Being a Better Writer: Summoning the Muse · 8:23pm February 5th
Hey. Notice anything? A lack of a statement at the very top that says “Posted via Mobile?”
That’s right, I’m home at last.
Now, despite today’s post, this doesn’t mean that I’m back in the saddle again. Firstly, I’m not at 100%, and I can tell. My mind just still isn’t fully there, but emmeshed in everything from the last few months. The best way I can describe is like layers of mortar and mud have been caked around my brain, and I’m working to chip and crack that mess off bit by bit.
In other words, as badly as I want to work on Axtara and get things rolling toward the next book—or in other words be back to my normal—I know my brain isn’t there yet. It’s grief, plain and simple, mixed with overexertion of mental and emotional “muscles.”
Worse, I was burning the candle pretty hot before this all happened working on editing Axtara, anticipating that I’d recuperate when my Christmas Vacation hit. Which it never did, because … Yeah, again. If you’re not up to date on what happened or what’s been going on, here’s a summary link.
In simplest terms, I’m burned out pretty hard right now. Except it’s worse than burnout because there’s a whole mess of other pieces tied up in it. Worse, it isn’t over. There’s another funeral in March I’ll have to travel for, and I know the moment I show my face in my hometown I’ll be absolutely flooded with requests and responsibilities. Sands, even as I was leaving, as I explained to someone that I was going home because I was running up against timetables I needed to prepare for, I was hit with a blunt ‘Well, you’re coming right back, at least.’ When I said that no, I wasn’t, it followed with a “Why?”
I’m not sure if they bought my explanation of “Because I don’t live or work here.”
Ugh, just thinking about it is giving me a headache.
Okay, I’ve written too much on this already. Point being, Being a Better Writer is back, and that’s my first step towards getting back toward normal. Aside from that? I need recovery.
Life, The Universe, and Everything, which is the annual Writing Convention, is coming up in less than two weeks as well. So I need to prep for that too. But outside of that?
I’m resting. I need some health and time. Thank you, everyone, for your patience as I recover and during my absence.
That said, as noted above, one of my chosen first steps back is BaBW. So without further ado, while this post may be a bit shorter than normal, it’s still here. So let’s dive in. Hit that jump, and let’s talk about summoning the muse.
