Frustration Intensifies · 1:10pm Jul 26th, 2015
As I continue to work this new job, I'm gradually coming to think that I need to reduce my at-home workload. I have yet to complete the first chapter of the second part of Order of Shadows, which is now due to be released in a week, and that makes me nervous. I like to be well ahead of my deadlines, and by that I mean around two weeks ahead. That's getting harder and harder to do lately. Thus far I don't intend to reduce my work, but if things continue as they are then I may have to reduce my reading schedule or lengthen the time between release dates. More likely the former, as I can't stand the idea of OoS taking even longer to release than it already will.
The good news is that I already know one of the major problems with myself, and that's video games. Like a moron, I started playing Skyrim again and lost some free time to it. I no longer have enough free time to write and play games, and the past two weeks have made that abundantly clear. So yeah, I just need to be more disciplined in my approach to my hobbies. With any luck I can abandon video games for a while and get back up to speed.
In the meantime, my long-waiting story Shadow Pony has been edited and will soon be ready for publication, so its release date is no longer tentative! My thanks to Cerulean for taking the time to get it all done prior to his big vacation to see his spawn. You're one true blue dude, CV.
For those of you in the Writeoffs, don't expect much from me. I pulled something out of my ass in about an hour last night after work, but it's pretty 'meh' for me. I probably won't do a lot of reading and voting, either, though I will at least try to get through the preliminaries. Even if they're only 750 words long, that's a lot of stories to be reading when I've got a ton of deadlines to deal with.
Alright, I'm done. Reviews tomorrow, with a small announcement at that time as well.
Order of Shadows Intermission I: Saturday, August 1 or Sunday, August 2
Shadow Pony: Wednesday, July 29
Stats
Total Word Count: 1,321,000 over 30 stories
Average Words Written Per Week: 9,300
Total Words Read This Week: 64,212
Follower Rank: 314th (+1)
Overall Ratings Average: 93.81% (-0.13%)
Highest-Rated Story (Not Counting Stories at 100%): The Gentle Nights @ 98.48% (13 Weeks)
Story with the Most Votes: Tyrant @ 2012/56 (32 Weeks)
Story with the Fewest Votes: Paul's Peculiarly Puny Practice Pieces @ 12/0 (4 Weeks)
Longest Story: Trixie vs. Equestria @ 144,000
Sadly (or is it really sad?) jobs always mess up writing schedules.
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Not to mention video games. I think of all the hours I've spent playing games and wonder what I could have produced during that time. It makes me weep. And yet I can't stop. I suppose there are worse things to spend your time on.
You are preaching to the choir. Summer is our busiest season where I work, and we are shorthanded. PLUS I started playing WoW again after I took six months off of playing, just because I wasn't getting any writing done. And I don't know about you, but inspiration doesn't come on a schedule for me. So it's jot down notes as best I can at work, and try to write it all up come the weekend, AFTER I do all the million little things that need doing around the house. (Food, yard, etc.)
Maybe we all need to do what Jim Mather's started doing... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dbNLJeitL0
Yea, Skyrim will do that. And just..vidya gaemz in general. Just do whatever you gotta do man, we behind you either way.
Yep, the Skyrim trap. I fell into that a few weeks ago. Hope you find a good way to get yourself back on track.