First of all: Finding balance is hard when you suffer from Meniere’s Disease. Physically, that is. It’s not what this blog post is about, but I thought I’d put that out there.
It’s also hard to find balance, mentally, when you’re a perfectionist. Not to mention being a writer, as well. You want to write the book. You want to finish it in good time. You want it to be perfect. But you can only really pick two of those things. (unless you’re SuperWriter, which I dunno, you might be. I’m definitely not.) You make goals and fail to meet them, which makes you more pedantic about trying to meet the next goal.
It’s been a demanding year for me; but along with a lot of bad stuff, there’s been a lot of good stuff, too. I’ve been learning that it’s okay to say no to people and things; that I don’t have to wear holes in myself trying to be there for everything and everyone. More importantly, I’ve been learning that it’s okay for me to say no to my own unrealistic expectations. Or even those expectations that weren’t necessarily unrealistic, but turned out to be unexpectedly hard to fulfil because life happened.
November has turned out to be a more demanding month than I expected (and I knew I was going to be doing NaNoWriMo, so perhaps you can just imagine how demanding I already thought it was going to be). Last month, I also signed an audio deal for the rights to the first two City Between Books, Between Jobs and Between Shifts, so there has been a lot to do in sending paperwork back and forth, etc. And while that means there should be audio of those two in the reasonably near future, it’s definitely adding heaps to my pile of things-to-do…
November has also been the month of All The Doctors, where W.R. trots out in search of answers to various health complaints that have been ignored for the last 2-3 years. Some of those answers have been forthcoming, and some have not. Medication has also been forthcoming–and, with it, side effects. That, along with the steady work I’ve been doing on Between Floors, has begun to wear me out.
The upshot of all this added busy-ness is that, unfortunately, Between Floors won’t be out until January. I’m so disappointed with that, but I don’t want to rush this one and put it out while it’s still not ready. There are a lot of threads that need to be pulled together in Between Floors, and I want to do it well. I also want to be able to enjoy writing it–and to enjoy my interactions online as a writer. I love talking to you guys on my Facebook and Twitter, but it feels strained when I’m trying to do too much. I want it to be fun to answer my notifications, not a chore. You all make me laugh, and I want to take time to enjoy that.
I also want to get back some balance in my life. I want to be able to keep this blog updated, to not forget things that I said I’d do, get a little time to learn how to advertise, and maybe a smidge of time to do fun stuff like going to concerts and relaxing with my nephew without always thinking of what I still have to do. I want to enjoy reading again without feeling guilty about not being writing. I also want to do well enough at publishing so that I feel comfortable publishing every four months to six months instead of feeling the rush to try and publish every three months and then feeling guilty because I didn’t manage it (again).
I want a bit of brain space again, and I think I’m finally at the point where I can do that. So I hope it won’t be too disappointing to wait another month for Between Floors–I’m certain the results will be worth it in terms of story and structure, and I want to do this series well. I love it a lot, so I don’t want to mess it up.
So this month, I’m going to stop and rest for a bit, finish reading Intisar Khanani’s amazing Thorn (again), and go enjoy the local show that’s on this weekend. I’m going to let myself say no to a few things that are stressing me out, and take it easy. And I’m going to let myself thoroughly enjoy writing Pet’s adventures Between…
You can keep updated with my progress over on my Author Facebook Page, where I’ll still be regularly posting excerpts, updates, and random music videos that I love. And do look forward to January–I promise it will be worth the wait!
Yes! I think this is wonderful! You’ve done an amazing job, but goodness. I think it’s fine. I’m still going to read the next one whether it takes four months, six months, or even a year. It’s okay! Take care of yourself and remember to live.
Hugs,
Ariel
It’s a sweet relief to know that people will still read the next, even if it’s a bit later. Logically, I know it (because hey, I’m a reader and a fan myself, and I feel the same way about the authors I read) but it’s another thing to really know it… 😀
I’m going to do some work at making a regular, sustainable schedule for myself. Something that keeps me busy and satisfied, but doesn’t run me to the ground. It’s a work in progress 😀
I can sooooo relate to this. I feel totally out of my depth in this career! I am always in awe of your productivity, so no apologies, please. 😉
And please do take care of your health! Waiting until January will build anticipation, and that’s a good thing! Your books are well worth the wait, and I intend to be reading them ALL for many years to come.
Hugs from me too,
Jill
Goodness, I don’t feel very productive this year! So thank you =)
And thank you for always being so lovely and supportive. I feel like these days I’m doing a lot of complaining, so I appreciate it <3
*hugs* To paraphrase Olaf: “Some books are worth waiting for.” (And melting for. YOUR books are definitely both). I probably botched that analogy, but oh well. I tried. XD
What I’m actually trying to say: definitely don’t feel rushed—your fans want what’s best for you. ❤️❤️❤️ We want you healthy, happy, and relaxed. We want you to enjoy yourself as much as we enjoy your stories. So whenever you feel that pressure building up, remind yourself that your fans are behind you,100%. We want you healthy before anything else.
Because YOU are important. I echo everyone else here with my gladness that you are looking after yourself and your needs. Books can always be returned to for re-reads, but there’s only one you! Sending you lots of hugs!
Thanks, Rebeka =) I know you’re going through a really hard time yourself at the moment, so I especially appreciate the kind words! (particularly the ones from Olaf 😀 )
Thank you for sharing this, because it was something I needed to hear too. I’ve also had a very strange, difficult year, which has led to very little writing getting done—and as I have those pesky perfectionist tendencies too, I’ve struggled almost constantly with frustration and guilt about it. I really need to learn to put less pressure on myself and stop worrying about when I’ll ever have another book ready to release, and your post has been very encouraging in that department. Thanks!
I’m glad it was useful to someone else! I hope your year starts improving and that you can have less stress for next year, too =) You’ve already done so much work and achieved so much; it’s good to be able to rest, too.
I LOVE your Between books. I think they’re my favorites of yours. The concept of a human as a pet was a novel surprise. All the nods to Pet’s pet-ness tickled me. I’m so excited that a third book is coming out soon AND that they’re going to be made into audible versions! I wished for both these things when I completed Between Shifts. Publishing a tight and entertaining book every 4 months seems remarkable to me.
Thank you! Your comment made my day =)
(BTW, I just heard a small sample of the the first book, and now I’m even more excited about it *starry eyes*)
Take care of yourself 🙂 Whatever the pace, I’ll always look forward to your next book. Even a book once per year is amazing to me, no need to feel slow! ❤️
Thank you =) I’m hoping to make a steady book every four months, so we’ll see how that goes 😀
We readers have become spoiled, being able to get our fix every three to six months. When traditional publishing was the only option, we were lucky if we only had to wait a year to get the next book. So, a couple months is nothing!
Your stories are twisty and unique. I enjoy them immensely! And if my craving gets to be too much, well they are certainly worth a reread!
Thank you! ^-^/ I want to find that sweet spot where I can balance everything in my life and still put out a book every four months, so that’s what I’m going to be working at for the next couple of books.
It’s a matter of fitting in the extra Korean study I’m doing at the moment to make sure I can speak as well as understand… 😀
😊 Learning a new language does tend to take over all the time gaps, and then some! For me it’s Japanese.
Ooooh, Japanese is also HARD…
But worth it! I am told that watching dramas is the way to go if you want to get a feel for the language, but I think I will start out with the Japanese version of Sesame Street! 😉
Yes! Love the dramas for learning words and (mostly) natural usage 😊