I’m between books. The second round of Billabong Bend edits aren’t back yet, and I’m on a self-imposed writing break. It’s necessary for writers to take a holiday sometimes. To read, to play, to fill up the creative well – and to do all those chores that get neglected when a manuscript is in full swing. I’m not a naturally tidy person, not by a long shot, but right now the house and garden are neat. The feed and tack rooms are spick and span. I’m doing that nesting thing pregnant women do before giving birth – getting the environment in order so I can devote myself to my new baby/story. So I’ve made a list – It’s time to start writing a new story when:
1. You go to water the pots and wind up weeding, repotting and fertilising every one.
2. You go to the wardrobe to get a shirt and wind up organising all your clothes by colour.
3. Your usually messy office is spotless.
4. You start raking up sticks around the house and end up with a massive bonfire pile.
5. You have defragged your computer, scanned for errors, and backed up files.
6. Shoes that are usually piled higgledy-piggledy in a box are placed neatly on shelves.
7. You have oiled the saddles and bridles.
8. You have discovered the random article button on WikiHow
9. You look for a coloured pencil and wind up sorting and sharpening them all.
10. You start checking out different social media networks like Pinterest, Vimeo, Tumbler, StumbleUpon, FourSquare, Reddit, Wattpad, Flickr, DeviantArt, Delicious, and BookLikes. You begin to create any accounts you don’t yet have.
11. The dogs are bathed and groomed.
12. The new story is calling out to be written.
Okay, I’ve ticked them all off my list. New book, here I come …
Love this post Jen! Wish my home was that organised at anytime!
It won’t last Kate, trust me! x
I wish I was that efficient in between books Jenny. All I seem to be doing is watching dvd’s! Might take a leaf from your book and get some of these things done around my place.
Just when you’re really getting things done, the book calls … he, he …
Apart from the tack and the pencils your list looks like the one that’s buried under the pile on my desk at the moment. 😀 I’ve been too busy with my course work to do more than come up for air every so often but the course is almost done and I can hear the siren call of The List already.
Now your course is done, I hope you find time for your creative side to shine 🙂
lol – I have the time right this moment but my muse is awol. I know it will come back eventually but I was kind of hoping it would be waiting at the door, like a faithful dog. I think it’s more like a cat – sulking because it’s been ignored for so long!