Friday, July 28, 2017

Back

Yes, it's really me. After 4+ months on hiatus, I've had ample time to attend to my family and freelance work, get my head and heart in the right place, do lots of other-than-writing creative things, and think about how I want to change/not change things with PBW. I don't have all the answers, but I know if I stay away much longer I'll throw in the towel -- and I'm not willing to give up on this just yet.

The long break was very good for me, writing-wise. Since I've been away I built a new universe, wrote three novels, four novellas and lots of interesting copy. I've also embarked on a new business venture that is very promising. If all goes well I should be gainfully employed until I'm ready to retire. With a kid in college who would like to go on to medical school, that financial stability is really important.

Since my career shift from traditionally-published author to freelance writer I've been struggling with what to do with the blog. I know what I don't want, and what I can't do. Politics are not my thing. I haven't been reading much for pleasure, and while I love books I don't want to review them anymore (but I will knock out what I owe Library Thing; just off the blog.) I'm not inclined to self-publish anything but free reads, so there's no point getting into the whole indy pub stuff. I'm not able to talk about my job except in the most general of terms, so that's off the table, too.

PBW needs to evolve into something else. That's where the question marks come in. I've been having a lot of fun over at Tumblr with my non-writing projects, and I'd like to do a writing version of that here. While NDAs prevent me from sharing details about what I'm working on, I can still talk about the process, neat things I find that help with the work, and anything that helps boost the quality and productivity of the writing life. I am and always will be passionate about that.

There are also a few things about my work that I can still share, too. For example, my French publisher did this amazing cover for their edition of The Clockwork Wolf. I'm thinking about writing a sequel to Ghost Writer for NaNoWriMo this year, and posting my draft online so everyone can follow the process. I'm looking around for a new desktop computer, and doing lots of research on that. I'm getting back out with the camera and taking pictures, mainly of architecture, to help with world-building and making covers for my free reads.

I've missed you all, too, and I want to hear what you've been up to -- so if you're still speaking to me, let me know in comments.

15 comments:

  1. YAY!!!! I'm so glad to see you back :)

    I think PBW can evolve with you. Though you can't and should not go into any detail on your NDAs, the same principles apply to writing for someone else as they do writing for yourself. You still have deadlines, whether self-imposed or given by someone else, you still have scenes to write and the mechanics behind those, ideas, research...you still quilt, you take photos, and frankly, I'm really looking forward to the Ghost Writer sequel should you decide to do that! I love that story! So see? You still have lots of things you can do here.

    Did I mention I'm glad you're back? ;)

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  2. I've missed you ((hugs)). I'm glad to know everything is well and no, I'll never stop speaking to you.

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  3. It's good to hear from you again, and I'm happy you're finding your new path, wherever that may take you.

    While you've been gone, I edited my wife's book from 165K down to 130K and published it, and I'm now finishing another volume in the Sherlock parody series. Part of the fun is researching people who wrote a story for their school publication or newspaper or magazine back in the 1910s and tracing their lives as best I can. Sometimes, you get a schoolboy who becomes a Beau Arts architect whose building in Philly is a National Historic site. Yesterday, it was a schoolgirl in Ann Arbor who spent the rest of her life in her family's home, working as a secretary for the U. of Mich. (I saw her photo to mark the 40th year at the position.) She never married, no children, was a birdwatcher with Audubon. She was born when Victoria was on the throne, worked through two world wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, the nuclear era, and in retirement saw Woodstock, Nixon, disco, and Reagan before dropping off the twig. And now, she can be remembered for a story she wrote that'll appear in an obscure book only some Sherlockians will read.

    I guess that's why I like doing this.

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  4. Welcome back! I've missed your posts.

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  5. Holy moly! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw your post on my feeder.

    Welcome back! I'm looking forward to seeing how PBW will evolve.

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  6. Hooray, Lynn! Welcome back! I love the new cover! :-)

    I look forward to reading anything you can share with us.

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  7. Oh, you asked what we've been up to. I've written tons and tons, done lots of sewing, got a day job in a resturant, and got a short story published: http://strangefictionszine.com/unlucky/

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  8. Welcome back! I only recently returned from a bit of a hiatus as well - it feels good to be posting regularly again.

    It sounds like you've had a very productive four months! Three novels and more! I'm impressed. :)

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  9. YAY! Not sure how I missed this on Friday, but yay. =o)

    Not much going on here other than the usual - writing, fishing, editing, reading, life stuff.

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  10. Welcome back! Great to hear from you again! I look forward to see what you do with PBW - whatever that turns out to be.

    As for what's been happening in my life... pretty much the same-old. Still working, still writing, still trying to figure out what it is I really want to do and where I want to go. Until I do, I'm sort of on a hiatus from life. :P Loving the collaborative writing though!

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  11. Hurray! She's back!! I have always loved your creative craft postings so vote for more of those -- quilting, journalling, sewing, etc.

    As a nonwriting reader of yours, I can only be amazed at your accomplishments in 4 months. In Mid March my second child got married (I was mother of the groom so not too stressful). Since then I've taken myself in hand: Done all regular doctor checkups and screenings; joined Weight Watchers (down 13 pounds in first 6 weeks); have re-started "FlyLady" participation with a better attitude; and am sneaking up on exercising. While continuing my 24 hour a week "day job". Thanks for asking!

    But mostly, thanks for returning!!

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  12. I'm still speaking to you... LOL... when I'm around.

    Spending more time ghostwriting than me writing, trying to deal with my brother's death and everything that's happened since, trying to keep my head above water bill wise...just...dealing.

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  13. Lynn,
    Welcome back! You have been missed!
    Tami
    Starke

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  14. Yeah, can't wait to read your new books!

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