On Hiatus

The bird and I are going to take some time off and unplug to deal with that personal stuff, catch up on work and otherwise get things sorted. No worries now, I'll be fine. See you in a few weeks.

On Hiatus

Creativity really is like water. It ebbs and flows, trickles and floods, and can be anything from a gentle shower to a roaring tsunami. I've often thought of mine as a fountain; probably why I'm so drawn to them in real life. My creativity constantly cycles from a basin of dreams, inspiration and joy. If I lose sight of any of those three things, the supply starts to evaporate.

2017 taught me that the more you use your creativity, the more you need to find new sources to replenish it. There is endless inspiration in the world, but you need time to recognize it, absorb it, and learn from it. Likewise you also have to keep your creativity protected against anything that will pollute it. Toxic influences can end up poisoning everything you try to do.

That said, you can't wall yourself up in an ivory tower and tell everyone never to darken your door again. Creative people need each other. Almost everything writers do has to be accomplished alone. Having someone who deals with the same thing to talk to makes it less lonely. You feel part of something bigger than yourself when you have a circle of friends who understand you. We all need that person who gets it, even if it's just one friend. We can offer the support that they need, too.

In the year ahead I hope you all take some time to nurture your creativity as well as doing the same for others. If you can find the right balance of the two, there's nothing that will get between you and your goals.

Now I'm going to take some time off to replenish. It won't be five months this time, I promise. I just need a decent break from the internet. I'll check in now and then, and When I get back I'll have a full report.

See you once the fountain is back up to the brim.

PBW on Hiatus

As of right now it looks like we will be dealing directly with Hurricane Irma starting tomorrow night. The last time we faced a storm this strong we had no power for 21 days afterward, so I may be scarce for a while. We have made all the proper preparations, and have been through many storms like this both here and in South Florida, so we feel confident that we'll make it through again.

Since I won't be around to approve comments or update PBW I'm going to put the blog on hiatus for the duration. I'll check in when I can and let you all know how we made it through. In the meantime, please send good thoughts and prayers for all the people of Florida and the Caribbean. This time we're really going to need them.

Hiatus Extended

Just checking in to let everyone know I'm fine, and still hard at work wrapping up a big project for one of my clients. After this one I have to jump right onto another one, too. Bottom line, I will be on hiatus for at least a few more weeks; possibly longer.

Of interest to writers who never think about what their heirs might do with their private work, author Margaret Forster's personal diaries are being posthumously published by her widower.

Anything you write is up for grabs after your death, and often becomes more valuable to boot. Maybe the author wouldn't have minded; after all her family will profit from it, and evidently she was quite devoted to them. Or maybe she wanted them kept just for family reading. The sad part is that no one can ask her now.

So, another PBW classic reminder: if you have something you've written that is not intended for public consumption, best burn it now while you're still kicking.

On Hiatus

At present family and work need more of my time, so I'm going to put the blog on hiatus until I catch up. See you when I do.

Hiatus Extension

I promised back in June that if I needed more time unplugged I'd let you know -- and I do. So I'm going to keep PBW on hiatus and take off the month of August as well. Everything is fine; I'm just super busy with work, negotiating contracts (I do that without an agent now), and recharging the creative batteries.

As always, I appreciate your patience. See you in September.

Added 8/28/16: I have to extend my hiatus again so I can finish some deadlines, but I'm planning to return to posting on Monday, September 12th. Thank you again for understanding.

PBW on Hiatus

I need to take a break from the internet. Mostly for work, but also to give some thought to the future, make some decisions, and get my writing life where it needs to be. My creative batteries are also much in need of recharging, too. Since summer is my favorite season it's a good time for me to get away from the computer and enjoy it a little. Also helps me avoid that "Delete Your Blog" button that sometimes looks so very tempting even after twelve years of doing this.

As for the length of my hiatus, right now I'm thinking a month will work nicely. If I decide to extend it longer than that I'll post an update in August. Please don't worry about me, and thanks in advance for understanding. See you in a few weeks.