What? I’m Back? How Can This Be?

The writing was easy (relatively). It's the editing that's killing me.

Yes, here I am writing after MONTHS of not writing. Well, that’s not true. Just not writing on this blog. I was having an existential blogging crisis about the nature of this blog, so I just kind of gave up. And then I had surgery… what?

Yes, foot surgery, for which I have a separate blog here.  And I have been laid up for the past week, and although I’ve been working, the forced bed rest has enabled me to gather my thoughts and my blogging skills.

That’s not to say my blogging (or writing) has been dormant in other areas. Running Mar Vista Patch is a full time job and I work deranged hours – but I get to work from home so that’s great.

Also, on January 28, I brought home my brand new Golden Retriever puppy from Grand Junction Colorado. Bronte is now eight months old and SHE has been blogging regularly since before she was conceived on her very own blog, which you can read here.

It’s always difficult when you write for a living to also write for pleasure, and I’m still honing the novel I wrote in November 2009. However, this week has seen me revitalised. And my great friend and brilliant writer, Becca Topol has VERY kindly agreed to read my manuscript. And so, I have given myself the deadline of Sunday July 23 at midnight to have completed my final revision and hit the “send” button and send off my manuscript to Becca – the first person who will get to read my novel.

Writing it out here is forcing me to adhere to my deadline and to stop pfaffing around and worrying that it will never be ready. So, check back here and see that I have done what I promised to do. Oy!

I’m also now going to go through my twitter feed – my personal twitter has been very silent of late – and start checking out great writing blogs, novelists, works in progress and commit to ONE HOUR a day of keeping focused on my fiction writing.

The great news about my Patch job is I work my own hours and from wherever I want. The BAD news about my Patch job is that I work way too many hours and at ungodly hours. I have no set start and stop time. It’s not uncommon for me to get up, have breakfast, and then say “Oh, I’ll just edit this one article, or check this one email, or verify this one source,” and bam, before I know it two hours has passed, I’m still in my pyjamas and my dog is wondering why I haven’t taken her for a walk.

Now that I’m limited with my poor foot and I can’t exercise – phooey – I have found more time to focus on things other than Patch.

Although, right now, I REALLY need to go prep an article for tomorrow – that’s right, we work weekends, too!

Okay, but now my commitment is out here on paper.

I WILL make an effort to blog regularly, seek out my writerly support mates once more and GET MY NOVEL TO BECCA before the weekend is done.

Keep on me and force me to meet my goal. Watch this space…