Sunday 23 September 2012

Taking a break to write

Work on this book is incredibly intense - I just revisited the 3k I wrote in the retreat, and spared a glance at the pile of research I still need to work through. The project itself is taking the shape of three novels, which are inter-connected and reference each other in themes and development (yeah, because writing just one novel is too easy, right?).

To focus on these three in the next months (one after the other, though), I'll be cutting back on social media and overall "internet". I can't focus to the extent necessary with all the distractions, so I'm taking a leave of absence while I write the remaining 60k in the first book. I'll be on email, I may even "like" the occasional Goodreads review, but every minute I spend on the internet is a minute I'm not focusing on the actual work that must be done. Essentially, it comes down to having "halfway decent novelist" on my gravestone rather than "answered all emails and tweeted a lot". So, yeah, I'll be scarce. Emails will take a while, too, because I'm snowed under with work emails and beta-ing and even I can't subsist for long on four hours of sleep.

I do intend to return from my self-imposed exile with a kick-ass book, though, so there's hope.


3 comments:

  1. We'll miss chatting with you Aleks but I am glad you are taking the time you need to keep your energy and excitement up for your work. I am sure it will all be worth it!

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  2. Good luck with it. It's good to have these breaks sometimes and then only come back to the things you genuinely miss during the break. See you on your return!

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  3. "answered all emails and tweeted a lot" I know it's not the epitaph you want, but it did make me chuckle. I'm sure that one day it's going to appear on somebody's headstone ;)

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