Intermission

Journal 71 10-16 Oct 2022

I was going to skip this week. I know 2 skips in three years? And both within a week of each other? But I don’t have much to report.

Maybe its time to reissue the mission statement of this blog/journal. Remember what it is supposed to be about?

Writing Journal

This blog evolved out of my Thesis Diary that I kept during my Master’s Program.

The journal is meant to chart my trip through writing and revision. Also, querying (which has been on hold for most of the year due to a broken computer) and submission. A lot of this stuff is sent in, and then sit and wait for months. Not very interesting.

As such, I added in story notes, planning, character bios… and then I started reviewing media consumption. Comics, movies, and TV.

It became much more of a general weekly journal. I’m fine with that. I don’t mind the intimate look at things. Never bothered me. I don’t know if the handful of you regulars enjoy it or not. But it is something I can deliver every week.

Scheduling, Revisions, Change Up?

I’m always second guessing myself (as a matter of fact, this journal has been a chart of my imposter syndrome, second guessing, and worries. I hope that you all find those helpful when you’re struggling through your own doubts. That’s why I do ALL of THIS. I want my doubts to assuage you that you’re not alone).

My current second guessing has me wondering if perhaps doing a weekly blog was too much. That perhaps I should have gone for bi-weekly. Then I could do a writing related blog on week 1 and 3, and then do gaming and media on 2 and 4. Separate the two?

But I like my weekly content as it is.

The problem is just life is interfering with things. Car repairs, needing to work on commissioned projects, doubling down on my gaming time (I get that a lot of people read that as a joke. But seriously my mental health and socializing is heavily linked to my gaming life. It is the outlet for my creativity, but also a catalyst for new ideas. It’s where the stories come from).

Accountability

The point of these posts, besides sharing my thoughts and emotions on writing, storytelling, character, worldbuilding, etc. Is Accountability.

I wanted to post numbers every week, showing that I could stick to my goals. And my track record is pretty damn good. When I look back at all the charts. All the pages and words written, revised, thrown out and rewritten. It is a lot.

Here’s the thing. I know I do this and I have a feeling that some of you will as well.

I tend to focus on the days I don’t write and feel guilty as hell. Right now, I’m hating myself for picking gaming, or watching a horror movie, or powering through five episodes of Might Nein. All things I could have done while writing, but I didn’t write. The guilt piles up and I feel like shit.

BUT… since I started charting everything and I have 2 and half novels sitting on this hard drive, I at least can see the work and effort I was able to put forth in better days.

And I think we all need to do that. We all need to forgive ourselves and focus on what we’ve accomplished and not what we’ve allowed to slow us down. Stop looking at the bad and chart all the good. It helps.

Anyway, I have a million things to do this weekend and Monday…

Sorry it’s short.