book out there and now you’re on a roll. Keep it up! All that hard work and effort is paying off 🙂
By the way, thanks so much for the support and retweets! 🙂
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michellejoycebond said:
What an inspirational quote! It’s just what I need with my own daunting task. Revising and editing were definitely time-consuming and brutal but soooo worth it! Now, I just hope I can get an in with an agent! The somehow harder work of writing and rewriting a query is now the monster that eats my time. 🙂
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Arlene said:
I would imagine the querying process is extremely daunting as well!!! You’ve made it over the major hurdles in getting your story written, revised and ready to go. I’ll think good thoughts for you 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and the comment!
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Kourtney Heintz said:
I did have a hard time getting back in gear. Luckily two guest posts I wrote were posted so I just linked to them. 😉 I decided to do something different and set my New Year’s resolution on Chinese New Years. That way the holiday weight is off and I can feel better about starting smart and not be in a food coma from the holidays.
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Kourtney Heintz said:
I agree about dreams taking time. But time is something we can’t stop or save up for another day. So better to devote time to what you love even if it takes years. From drafting the first manuscript to publishing the first book was 6 years for me. I’m so glad I kept at it. 🙂
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Arlene said:
So true Kourtney. And knowing that it took you 6 years to write, rewrite and publish your excellent book helps me set realistic expectations for myself. I like your idea about using the Chinese New Years as your starting line and avoiding the food coma. No wonder so many of us can’t stick to our resolutions. We’re too busy being in food coma to remember what they are 🙂
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Kourtney Heintz said:
Arlene, I’ve been writing novels since 2006, but that was my YA, Reckonings. I cut most of my writing teeth there. 🙂 Six Train was started in the fall of 2009. Reckonings is the one with the agent and Harlequin buying it. I’ve heard 10 years is a good average/benchmark for most authors from writing to agent to publication.
Thanks. I needed the time to decookiefy. It’s hard to get motivated when you’re in a sugar storm. 🙂
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4amWriter said:
I took a break over Christmas from posting, but I visited other blogs. That helped keep me in the loop and I didn’t feel like I was slacking too much. I loved not blogging on my own site, though, because I feel too much pressure sometimes having to post something that people will want to read and comment on.
Glad to hear your positive experience and forward progress with your writing. Looks like you turned a corner. Keep it up!
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Arlene said:
Kate, I agree it was a lot easier keeping up with everyone else’s blog and not stressing about what I wanted to write. If I draw a blank and don’t have anything to say, I’d rather stay silent than force something. The draw back to that approach is that I don’t have a consistent posting schedule. I am trying to get better at posting on a more regular basis. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!!! 🙂
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Primerinamer said:
i never give up in my dreams too, thanks to give me spirit again,, so inspiring..:D
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Arlene said:
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment! Glad you enjoyed!!
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